Inside a sunlit classroom at St. Thomas’ College in Matale, a group of students passed around a bamboo toothbrush, turning it over in their hands with genuine curiosity. For many of them, it was the first time they had held a tangible alternative to the plastic objects they used every day without a second thought.

That small moment of discovery was exactly what SUSTERA Phase 01 was designed to create. Organized by the Sustainable Partnership Avenue of the ZeroPlastic Movement, University of Kelaniya, the project brought environmental education directly into a school setting, meeting young people where they learn and giving them reasons to think differently about the materials shaping their daily lives.

From Awareness to Action

The program opened with an environmental awareness session led by Mr. Achintha Wijenayaka, the Founder of Bamboo.lk, who served as the Official Knowledge Partner for the initiative. Rather than delivering a standard lecture on plastic pollution, Wijenayaka guided students through the lifecycle of single-use plastics, helping them understand where these materials end up long after they are discarded. He connected the problem to their own surroundings, making the issue of environmental conservation feel local and personal rather than abstract.

What followed gave the session a distinctly practical edge. Students participated in a hands-on bamboo workshop, where they examined bamboo-based products and learned how this fast-growing, renewable resource can replace common plastic items. The workshop was not just about showing alternatives but about letting students touch, build and question. They asked about durability, cost and availability, the kinds of questions that reflect genuine engagement rather than passive listening.

Planting Seeds of Sustainable Thinking

Beyond the environmental message, the …