Eight primary schools from Greater London have partnered with sister schools in Accra, Ghana to promote learning equality by sharing a learning project focused on addressing the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Story of Water follows the impacts of human activities on our environment, specifically waterways, relating to UN SDG 6 ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’; and UN SDG 14 ‘Life Below Water’.

With Benjamin Bishop, Environmental Manager at Cody Dock, children learnt about habitats, historic and modern issues rivers and oceans are facing, and the communities, biodiversity and infrastructure that depends on their health. They reflected on the similarities and differences between the Thames catchment and the Volta River system in Ghana.

They met with artists that helped them create their own ‘story of water’, inspired by movements, traditional techniques, and using household waste to create a variety of styles and works.

The schools will be exhibiting a variety of sculptural pieces, including upcycled plastic sea creatures; environmental protest artworks, poetry, spoken word and songs.

UK schools took inspiration from their sister schools in Ghana learning about social and political movements, traditional practices and translated a song into Ghana’s most spoken language, Twi, which will be performed at Cody Dock on 25th November.

Protesting on Green Street with MP for East Ham Stephen Timms

The Story of Water, is a learning programme by the Thames Festival Trust run in school across the UK, in partnership with the British Council and Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

The ‘Connecting Classrooms’ project, funded by the British Council, addresses the need for equitable access to education through the connecting of classrooms. Schools from both countries benefit and improve the curriculum in their partner schools; enriching the children’s education.

This project was curated by Rubina Rehman from Elmhurst Primary, who said:

“All our schools are extremely excited to see all the work produced by the schools for The Story of Water project and we look forward to coming together and celebrating the children’s work this November. It has been exciting leading this project and a great experience for myself and everyone involved. To be able to link with a school in another continent has really helped to broaden our children’s understanding and realise that climate change is a global problem which we need to solve together.”

Schoolchild from Elmhurst Primary has her protest poem read out

The ‘Story of Water’ exhibition will be based at Cody Dock from 26th November ‘21 to 31st January ‘22. Open to all and free to visit. No booking required.

With thanks to…

Elmhurst Primary School, Southern Road Primary School, Calverton Primary School, Holy Trinity CE Primary School, St Joachim’s Catholic Primary School, Keir Hardie Primary School, Maryland Primary School, Accra Newtown 3 Primary, All Saints Anglican Basic School, Amuman Basic School, Nungua Lekma 4 Primary and Kg, Adabraka Presbyterian Basic School, Alajo 3&4 Primary and Community Kg.

Special thanks to consulting artists: Ursula Kelly, Andrew Mutter and Dave Taylor.