Good team and network ALWAYS promotes amazing results.

As reporter and Eco Generation Ambassador to Zimbabwe, this past week I had the pleasure of delivering a presentation on a currently running Environmental Project at a JCI Projects meeting. For those who might not know: JCI (Junior Chambers International), which originally began in Huston USA in 1945, is a membership based non-profit organization of young active citizens between the ages of 18 to 40 years old that are dedicated to creating positive change within their communities.

With members in over 80 countries worldwide, it encourages young people to become responsible citizens and to participate in efforts towards social and economic development, and international co-operation, good-will and understanding.

I joined JCI Bulawayo in July of last year and I have since been filled with great awe at the amount of good deeds a collective community of young people can achieve – even at harsh economic times. for obvious reasons, it was ?PROJECT ECO-FRIENDLY? that caught most of my attention and ultimately became my favorite project of all the projects that were running at the time. And  earlier this year I was humbled to be chosen as the project director of the project.

PROJECT objectIVES

In brief the objectives of the project are to...

- raise awareness in the community about environmental conservation and care leading to sustainability.
- increase community participation in development interventions that pertain to their environment.
- increase momentum for the achievement of Millennium Development Goal number 7 and the Post2015 agenda.

This year the project will focus mainly on litter management. The project thus unites the Government, private sector and civic consortium in a drive towards sustenance of resources and at the same time bridging the gap between these stake holders in development work.

FOCAL POINT

After a survey that was conducted in Bulawayo ( aka the city of kings and queens) last year, we (JCI) concluded that the Egodini bus terminal (where residents board their buses to and from home) is the dirtiest place in the whole town. Thus this became our focal area where we were motivated to make an impact.

The major problems are that, there is litter all over, Irregular collection of bins, bins are there but people would rather litter and few bins.

The more sustainable solution after our deliberations was to educate the users of the bus terminals then setup 20+ bins around the bus terminal.

In concluding my brief report, there are two major message/points that you as a young person (especially other Eco Ambassadors) can pick up from this report.

1.     When caring out a project do not be an island there alone and try to save the world. There are also other people in your line of work that you can partner with for that project to have impact and be sustainable.  For example here we see collaboration between Eco Generation and JCI to achieve one common vision. Alone we can do so little together we can do so much.

2.     Let us all strive in caring for our environment, we owe it to ourselves and our own children. (I could go on with this one but my point has already been made)