Education through sustainable theatre at Humaira Riaz Schools

Written by Abigail Chifusa, Global Schools Project Officer.

Education is changing in many parts of the world, with schools exploring creative ways to help learners understand real-life challenges.

At Humaira Riaz School, a community-based Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) school in Heir Village, Lahore, Pakistan, education is being enhanced through an innovative approach known as Education through Sustainable Theatre.

Humaira Riaz School serves underprivileged, out-of-school, displaced, and nomadic children. Located in a community that was once agricultural land but is now rapidly urbanising, the school operates in an environment where families face growing social and environmental challenges. In response, the school has embraced creative learning methods that extend outside the traditional classroom teaching.

Among these efforts is the play Galaxy Ghalti (meaning “Galaxy Mistake”), written by artist and writer Hashir Bukhari. The play focuses on climate change, sustainability, and human responsibility towards the environment. What makes this project unique is its message, as well as how it was brought to life. Students performed using props and costumes made entirely from recycled materials, promoting sustainability in a practical and engaging way, in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). The project itself was also crowd-funded, showing strong community support.

The development of this project was supported by Global Schools Project Officer Nwa Abbas, a multilingual writer, translator, and educator from Lahore. Nwa contributed to the research for the impact report and played several roles throughout the project, including mentoring students, guiding creative processes, and supporting partnerships. Her involvement helped the school turn creative ideas into practical outcomes, even when those ideas may have seemed difficult at first.

Before this initiative, students at the school had a limited understanding of theatre prior to the initiative. Performances were mostly based on memorising lines and repeating them during assemblies or classroom activities. There was little opportunity for creativity, self-expression, or emotional engagement. However, through Galaxy Ghalti, theatre became a medium for learning. Students started exploring characters, expressing emotions, and working together to solve problems creatively.

The play itself tells the story of astronauts leaving Earth to colonise another planet. Along the way, they face questions about environmental damage, human behaviour, and whether it is possible to start over without repeating past mistakes. Through this story, students engaged with important global issues such as pollution, sustainability, and ethical responsibility. They performed these ideas, discussed, researched, and reflected on them.

An impact study was conducted to measure the effect of the project on students. Before rehearsals, many students struggled to identify skills they had or hoped to gain. Some simply responded, “I don’t know.” However, after participating in the project, their responses showed clear growth. Students were able to identify new skills such as confidence, teamwork, communication, and acting ability. They also learned how to speak clearly, project their voices, and express themselves with confidence.

Further results from the Galaxy Ghalti impact report, showed technical improvement, as well as social and emotional development. Students became more confident, more willing to share ideas, and more comfortable working with others. Importantly, they also described the experience as enjoyable, proving that learning can be both meaningful and fun.

The project also demonstrated the value of sustainability in education. Through the use of recycled materials for set design, students learned how creativity can thrive even with limited resources. They painted fabric scraps and turned them into imaginative scenes, showing that challenges can inspire innovation.

Education through sustainable theatre at Humaira Riaz School supports students in building confidence, developing creativity, and engaging thoughtfully with important social and environmental issues..