The Benji SDG Education Program was created from a simple conviction: children should not have to wait until adulthood to understand the world around them or discover their ability to make a positive difference.
The United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals address challenges that affect every community, yet concepts such as poverty, sustainability, inequality and global cooperation can seem distant or overwhelming to young learners.
I wanted to bridge that gap through a character children could connect with—Benji the SDG Fox—whose curiosity, kindness and adventures make important global issues approachable.
Beginning with my published book, Benji and the SDGs, the initiative developed into a structured education programme combining storytelling, practical activities, guided discussion and collaborative problem-solving.
The aim is not simply to teach children the names of the Global Goals. It is to help them ask thoughtful questions, recognise different perspectives, practise empathy and discover age-appropriate ways to contribute to their communities.
Benji was designed to connect imagination with responsible action while giving educators flexible resources that can be adapted to different learning environments.
The programme reflects the belief that every child deserves the opportunity to learn, participate and recognise that even small actions can contribute to a kinder, more sustainable world.
The Benji SDG Education Program uses original storytelling alongside structured, educator-led activities to introduce young learners to global citizenship, sustainability, kindness and practical problem-solving.
For early-primary learners, educators use selected passages from Benji and the SDGs as a starting point for approximately 35-minute lessons. The Grades 1–5 teaching packet contains 30 lessons with adaptations for younger and older primary students.
Each lesson follows a predictable sequence: introduce a question, read and discuss a story, complete a practical activity, share discoveries and reflect on learning.
For example, children exploring SDG 6 may create a paper model showing how litter travels towards waterways. In an SDG 9 activity, they may build and test a simple paper bridge, compare results and improve their design. Other activities address fairness, inclusion, cooperation and community responsibility.
The programme includes nine reusable student worksheets, differentiated activities and a four-point assessment rubric. Educators can gather initial and final reflections, student work and observations to assess progress.
A digital Educator Vault provides additional learning resources and a central point of access for educators and families.
The current resources are available for educational use and evaluation. Independent classroom pilots and learning-outcome reviews are being pursued; their results have not yet been established.
The Benji SDG Education Program has been expanding through international publishing, digital educational resources, published educational articles, institutional outreach and community engagement.
Its foundation, the children’s book Benji and the SDGs (ISBN 9781105904363), is distributed through international platforms including Amazon Kindle, Kobo and Lulu, with additional availability through international booksellers.
The programme has expanded into two structured teaching packets containing 60 lessons across Grades 1–5 and Grades 6–9. Its public Educator Vault provides supplementary resources for educators, homeschool families and community learning organisations.
On October 6, 2026, Parenting Finds published 17 Sustainable Development Goals for Kids: A Parent’s Guide, featuring Safwan Bey’s educational approach and identifying Safwan Bey as the creator of the Benji SDG Education Program. The article provides an additional public discovery pathway for families and educators.
https://www.parentingfinds.com/sustainable-development-goals-for-kids/
Institutional outreach has introduced the programme to schools, homeschool associations, educational organisations and prospective partners. An introductory meeting with Boys & Girls Clubs representatives in southeastern Virginia explored future educational programming, while university and school-system curriculum-review inquiries are underway.
Expansion currently reflects publishing, educational resource development and ins
The Benji SDG Education Program began with my original children’s book, Benji and the SDGs, introducing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals through character-led storytelling.
It has since evolved into a structured educational programme with two age-specific teaching packets: Grades 1–5 (46 pages) and Grades 6–9 (54 pages), each containing 30 lessons.
The curriculum now incorporates clear learning objectives, differentiated instruction, guided discussions, practical activities, student worksheets, collaborative projects and assessment guidance.
For early-primary learners, activities include teacher read-alouds, picture-based responses, drawing, simple investigations and age-appropriate community challenges.
We also developed the digital Benji Educator Vault to provide centralised access to supplementary teaching resources.
The programme has strengthened its educational framework through initial and final learner reflections, a four-point assessment rubric, accessibility considerations and safeguarding guidance.
A complementary animated series, Benji Discovers, is being developed to extend the storytelling experience.
The next phase focuses on independent curriculum review, educator feedback and documented educational pilots to evaluate effectiveness and guide further improvement.
Educators, homeschool families and community learning organisations can begin by visiting the Benji SDG Educator Vault:
https://benji-sdg-educator-vault.hrhsafwan.chatgpt.site/
Explore the available learning resources and select an activity suited to your learners’ ages, abilities and educational setting.
The programme’s structured teaching packets are available for Grades 1–5 and Grades 6–9, each containing 30 lessons. Educators interested in evaluating the complete programme can contact the Benji team at benjithesdgfox@gmail.com to request the appropriate teaching materials.
For children ages 6–8, begin with a teacher-led story activity introducing Benji and one Sustainable Development Goal.
Use the lesson sequence to introduce a question, read a short passage, facilitate discussion, complete a practical activity and collect a brief reflection.
Teachers can use the included learning objectives, worksheets and assessment guidance to adapt instruction and document learners’ developing understanding.
Schools and educational institutions interested in conducting a structured pilot or independent curriculum review are welcome to contact the programme team to discuss scope, safeguarding requirements, assessment methods and educational feedback.
No specialised technology or expensive equipment is required for the core classroom activities. Most lessons use accessible materials such as paper, pencils, reusable objects and guided discussion.
