Khayr Qatarna, a Your Health First – Sahtak Awalan initiative, has installed state-of-the-art greenhouses at three Qatar Foundation schools to teach students important lessons on food security, environmental sustainability and healthy eating.
QF Pre-University Education and Your Health First have collaborated to build the climate-controlled greenhouses at Qatar Academy Al Khor, Renad Academy and Qatar Academy Al Wakra, giving more than one thousand students the chance to take hands-on lessons on how to cultivate a wide range of fresh produce, including tomatoes, cucumbers, aubergines, strawberries and peppers, among other varieties.
As part of Your Health First – Sahtak Awalan, which is the flagship public health campaign of Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar (WCM-Q), Khayr Qatarna was launched in 2018 to boost self-sufficiency in Qatar at the same time as helping the younger generation avoid non-communicable diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes by teaching them the importance of a healthy, balanced diet rich in fresh fruit and vegetables.
Buthaina Ali Al Nuaimi, President of QF Pre-University Education, said it is wonderful that, with the Khayr Qatarna greenhouses, they are able to teach students by actually letting them get their hands in the soil and seeing the plants thrive under their careful stewardship.
This is a truly rich and compelling educational experience and it supports the theoretical lessons that students learn in science class, as well as help them appreciate where their food comes from, making them very enthusiastic about healthy eating.’
In the initial phase of Khayr Qatarna, greenhouses were installed at ten secondary schools across Qatar. Tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables have already been harvested, with the produce distributed with Khayr Qatarna branding through local supermarkets.
All crops have been granted the status of ‘Premium Products’ by the Ministry of Municipality and Environment, which has provided valuable support and advice to Khayr Qatarna.
Nesreen Al Rifai, Chief Communications Officer at WCM-Q, said it is absolutely crucial that we not only teach the younger generation about healthy eating and food security but that we also inspire them and give them opportunities to put these lessons into practice through practical initiatives like Khayr Qatarna.
Khayr Qatarna is part of the Sahtak Awalan – Your Health First campaign, which was launched by WCM-Q in 2012 supported by Qatar Foundation, the Ministry of Public Health, the Ministry of Education and Higher Education, the Ministry of Municipality and the Environment, and ExxonMobil. Visit sahtakawalan.com for more information.
