One Water Project at St Matthew Academy 2008

The One Water Project was launched on Social Enterprise Day at St Matthew Academy, a brand new business and enterprise academy in South-East London. This was a fantastic case study of social enterprise in education. The One Water Project was introduced to groups of Year 8 girls who were then challenged to come up with enterprising ideas to sell bottles of One Water. Role Models and leading figures in social enterprise were present at the event talking about their experiences including Duncan Goose, the Chief Exectuvie of One Water and Kevin Brennan, Mininster for the Third Sector.

Sam Conniff from Livity kicked off the event with a speed-networking activity giving the opportunity for the girls to work together with the ‘adults’ to discuss ideas. He said, “Social Enterprise is about making a profit and also making a difference. One of the things that stuck in my mind about One Water was that 2 million people die a year through unclean water. These pumps act like a round-about that’s a really interesting way of solving a problem.”

Monica Cross, Principal of St Matthew Academy empahsised their committment to the One Water Project, - “There is nothing more basic in life than the importance of clean fresh water. Social Enterprise fits in with our ethos as a Catholic School to make sure all the students have a sense of ethics.”

Great ideas being bounced around by the kids include:

Holding a concert with NDubz and DJ Ironik (if you know who they are, you’re down with the kids)
Smoothie Hats (?)
Boat Races
Messages in a bottle from celebrities
A Madonna dance-athon
Plastic bottle dress fashion show

Check out their pitches including an adaptation of the song from Sister Act 2!: