TPP grantees portray a version of all of us that we can’t give up on. They are able to vision hold for individuals and communities who have dreams, small or grand that move the needle forward. When life is uncertain, anything is possible. It takes courage, love and consistency to be able to see the sun through the clouds. This group of grantees see the possibilities and illuminate communities towards environmental conservation, youth leadership and healthy living. Their day to day efforts will lead to a loud uprising towards unity, sustainability and universal change.
Elicy Kondowe – Youth Tree Nursery Production Project
Youth Tree Nursery Production Project addresses unemployment issue in Chitipa, Malawi. The project leader, Elicy Kondowe, will create employment opportunities for youth through empowering them with the skills and knowledge on landscape as well as tree nursery production whereby they will be able to utilize their skills gained to successfully manage nurseries and secure employment. Not only will this will result in helping the youth earn a living as there is a high unemployment rate, however, the environment will also be protected and most areas reforested. “I am inspired by my grandfather who has a timber forest through which he has created employment for people and able to sustain himself with the whole family.” This seed grant will help youths to earn a living and be independent. This will help them to be able to create their own nursery trees in future, small business or secure a job.
Phillip Otieno – Mwamko Mpya Self Help Group
Mwamko Mpya Self Help Group brings together people with disabilities to provide them a platform for psychosocial support, counselling, and engagement in economic activities for sustainability. The project is located in Huruma, a slum area in Eldoret, Kenya. Phillip Otieno, the project leader, was inspired to start this work after suffering from a spinal cord injury, losing his job, and suffering from discrimination. It was then that he learned of the challenges people living with disabilities face on a day to day basis.
“By God’s grace am back on my feet, but I continue to use my experience and skills to rally the group together. We meet regularly for support, table banking, welfare, and using one another to lobby for the rights of people living with disabilities.” The TPP fund will be used to buy a large tank and set up a water kiosk to sell water in where county water is not available. The project will provide employment to some of the members of the group as well as provide revenue for sustainability.
Life Is Delicious, Diane Callaway – Delaware Veg-Fest
Diane Callaway is the founder of Life is Delicious, located in Delaware. They are a Community Health Outreach Initiative that provides educational programming to underserved communities. Inspired by a cancer diagnosis that her mother received in 1991 and later died as a result of the diagnosis, Diane believes that cancer education is as valuable, if not more so than, cancer research. Their team provides free whole food plant-based nutrition education, along with cooking demonstrations so that families will gain a newfound relationship with healthy food choices.
Degenerative diseases have escalated within the last 10 years due to our nations factory farming system, the increase of sugar consumption, and especially the lack of nutrition education. Obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and some cancers can be improved with proper nutrition.
Some of these diseases can be reversed and others can be prevented according to the latest evidence-based research. “Our team provides multiple hours of training to educate people about living a healthy lifestyle. My intention is to continue to share this powerful message that ‘We don’t have to be sick’. With accurate information, a support system, a willingness to be open to change, we can transition to our best life now!”
Amara Kargbo And Patrick Gbandeh – Teaching & Motivating Pupils On Basic Civic Education
Together with Civic Questioners, Amara Kargbo and Patrick Gbandeh are working to promote civic education in formal learning institutions. “I am to expand this effort nationwide.”
The seed grant from The Pollination Project will help to induce civics into schools in the districts of Bo, Kenema, Makeni, and the western region. The project is important because it precedes the Government delayed attempts to reintroduce the subject of civic education in the national curriculum.
Chispa Compost & Community Ally AlterEco – Chispa Compost
Chispa Compost is a triple impact organization in Coquimbo, Chile dedicated to sparking environmental consciousness through community composting! We work with our community ally Alter-Eco to promote a sustainable culture. Other collaborations between local businesses and farmers market vendors allow for the creation of 100% organic compost. The heart of our project is to create school gardens in local elementary schools to enrich environmental education.
By offering organic recycling services this grassroot organization, challenges the notorious landfill culture that drives the +100 micro landfills in Coquimbo’s urban area, economic losses associated with landfills, and the agrochemical food system that plagues our societies health. We at Chispa aim to implement sustainable energies such as solar energy, electromobility, and a fogcatcher system to close the nutrient cycle and transform trash into life!
Carnaval Del Maíz – Jornadas En Defensa De Las Semillas Nativas
The issue is the control and the domination of the trans-national companies of the food system through the production, distribution, and commercialization of agricultural products like the GMO and processed products.
All of this has seriously affected the agricultural practices in Mexico and the diversity of native seeds. Jornadas en defensa de las semillas nativas has an objective of conserving native seeds, especially corn, through the promotion and implementation of traditional agro ecological techniques of the country, like the “milpa”. Furthermore, to promote the recognition of rural production in the city and its importance as an alternative in contrast to the system of domination which privileges the processed food and the chains of trans-national commercialization.
This project will be carried out through activities such as workshops where we are going to present models of agroecological production like the “milpa,” the conservation of native seeds by exchange, workshops on soil conservation, native plant species and use of medicinal plants, screening of documentaries, informative talks, discussions and forums.
Neem Natural Pesticides Gardening
In Mzuzu, Malawi, Albert Mkandawire knows that Neem is the only way to achieve 100% pure organic nutrients, thus he started the Neem Natural Pesticides Gardening initiative. The project will reduce food poisoning that is consumed through other food which has applied chemicals.
