Climate change and environmental degradation is causing disruption across the globe. Women have a crucial role to play in protecting fragile ecosystems, whilst promoting sustainable development and mitigating the effects of climate change. In this project roundup, we celebrate the work Soroptimist International clubs are doing in their communities on environmental issues. Starting with a focus on projects in India, you can also find out about projects in Cambodia, Fiji and the UK. 

"The impacts of climate change are undermining a whole range of human rights: rights to food, safe water and health and education." Mary Robinson, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 

Photo: a Green Walk organised by SI Madurai

Country Focus: India

SI Madurai organised a Green Walk for World Environment Day, bringing together community leaders, local organisations and the general public. The Deputy Commissioner
of Madurai City Police, Mr Roshan Samant, flagged off the rally preceded by
tree plantation at the District Sports Centre. To help raise awareness, flyers about energy conservation were distributed as well as ‘Go Green’ stickers for vehicles. Building on this, free pollution checks for cars and motorbikes were organised. Nearly 1000 people
ended the walk at the Gandhi Museum where trees and plants were planted in the
surrounding garden area. They were planted by District Forest Officer Mr Nihar
Ranjan, with the help of local school and college students. By involving as many people in the community as possible, SI Madurai helped people become invested in their community’s environment and empowered them to make a difference. 

 

Photo: SI Madurai planting trees to improve their community’s environment quality

SI Calcutta engaged children in a school regarding the importance of protecting the environment. Promoting the idea that if people change their personal habits it’s possible to make a big difference, they explained the importance of rubbish collection to the children. Waste collection is often a major problem for India’s booming cities and by educating children on this important issue, SI Calcutta has contributed to generational change. To symbolise the importance of protecting the environment, SI Calcutta planted a tree in the school grounds, something which can stay as reminder to the children.

 

Photo: Children plant the sapling SI Calcutta donated to their school. 

SI Bombay Chembur also reached out to children and celebrated World Environment Day with an awareness-raising programme with students at the Dr Pillai Global Academy. Generating awareness and a sense of responsibility for caring for the environment was a priority for SI Bombay Chembur. Through working with the school’s students they provided practical information on how to care for plants and the effects of pesticides. Each child received a sapling to take home and care for. By giving children their own tree, SI Bombay Chembur sought to promote a sense of responsibility for the environment which is critical for behaviour change. After seeing the children’s enthusiasm for this approach, SI Bombay Chembur is keen to expand the project to
also include street children, who do not receive any schooling.

 

Photos: SI Bombay Chembur running their environmental awareness raising class at 
the Dr Pillai Global Academy

Cambodian Well –
Bangor and District, UK

SI Bangor and District, UK supported the charity Cambodian
Child’s Dream Organisation and to improve access to clean water in Cambodia.
Club members ‘pay’ when using water in their homes to raise awareness about how
much water is used and how we use it – what difference it makes in our lives.
They have now started to publicise their initiative to get more people on board. SI Bangor and District’s support helped to provide water for a family in Cambodia and received a thank you message from the family.

"The
family of Seng Nang would like to thank SI Bangor Wales for the generous gift
of a water well, filter and seedlings. This will improve their lives and reduce
illness." The well not only means better
access to water,  general health and education will also improve. The family are also
able to grow their own food from the well and the first batch of seedlings have
started to grow!

As part of a programme of the Ba Women’s Forum, SI Ba
trained women on how to ‘upcycle’ and recycle – making new products out of old
ones. Women were trained on how to reuse and recycle materials which are
normally thought to be waste, turning them into beautiful art. Women learnt how to
make curtains out of newspapers, handbags and jewellery from magazines, dresses
from potato and onion bags/shopping bags, fans from feathers, and pots and
vases from PET bottles. With their new skills these women entered a competition
held in Ba for Fiji’s Western Division. They won first prize in
Productive Art, first prize in Art and Craft Fashion, overall first prize in Fashion and Creative Art and first prize in Practical skills.
An incredible achievement! Being so successful helped give the women a lot of confidence. There was a lot
of publicity in the newspapers and women have started to have their creations
displayed at the Ba Market Area. Ideas generated by women and students are
very impressive. Students from thirty schools in Ba and Tavua are involved. Next
time, more primary schools will be involved to help improve learning about the
value of the environment at an early age. 

The
Minister For Environment when closing the ceremony said: "I believe here in
the Western Division it has moved further to Sustaining 3R –
converting Waste to Art and Compost." Chief Guest Dr Doton said: "so
much money could be saved if only people knew how to value these types of ‘waste’ and convert it into something beautiful".

Photo: A little girl shows off a dress made from recycled products

Walk in Her Shoes –
SI Ilkley, UK

Working with the 2^nd Ilkley Girl Guides and 2^nd
Addingham Brownies, SI Ilkley wanted to raise awareness about the importance of
accessible and safe water for both health and education. Girls often miss out
on attending school when they have to go out and collect water. Soroptimist
discussed the issue with guides and brownies, showing them pictures and helping
them understand the amount of work involved by getting them to carry buckets of
water short distances. The Girl Guides and Brownies learnt more about this issue and then
helped make display materials for the International Women’s Day stand.

Photo: The Brownies that SI Ilkley worked with making feet to help with a display stand