Sustainability doesn’t start in boardrooms. It starts in classrooms.
That’s the thinking behind BACFREE’s latest CSR initiative: the installation of an Eco-Standz rainwater harvesting system at SK Seksyen 18, complete with a mural designed and painted by the very students who will grow up using it. The project brings together two things BACFREE cares about deeply — practical water solutions and real environmental education — and puts them in the hands of the next generation.
More Than a Water Tank
A rainwater harvesting system like Eco-Standz collects and stores rainwater for reuse — watering plants, cleaning school grounds, and reducing reliance on treated water for non-drinking purposes. On its own, that’s already a meaningful upgrade for any school campus. But BACFREE wanted this installation to do more than sit quietly in a corner of the schoolyard collecting rain unnoticed.
So instead of simply setting up the system and walking away, the BACFREE team turned the Eco-Standz unit into a canvas, and handed the paintbrush to the students themselves.
Turning Infrastructure into Education
The idea is simple: children learn best by doing, not just by reading. A rainwater harvesting system explained on a whiteboard is a diagram. A rainwater harvesting system that a child helped paint, and that they walk past every single day, is something else entirely — a reminder, a habit, a small piece of ownership over how their school treats a limited resource.
Small Hands, Big Impact
On installation day, students at SK Seksyen 18 queued up eagerly for their turn to leave a mark on the tank.
Each child contributed a palm print, while BACFREE representatives filled in the surrounding artwork, turning dozens of small handprints into one cohesive design that the whole school can point to and say, “we made this.”
It was a simple activity, but the idea behind it wasn’t. When children physically put their hands on the very system that harvests and stores water for their school, water stops being an abstract topic from a textbook. It becomes something they helped build, and something they’re more likely to care about protecting.
A Mural Built by the Whole School
By the end of the session, the once-plain Eco-Standz tank had been transformed into a colourful, collective piece of student artwork, standing as a permanent, visible reminder of the school’s commitment to sustainability.
A Partnership Between BACFREE and SK Seksyen 18
This initiative also marked a moment of collaboration between BACFREE and the school’s leadership, who welcomed the rainwater harvesting system as part of SK Seksyen 18’s broader push toward sustainability on campus.
Behind the Scenes: Installing the System
Before the painting could begin, the BACFREE technical team spent the day handling the less visible, but equally important, part of the job: setting up the piping, checking connections, and making sure the rainwater harvesting system was fully functional before a single brushstroke went on.
It’s a reminder that behind every community-facing CSR moment is a team making sure the underlying engineering actually works, reliably, for years to come.
Why Rainwater Harvesting Matters for the Next Generation
When children understand where water comes from and how it can be harvested and reused, sustainability stops being a concept they’re taught. It becomes a habit they live.
That’s ultimately what this initiative, and BACFREE’s water solutions more broadly, are about: not just providing infrastructure, but shaping how the next generation relates to water in their everyday lives. The habits students build at school don’t stay at school. They go home, grow up, and shape the choices of tomorrow.
This is why BACFREE starts here, in classrooms, with the people who will carry these habits the furthest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a rainwater harvesting system?
A rainwater harvesting system collects rainwater that would otherwise run off or go to waste, storing it for reuse in activities like watering plants, cleaning outdoor areas, or other non-drinking purposes. It’s a simple, low-maintenance way for a home, business, or school to reduce water wastage.
How does the Eco-Standz system work at SK Seksyen 18?
The Eco-Standz unit installed at SK Seksyen 18 captures rainwater and stores it on-site, where it can be drawn on by the school for daily maintenance needs such as watering the school garden and washing outdoor areas, reducing the school’s reliance on treated water for these tasks.
Can other schools or organisations get an Eco-Standz rainwater harvesting system?
Yes. BACFREE works with schools, commercial buildings, and other organisations to design and install rainwater harvesting solutions suited to their site and water usage needs. Reach out to the BACFREE team to discuss what would work for your location.
What was BACFREE’s role in this CSR initiative?
BACFREE sponsored and installed the Eco-Standz rainwater harvesting system at SK Seksyen 18, and organised the student painting session that turned the installation into a hands-on sustainability lesson for the school’s students.
Bring a Rainwater Harvesting System to Your School or Business
BACFREE’s Eco-Standz rainwater harvesting system is part of the brand’s ongoing commitment to sustainable water solutions for homes, businesses, and communities across Malaysia. If you’d like to learn more about Eco-Standz, explore CSR partnership opportunities, or find out what rainwater harvesting could look like for your school or organisation, get in touch with the BACFREE team today.
