Oliver Bora is a 17-year-old Mullumbimby Shearwater Steiner School student with a passion for sustainable farming. He’s currently setting up a pasture raised, free range egg farm at his school to provide grass fed organic eggs to the local community.
Oliver said that during the past year he has been ‘working hard utilising most of my subjects to make a professional business plan, a crowd funding video and networking skills to promote the video’.
He described the support he’s received from his school and the community as ‘amazing’.
When I get my business going, from each carton sold, 50 cents will be saved to give as a head start to the next young business kid coming through my school. I want to encourage other kids to use their subjects now to get ahead,’ Oliver said.
Andrew Carter, farm manager at Shearwater Steiner School, said that ever since Oliver pitched the idea to ‘ we wanted to support him entirely’.
‘Allowing students to follow their passions will help them get the most out of their education,’ Mr Carter said.
Oliver said that by developing his Oliver’s Hens business model as a school project, ‘I’ve started to see how this enterprise brings together all my subjects: business studies, design and technology, maths and English’.
‘It seems to me this kind of learning is a whole branch of education that is only just being tapped into – and holds so much potential for teaching real world skills. I know it sounds ambitious but I think it will be revolutionary in schools. ‘It’s helping to pave the way for other students to turn their dreams into a reality too,’ Oliver said.
Joel Orchard, from Northern Rivers Young Farmers, said it was ‘amazing that a young guy like Oliver has put so much energy into this sustainable farming project. We need more young farmers. Let’s get behind him so he can lead the way.’
Oliver’s Hen’s crowd funding video is being launched via Pozible today (August 28). Pozible have agreed to feature the campaign.
Oliver also has the support of Santos Organics, The Farm Byron Bay, Department of Primary Industries, The Community Gardens Mullumbimby and a few coffee shops around Byron Shire.
https://www.pozible.com/project/olivers-hens
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