Mobilizing Communities Education through Participation

1. Mobilizing Communities Education through Participation Christian Nielsen Live & Learn Environmental Education 87 Gordon Street Suva – Fiji livelearn@is.com.fj

2. Geographical Scope • South Pacific Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea • Indo-China Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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;

7. 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.

8. Project Circle

9. Resources Constraints and Poverty caused by Conflicts and Disputes Mobilization: Identifying values. Deconstructing conflict. Research & investigation. Problem solving. Dialogue building. Anticipation: Joint vision building. Identify and use ‘triggers to change’. Creating realistic expectations. MAIA Innovation: Opportunities and limitations of traditional knowledge/tools. Exploring new ways of management and consensus building. Building new partnerships with governments. Action Negotiation 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 Creation of dialogue and Vision Building for Sustainable Water Management

10. 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

11. 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