Gram Nidhi: Promoting Eco-enterprises through Micro-finance

Ms. Kyoko Matsumoto, Programme Management Office, Institute for Global Environmental Strategy, Japan visited the Gram Nidhi project villages of CEE Jasdan. The visit was as part of the preparation of the APFED Good Practice database which includes all awarded projects.
The Gram Nidhi project won the Silver Prize for The 2007 Ryutaro Hashimoto APFED Awards for Good Practices.

Scaling up Polylooms

CEE�s experiment in using plastic wastes to create useful products was awarded the 'Plasticon 2005 Award'. Ever since, CEE has been working to scale up the model. A major breakthrough in this effort has come from the Delhi Government, which has sanctioned 32 polylooms for the city. A number of NGOs like All India Women Conference, Harit Recyclers Association, Nari Utthan Samiti, Deepalaya & Aditya Group, Kirandeep and G.D.S. have been funded by Delhi Government. The CEE�s Waste and Resource Management Group organised a training programme for 12 master trainers who will further train the others who will be a part of the polyloom project.

This will not only give employment to the women who will use the looms, but also provide income for large numbers from the informal waste collection sector who will provide the raw material in the form of used polybags.
"Congratulations on the new Climate Change Centre!! It sounds great."

Karen Hollweg
 President
North American Association of
Environmental Education (NAAEE)

Ms. Shivani Jain nominated as Vice Chair, South Asia of IUCN-CEC

Ms. Shivani Jain, Senior Programme Coordinator, CEE, Networking and Capacity Building, has been invited to join the Steering Committee of the CEC as Vice Chair, South Asia. Ms. Jain has been involved in coordinating CEC�s activities in Asia, through SASEANEE, the South and Southeast Asia Network for Environmental Education for over a decade now. As CEE faculty, Ms. Jain is also involved in a variety of regional and international programmes in ESD, especially in-service capacity building and networking for about 13 years now and has presented a number of regional papers, articles in a variety of themes within ESD. 

Commission on Education and Communication, CEC, is the think tank on education related matters of IUCN, the world�s largest network of conservation practitioners and institutions. 

CEE�s association with the IUCN and CEC dates back almost two decades now. CEC launched its first major Asian initiative, SASEANEE , in partnership with CEE in the year 1993. Mr. Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director CEE has served three terms as the Asia Chair on the CEC Steering Committee. This role was later played by Ms. Meena Raghunathan during 2003-05. Several other faculty member of CEE also serve as active members of some of the other Commissions of IUCN, including the WCPA, SSC, etc. 
2000 Rural Students get Climate Change Education

"How many Earths will be needed to support our lifestyles?"  Mr. Kartikeya Sarabhai in a session with rural school students

An interactive presentation on Climate Change was one of the highlights of the five-day event for rural students on the theme "Science in Everyday Life" in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat.

Mr. Kartikeya Sarabhai interacted with over 2000 students from 20 Post Basic Schools, weaving in the science of Climate Change with real life examples, as well as linking it with their textbooks. Post Basic Schools are rural residential schools based on Gandhian Principles and managed by NGOs.

The presentation emphasised how climate change was closely connected with developmental & lifestyle choices.
Honorary Fellowship Award

Mr. Prabhjot Sodhi, National Coordinator, GEF UNDP Small Grants Programme, and Regional Director, CEE East, receives an honorary fellowship award from Bioved Research Institute Of Agriculture And Technology organised by 11th Indian Agriculture Scientists and Farmer�s congress at Allahabad.

Kashmir Schools prepare Disaster Management Plans

The first 60 schools in Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) have prepared their Disaster Management Plans. This is a part of the school based Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) awareness and preparedness programme being implemented by CEE Himalaya. This is part of the Safe School Campaign taken up in 2200 schools in five districts of J&K. The programme is funded by German Agro Action.

Students take part in a day-long module comprising of educational games and simple activities to understand and internalize the safety measures. The programme focuses on �Rapid visual assessment of schools�, preparing school �disaster response groups� by providing necessary trainings to the members - both students and teachers on safety issues. Disaster response group members are trained on risk and vulnerability mapping, first aid, evacuation and early warning. 

CEE Himalaya has adapted and translated in Urdu language the Educational Kit RISKLAND-Let�s Learn to Prevent Disasters developed by ISDR (International Strategy for Disaster Reduction) and UNICEF. It contains information on natural and manmade disasters and how the risk can be minimized if any disaster happens. This is one of the IEC materials being used in this programme.
"Good news is a rare commodity in the conservation world today, great news even rarer, but this is great news that CEE is starting to expand its newsletters and the efforts to inform their members and friends. Save the Environment-Afghanistan (SEA) hopes that CEE can expand its network to keep the friends and members through efficient and important environmental events in the newsletters."

Qais Agah  
Environment & Wildlife Conservation Officer  (SEA) Kabul, Afghanistan  

  www.ceeindia.org

CEE