Raising levels of awareness, skills and education is a crucial step in sustainable development. With many of the problems that we see, such as destructive environmental practices and economic poverty, people lack either awareness of the negative consequences of their work or the means to choose alternatives. There is a need to build capacity, not just in terms of financial means but also in terms of intellectual capital, such as confidence in grant-writing or knowledge of new alternative technologies. Through ongoing community work and dedicated projects, Eco Ethics helps to mobilise groups, organise workshops and share knowledge.
Projects/Community
Youth enterprise development initiative
A cross-cutting social issue that affects much of Eco Ethics' work is unemployment and disempowerment among youth (in Kenya, the term 'youth' includes men and women between 18 and 35 years old). While there are several youth groups in the region, members lack skills in writing grants and accessing funds to help them find work or start their own enterprises. Their disengagement can lead to social problems; for example, young people are the main actors and victims of tribal and political violence. We recruited 20 members from ten local youth groups for training and mentoring, so that they could return to their groups and share their new skills. Supported by the Kenya Community Development Fund, the project involved a five-day workshop on enterprise development, conflict resolution and other topics, followed by a three-month 'extension program for participants’ to develop proposals for funding using the knowledge they had gained. Eco Ethics provided advice and monitoring during this period. We also organised two exchange visits for participants with other youth groups in Kenya. The aim was for the youth groups to become more knowledgeable and effective, and have a better chance to secure funding for their activities.
Introduction of reusable sanitary towels as a means to manage menstruation in Ganze
This project addresses the needs of women and girls, an often marginalised social group in coastal villages. It was initiated to solve the problem of schoolgirls missing school during their periods because they lack access to sanitary towels. A program was designed to teach girls how to sew their own reusable pads, which will allow them to go to school all month. While it is mainly seen as an educational and capacity-building project, the environmental sustainability of the pads is another benefit.
