The S.E.A.T Project teaches children about social responsibility, their own gifts & talents and encourages community engagement.
The S.E.A.T Project was designed by UNSW Art & Design graduate Niki Banados as part of the Hands That Shape Humanity ‘Hand Up’ mentor program. It is a small bamboo stool for children and is produced in a sustainable bamboo factory in Vietnam, where they use the off cuts from the bamboo to fuel the furnace that powers the whole bamboo factory!
SEAT was designed according to the cradle-to-cradle design theory – it requires no glue or nails and is 100% biodegradable, including the packaging.
As a demonstration of our butterfly effect we decided that SEAT could stand for something more. Being small and easily assembled by children, we pictured SEAT as a great school project which encourages teamwork, problem solving, literacy and teaches kids about sustainability, community and how we can all help each other.
To us, the S.E.A.T Project represents empowerment. Our vision is to see S.E.A.T Project reading circles, and pop up libraries in every school in Australia (and possibly the world for that matter!) As a part of our vision we asked storyteller, Lesley Hancock, to write our story of S.E.A.T and how such an ordinary stool could be so extraordinary. SEAT: The Little Stool That Could is now a resource used within our education program. Our book brings SEAT and his friend Bea, the paper mache butterfly to life.
The S.E.A.T Project is a wonderful catalyst for community engagement. It’s easy to get involved! Buy a SEAT, purchase an education package for a classroom, sponsor a classroom or school to participate in the program or sponsor a reading circle or pop-up library.
