Mobilizing Communities Education through Participation

Christian Nielsen

Live & Learn Environmental Education

87 Gordon Street

Suva – Fiji

livelearn@is.com.fj

Geographical Scope

• South Pacific

Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea

• Indo-China

Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos

MAIA Model of Learning and Action.Mobilization – Anticipation – Innovation – Action

Education must

- do more than inform and raise awareness

- develop critical thinking skills

- link knowledge to change

Solomon IslandsPopulation 409.000

• HDI Ranking 125 out of 170

• 31.5% without safe water

• 25.3% without access to health

services

• High levels of violent conflict

• 17.8% dies before 40 years of age

• Half of the population is under 25

years of age

• 10.4% of young Solomon

Islanders go onto secondary

school

Solomon IslandsPopulation 409.000

• MAIA Focus: Mobilizing Peace and Sustainable Development.

• Environmental Issue: Logging

• Area: Rural Island Communities in Choiseul

• Support: Australian Agency for International Development

Constraints• Empowering people caught in the

poverty cycle;

• The two faces of culture and traditions;

• Providing space for participation;

• Community perceptions on the culture of projects;

Position of Privilege

• Mapping of Community Assets vs. Identifying Community Needs;

• Understanding Culture vs. Feeling Culture;

• Breaking down the barriers of terminology; poverty reduction, capacity building, gender equity, sustainable development;

• All aspects of education must challenge conflict and violence.

Project Circle

Mobilization:Identifying values.Deconstructing conflict.Research & investigation.Problem solving.Dialogue building.

Innovation:Opportunities and limitations of traditional knowledge/tools.Exploring new ways of management and consensus building.Building new partnerships with governments.

ActionNegotiation of Sustainable Water Use Agreements.Develop participatory water - monitoring capacity.Develop a system of checks and balances for fair and sustainable water use.Establish role responsibilities

Anticipation:Joint vision building.Identify and use ‘triggers to change’.Creating realistic expectations.

Resources Constraints and Poverty caused by Conflicts and Disputes

Creation of dialogue and Vision Building for Sustainable Water Management

MAIA

Outcomes • Creating space for communities to

participate in forest management

• Raising awareness among Chiefs and Church Leaders

• Mapping of Community Assets

• Use the environment as a vehicle to manage conflict

• Link dialogue to action

• Create a space for participation

Whenever you are in doubt apply the following test: recall the face of the poorest and weakest person you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of use to them’

Mahatma Gandhi