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Pilot and Demonstration Activity: Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
Education for Sustainable River and Water Conservation

This PDA developed an innovative education/learning process to increase community and youth participation, mobilization for sustainable water management, and poverty reduction.
Snapshot
Project site Solomon Islands and Vanuatu
Cost US$ 50,000
Status Completed
Approval date September 2003
Completion date November 2004
Category Basin Management
ADB officer Water Fund Manager
Partner Live & Learn Environmental Education

Abstract

Rivers and freshwater resources in the Western Pacific are under constant pressure from conflict, logging, mining, large-scale tourism, soil erosion, and sedimentation.

The Live & Learn Environmental Education is committed to developing water-education approaches that have the capacity to challenge the many threats facing water resources. This pilot project will enable Live & Learn to work with poor communities in Solomon Islands and Vanuatu to explore the educational methodologies that have the capacity to create changes to water management at a local community level.


Expected Results
  • Increased capacity for target communities to mobilize action towards sustainable river and water environments.
  • Heightened awareness of environmental problems affecting the river and water environments and the true (social and cultural) causes to these problems.
  • Increased capacity for young people to participate in decision-making processes for sustainable water development and management.
  • Increased dialogue between government officials and communities concerning sustainable development and use of the river and water environments.
  • Assessment of multiplication of benefits to other communities through a Sustainable Training Network similar to the River Care Schools Network by Live & Learn Fiji.
  • Influence curriculum development and training in target areas.
  • Training and education of 8 communities and 16 schools in action-based tools and community mobilization for sustainable development and conservation of river and water environments.
    • Dissemination of project results, tools and methodology on specially designed website.


REPORT CARD
Completed in November 2004, this PDA
  • Developed and demonstrated innovative and participatory environmental education methods, such as Participatory Learning Circles (PLC) and Participatory Water Quality Monitoring system
  • Produced customer-made Water Test Kits, Participatory Water Quality Monitoring and PLC handbooks, and visual aids
  • Encouraged a high level of continued participation in communities, particularly among the youth

The PLC method is now being used in the health sector to convey messages that facilitate action on HIV/AIDS and domestic violence. At the regional level, PLC is being used in Papua New Guinea and Fiji to resolve conflicts over natural resources and promote good community-based governance of resources. It has also been introduced in other ADB supported projects and activities such as the PDA on Developing and Testing Environmental Education and Awareness Methodologies in Cambodia.

Read the Final Report. [ PDF ]

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