Each year Global Greengrants Fund makes over 700 grants to environmental activists around the world, helping to support grassroots initiatives to protect the planet and the rights of the people who call these natural places home. We wish we could share every single story with you. Here are three exciting projects we’ve supported recently.
Colombia: Mangrove Conservation
Reckless logging practices, crude oil spills, and waste pollution in Tumaco, Colombia have wreaked havoc on ocean and mangrove ecosystems, resulting in the loss of marine and coastal species that are essential to sustaining local communities. La Corporación Caminos de Mujer will use $5,000 to facilitate solid waste collection efforts and hold meetings between communities and corporations to collectively analyze the impacts of crude oil spills and solid waste contamination on mangroves and produce defensive action plans.
Kenya: Access to Clean Water
In 2015, Global Greengrants gave the Kabuthi Empowerment Group funds to construct a borehole to provide clean water to the village. This hole serves as the only source of potable water for the community, but lacks a pump in order to be fully operational. With $5,000, the organization will now not only buy and install the pump, but will also train community members on how to operate the pump and educate them on the importance of conserving soil and water resources in order to rehabilitate local farm land.
Federated States of Micronesia: Sea Cucumber Research
Recently, Pohnpei State gave rights to a Chinese company to harvest up to 67,500 kg of sea cucumbers from state managed waters, exponentially increasing the amount of sea cucumbers harvested on a regular basis. The eighteen sea cucumber species targeted for harvest are essential to the local ecosystem. The Micronesia Marine Environmental Club will use $5,010 to evaluate sea cucumber populations, and assess the impacts of large-scale harvesting for both humans and the environment. Survey results will be passed to local leaders, who will use the information to make an informed decision on fishing policies moving forward.
We believe that solutions for lasting change come from people who face challenges to their environments and rights every day. So we support community-based projects that make our world safer, healthier, and more just. To read more about grants we’ve awarded and the groups and individuals who have received them, click here.