BUNER: With large cracks on its once solid walls and massive rocks lying scattered outside the school’s premises, Qadar Nagar High School (QNHS) is a stark reminder of the havoc wreaked by climate change. Torrential floods, however, have done little to dampen the spirits of the students and the management of this one resilient school.
Torrential rains triggered devastating floods in Pakistan’s northwestern Buner district this August, killing more than 200 people and washing away critical infrastructure. QNHS, a public high school established in 2010 under the Qadar Nagar Trust (QNT), bore the brunt of the deluges.
School officials say 60 percent of QNHS’s building was damaged by the August floods, with it STEM lab, workshop, mosque and various other facilities destroyed by the deluges.
The school, however, has made headlines worldwide after it was selected as one of the finalists of the Zayed Sustainability Project. The award recognizes and rewards small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and global high schools for impactful, innovative and inspiring sustainable solutions.
QNHS was named as one of the finalists for its project to restore 20 acres of underutilized land through smart afforestation and climate-resilient farming, using native trees, fruit crops, smart irrigation and farming tunnel set-ups for vegetable production.
