Education in the eye of the storm: GPE’s virtual reality project

GPE’s new virtual reality project showcases the challenges that climate change poses for children’s education, starting with the story of Aladina and her family in Mozambique, who faced the direct impact of Cyclone Freddy earlier this year.

October 23, 2023 by GPE Secretariat, and World Bank Interactive Media Team

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4 minutes read

12-year-old Aladina Zacarias stands outside her house which was ravaged by Cyclone Freddy. Cyclone Freddy, the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record, hit Mozambique twice - on February 24 and March 11, 2023 - causing strong winds combined with heavy rains and wreaking havoc on the lives of hundreds of thousands of families.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

“When cyclone Freddy passed, I was scared and really sad. Cyclone Freddy destroyed a lot of things. It destroyed homes. Destroyed crops. Destroyed schools. We stayed one month without going to school.”

Aladina Zacarias

Student, Inlima Primary School

Today, let us take you to Maganja da Costa, a district in Zambézia Province, Mozambique, to experience the impact of Tropical Cyclone Freddy.

Be ready to experience the storm's intensity, as ferocious winds and heavy rains destroy livelihoods, homes and anything else in the storm’s path. Feel the fear and hopes, and listen to the personal stories of the children, families and teachers affected by the storm.

Education in the eye of the storm is a virtual reality project that enables users to experience how the education of children and youth is being impacted by climate-related events, and how children and their families and communities are responding and adapting.

Through a web 360° immersive experience, users can access videos, photos, interviews and other content to understand the enormity of the destruction caused by Freddy – and the consequences for children’s education.

Aladina Zacarias with her family at their home. They were inside their house during the cyclone's passage until it came crashing down, forcing them to relocate.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

Experiencing the impact of climate change

In early 2023, GPE teamed up with the World Bank and UNICEF Mozambique to create a virtual experience that enables users to emotionally connect with individuals who are experiencing firsthand the impacts of climate change.

With the latest immersive technology and a talented storytelling team, we embarked on a project to create a documentary that vividly portrays the profound impact of Cyclone Freddy, and the resilience of those most affected.

Virtual reality is the perfect medium to create and share impactful stories. It allows users to immerse themselves in this climate event and connect with the people of Zambezia.

Behind the scenes: The team in action

360° video director Alejandro Lendínez works on one of the scenes of “Education in the Eye of the Storm”, Maganja da Costa, Mozambique.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

Producer Sheila Saiete, along with the local production team, carries out an interview with 12-year-old student Aladina, outside her house which has suffered the effects of Cyclone Freddy.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

Producer Ernanio Mandlate, captures the challenging circumstances that children are facing – enduring the rain with a damaged roof in their classroom at Alto Mutola Primary School in Maganja da Costa, which was heavily impacted by Cyclone Freddy.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

Under rainy conditions in Maganja da Costa, Director Alejandro Lendínez and Producer Ernanio Mandlate prepare equipment during the filming of the VR documentary.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

Dercio Gomate, audio engineer and the local crew conduct an interview with Inlima School teacher Valige in Maganja da Costa, Mozambique.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

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We created the 360° film in 3D and also crafted a realistic simulation of Cyclone Freddy's impact on a typical home in Maganja da Costa, providing viewers with a visceral understanding of the challenges faced by the community during this catastrophic event.

The project included local collaboration with a Mozambican composer who crafted an original soundtrack to enhance the storytelling experience as well as a remarkable, passionate crew that produced a wide range of multimedia materials.

Climate-related events wreak havoc on children’s education

Cyclone Freddy, the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record, hit Mozambique twice - on February 24 and again on March 11, 2023 - with strong winds and heavy rains wreaking havoc on the lives of almost 1.2 million Mozambicans.

Inlima School Teacher Nanucha Paiva Jaime, who teaches Portuguese and math to third graders, explains that the resources she needs most include a better classroom, teaching materials, and a desk. Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

"Even though we were back at school, we had to go around the community to inform people that school had resumed. Children were apprehensive and asked: 'Where are we going to study? There's no school there.' The desks and benches were gone, so we had to start from scratch, which resulted in a delay in our annual plan."

Nanucha Jaime

Teacher, Inlima Primary School

In Mozambique, approximately 1,500 classrooms were destroyed by Cyclone Freddy, disrupting learning for over 134,000 students.

Alto Mutola Primary School in Maganja da Costa, affected by Cyclone Freddy, displaying the roof damage caused by the strong winds that blew it away.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

Rainfall over the areas crossed by Cyclone Freddy averaged 200 to 300 mm a day, sometimes reaching as high as 600 mm, triple the typical rainfall. The storm generated significant damage to infrastructure, including houses, schools and health facilities.

Climate change related disasters have become more frequent and it is estimated that 1 billion children worldwide are at extremely high risk due to climate impacts. These disasters increase the vulnerability of communities and individuals, put stress on water and food security, and affect children’s education. They cause schools to close – and even if schools remain open, they become shelters for families. Yet the longer children are out of school, the more likely they will never return, significantly impacting their future opportunities.

Children in a temporary classroom at Inlima Primary School express their heartfelt desire for a proper school building, desks and benches to ensure they can continue learning.

Credit: GPE/Mbuto Machili

GPE builds climate-smart education systems

Keeping children in school through climate-related event starts with building resilient education systems. This includes risk-sensitive planning, climate-resilient infrastructure, and advancing curricula and teacher training on climate and disaster risk reduction.

To fully harness the potential of education for climate action, GPE is working with partners to promote climate smart education systems by offering technical support to include climate-risk in education plans, foster cross-sector coordination and access financing for adaptation efforts.

Focus areas: Climate change

Regions and countries: Sub-Saharan Africa: Mozambique

October 24, 2023 by Eleanor Stella Kaabwe

Thank you for sharing this enlightening blog with its multifaceted approach. I was Chief of Education in Mozambique and Maganja da Costa was one of our focus districts. A major problem in many provinces and districts is how difficult it is to get there to do the work that is required. There are no good roads even when it is not raining. Calamidades as they call them are experienced annually or many times in the same year. Planning is complex as it is not known what emergency (earthquake, cyclone, floods ...) to address. It helps that Mozambique is one of the few countries that has a budget for emergencies but that is overwhelmed by requirements. Innovative ways of supporting the country are really vital as the population of school going age children is higher than that of adults. Supporting schools is important because in Mozambique schools are centres for other child related services such as Growth Monitoring. When schools close more than learning suffers.

October 25, 2023 by Carolina Valenzuela

Thank you for your comment, Eleanor! Our main goal through this virtual reality film was to give individuals the opportunity to experience Cyclone Freddy’s destruction through the eyes of those who were affected. We also aim to bring attention to the challenges that climate change poses to ensure learning continues and the importance of investing in climate-resilient education systems to ensure education is not interrupted – even when cyclones make landfall.

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Experiencing the impact of climate change

Behind the scenes: The team in action

Climate-related events wreak havoc on children’s education

GPE builds climate-smart education systems

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