Ordino French School Students Raise €900 for UNICEF with Custom Bike Bottles

Students at Ordino's French school have raised €900 for UNICEF by selling 160 customised bicycle water bottles, each priced at €6 and decorated with parish-inspired designs. The funds, handed over on Wednesday, will support the organisation's programmes for vulnerable children.

The initiative originated from proposals made by the pupils during a session of the local youth council, known as the Consell d'Infants. The Ordino communal authority funded the bottles, with the children taking charge of decoration and sales.

Councillor Maria del Mar Coma described the amount as "a very significant figure" and the first time the school had gathered such a large sum. "The comú collaborates on this, and it's true that this year is the first time they've collected such a substantial amount, which makes it very positive," she said.

The project not only generated funds but also helped pupils develop values like solidarity, cooperation, and social commitment. "It's a lovely initiative from children who want to help others in need," Coma added.

The youth council session also reviewed other pupil proposals from the school year. One called for installing a ping-pong table in a parish park. In response, the comú noted that play structures in Parc del Prat del Call require renewal due to obsolescence. Officials will assess whether a table can fit into the redesign. "We need to check if the ping-pong area really works in that spot. If we find a suitable location, it will be implemented," Coma explained.

Additional activities included a Christmas carol performance for godparents, the third edition of a solidarity bike ride, and a visit to Casa Pairal to promote intergenerational exchange through games and discussions. Pupils praised the continuation of a composting project started last year with a comú-provided composter.

The council also endorsed plans for a sports day in September to introduce various activities, addressing the fact that not all children know the sports available locally. Suggestions included kung fu, urban dance, ballet, squash, climbing, and taekwondo. "Sport is becoming a key part of our lives, and getting children into it from a young age is fantastic," Coma said. Monitors may visit the school where feasible, though some activities like climbing will occur off-site.

Separately, pupils from Ordino's Andorran school collected 10.5 kg of waste—4 kg of refuse, 6 kg of packaging, and 0.5 kg of cardboard—during a cleanup drive, their first weighed effort to track litter trends and promote environmental awareness. They also supported expanding the composting initiative.