Get To Know Nature with Thursina IIBS in Petualam Eco-Tour
Thursina International Islamic Boarding School (IIBS) recently hosted an unforgettable Eco-Tour program for students in grades 1 to 3, initiated by the Petualam student group. This brilliant idea, conceived by Hibraturahman Althaf, Farrel Naufal Pramono, Elroy Tito Deandre, Afrand Muhammad Farrazan, Andi Rafii Hatta Putra, Alif Cryptovan, and Muhammad Husein Rafi, was designed to nurture creativity and foster a love of nature among young generations.
Petualam is a social project aimed at building a sense of adventure, appreciation for nature, and creativity in children. Through this free Eco-Tour event, children from the Thursina IIBS community were invited to explore their environment while learning to recognize and care for plants and animals. These children were accompanied by members of the Petualam, who ensured their safety and guided them throughout the adventure.
One member of the team, Alif Cryptovan, revealed that Petualam is a joint project that will eventually be submitted to the international competition of the 2024 Istanbul Youth Summit (IYS). “We are collaborating with students from Insan Permata Elementary Malang. By participating in this tour, they learn how to treat animals and respect their environment,” he explained.
During the Eco-Tour, children were encouraged to participate in a variety of nature-based educational activities, such as identifying plants, picking fruits, and trying their hands at a hydroponics kit. These hands-on experiences not only educated them about local flora but also nurtured their curiosity and love of nature.
Children also got the chance to interact with animals in the Petualam Eco-Tour. Through activities like animal petting and, feeding, horse riding, and fishing, children were given the opportunity to directly interact with the animals around the Thursina IIBS campus.
“This experience not only fosters compassion for living beings but also builds courage, independence, and patience,” added Alif. “All activities were held on the Thursina campus, which is fully equipped for these events.”
Through this program, Petualam hopes to spark children's interest in nature and help them develop essential skills from an early age. The Eco-Tour serves as a way to inspire the younger generation to become more compassionate and responsible of their environment.