Raneem is leading the change in her school and community to save every drop of water

In a small town in Irbid in northern Jordan, 16-year-old Raneem decided to make an impact in her local community and lead the change by saving water. At her school, students like Raneem are learning how to tackle climate change and Jordan’s growing water crisis in smart and sustainable ways. Raneem is part of a UNICEF-supported innovative awareness programme, funded by the Adaptation Fund and managed by UN-Habitat Jordan, that is teaching students how to protect their most valuable resource which is water.

“Here, I have learned what climate change is and how it affects Jordan,” Raneem explains. “Water scarcity is a huge issue, and we simply can't afford to waste a drop of water. I was excited to learn that one way to save water is by recycling greywater. At my school, UNICEF has supported the establishment of a system where water from sinks is collected, treated, and reused for flushing toilets instead of using fresh water. This system saves water, and it feels amazing to know that my own school is making a difference in such a simple, yet impactful way.”

Raneem has taken the knowledge she’s gained around climate change and water conservation to her community, helping to spread awareness beyond her classroom. “I volunteered with my teachers to teach younger students through fun puppet shows that explain the importance of saving every drop of water,” she says proudly. “For the older students, we created presentations to show how important it is to save water and the different ways we can do that. After all that I have learnt here, I now see every drop of water differently and why it matters.”

Her school principal, Ms. Ola, also shares her appreciation for the project. “Water shortages have been a major issue for years. The greywater recycling system is making a direct impact."

With over 800 students, including kindergarteners, maintaining a steady water supply is essential. “Young children need to use the bathroom frequently, and we can’t tell them not to,” says Ms. Ola. “When I heard about this project, I made sure that our school is part of it and help sustain the water supply in the school through greywater recycling.”

In addition to the greywater system, the project has strengthened the school’s efforts to educate students about water conservation. “We’ve always taught students about hygiene, but now, we also teach them how to conserve water at the same time,” Ms. Ola explains. “Students create murals with water-saving messages, lead awareness efforts, and are actively engaged in water conservation. This has given them a beautiful sense of pride and responsibility.”

Under the Increasing the Resilience of Both Displaced Persons and Host Communities to Climate Change-Related Water Challenges” project, funded by the Adaptation Fund and managed by UN-Habitat Jordan, UNICEF Jordan and its partners are implementing the design and installation of innovative systems to treat and reuse greywater in 35 schools and 5 mosques. It is expected that it will benefit nearly 40,000 people with awareness raising and capacity building programmes that are implemented to ensure a sustainable use of these systems and increase adaptation capacities to water scarcity and climate change.

The targeted schools are serving as hubs for disseminating knowledge, fostering behavioral change, and inspiring broader community engagement in addressing climate change-related water challenges in Jordan.