New Ribbon
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Meeting with ZMOE India secretary

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Green Ambassadors Network meeting

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Green Ambassadors Plantation

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School Biodiversity

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Freshwater biodiversity

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CeFHA Staff with KNH Staff

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Staff meeting

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Community meeting at Yasidipalem

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AGRICULTURE-IMPLEMENTS

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AGRICULTURE SUPPORT

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CeFHA Children ECO GARDEN 7

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Child Ecological Justice Campaign

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Children Group Meeting

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Health Awareness

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U5 Care

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Women Entrepreneurs

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COVID-19 Response by CEFHA

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COVID-19 Response by CEFHA

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COVID-19 Response by CEFHA

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COVID-19 Response by CEFHA

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Centre for Humanitarian Assistance Trust

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works with the indigenous communities,
especially women and children, in and around Visakhapatnam Dist., Andhra Pradesh,
South India.

“To establish a just, egalitarian social order through the participation of communities to create self sustenance and self reliance for individuals, Families and Communities”

Green Ambassadors


Children’s Network Crusade on Ecological Crisis and Climate Justice

Goal To sensitise children on environmental issues and create the opportunity for the awareness to translate into constructive action in an atmosphere that facilitates children to chart their own course.

Green Ambassadors Children State Network
A Note on State Network of Children on Child Care and Protection & Climate Change

In the Past Present and Future there has been a lot of hue and cry on the subject “CLIMATE” and its pattern of change. As Human beings are we Responsible? For the adverse impacts that the climate has transformed into, for the enormous health vindications, for the tremendous increase in the rate of Poverty and ultimately the irreparable deterioration of the Earth and irreversible changes that have occurred on the climate front.

As we already know the MDG 4 refers to ensuring children to live long and healthy lives MDG 7 refers to Ensure Environmental sustainability as the forests are a safety net. This is what as a concept was picked up by Green Ambassadors. The children cannothave a safe future if their rights are not exercised and they need a space in the adult world to voice their opinions. Similarly safe Environment is something which every child thrives on, and it is very necessary that the children understand the importance of proper environment. Especially for the poor, as their resources for survival are limited they continue to disappear at an alarming rate. An increase in afforestation, a slight decrease in deforestation and the natural expansion of forests have reduced the net loss of forest from an average of 8.3 million hectares annually in the 1990s to an average of 5.2 million hectares annually between 2000 and 2010.; Between 1990 and 2012, global emissions of carbon dioxide increased by over 50%; Ozone-depleting substances have been virtually eliminated, and the ozone layer is expected to recover by the middle of this century. Protected ecosystems covered 15.2 per cent of land and 8.4 per cent of coastal marine areas worldwide by 2014…

This has been the hot topic in the international arena be it the Conference of Parties, be it the Kyoto Protocol or even be it the summit of Group 20 countries. Where are we heading to? – A terribly unsafe, unclean and unlivable Environment for Children. It’s high time that we the Children on the Globe join our hands together and oppose the complication that have been complied on us by the so called “intellectual adults”.

Climate change is a crisis, which challenges all of humanity and existing ecosystems. It has also affected Agriculture & livelihood and now has questioned the sustainability of our planet Earth. Children are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. There are more than 200 million children living in vulnerable circumstances with reference to food insecurity and ill health. It is high time to awake and address the issue.

The Process of combating this global crisis on Climate is as always been challenging and as children we need to Persevere hard enough so that we do not repeat the same mistakes again.

Back ground on Green Ambassadors:

With the support of KNH, Germany Child Focused Community Development program was commenced in the year 2006. This infact was speculated largely owing to the fact that the challenges that possessed as it dealt with sensible issues regarding Children and the stigma that is associated with the discussions in the Rural context where the project is planned to operate.

The PF2 child representatives the basis of the pro along with the other Children in the community were brought together in the Village units called Children Groups. As the theme of the development process was in line with the Child Care and Protection they came together to address many children related issues like child drop outs, children enrolment in schools, child marriages and child labour issues. The basic concept developed by CeFHA for CFCD was “if there is any Child out of School , they are considered to be a child labourer and Every child has to enjoy their Childhood and its their right “ The principle strongly laid stating that the Children should possess their rights and Adults to act as Duty Bearers. This certainly, bringing the entire community into the Development model for a child safe village.

In the year 2007, a small group of children huddled together and were debating on the subject environment. One of them, had a very interesting deviation and spoke about the way the environment is being poisoned and how the climate has changed from the past. This group of children felt that the rainfall has become a rare sight, temperature increasing year after year, the birds are getting extinct and pollution too is increasing. It was then the children realised that there needs to be a platform to discuss on the issues of climate change and felt sorry for the mother earth as the human beings were exploiting earth to a great extent. This was the time the children decided to call themselves as “Green Ambassadors” and thus the emergence of the very movement which is being explained in the note.

Children from marginalized and poor farming &non farming families of Kotauratla Mandal in Visakhapatnam district between the age group of 8 to 18 united with the commitment to protecting the Child Care and Protection, child marriages & child labour, natural resources, ecosystems and planet earth. They began to work with one Cluster group members, in Kotauratla Mandal, and later totally covered all the panchayaths in the Mandal, further formed in 2008 as Green Ambassadors Children Networkwith support of KNHfacilitated by Centre for Humanitarian Assistance Trust, (CeFHA) ,Visakhapatnam,Andhra Pradesh. Currently there are 2847 members in the crusade, spreading over other Mandal of Visakhapatnam District.

After the Children Network getting formed there was no stopping back – every day of importance nationally and internationally the Children made it a point to come together and debate on the situation. This has necessarily brought a lot of recognition both at the Mandal Level and also at a District level.

The team has strategically planned to move forward and generate consciousness in the local area involving the schools, child centre members and eco club members. The children have further formed “Children Crusade for Climate Justice” during one of the convention held at Kotauratla during 2009.

Since then the children adopted various strategies to address the issue of climate justice to the target audience through role plays, street theatre, communication programs, public meetings, awareness camps, rallies, nursery raising, plantation and model demonstration of plots on Biodiversity. One such strategic move to demand climate justice for children was organized at the Mandal level campaign conducted on August 14th in Kotauratla Mandal of Visakhapatnam District. As the timeline below gives a deep sense of efforts taken by the Children to make their views right.

Green Ambassadors have initiated a study on local biodiversity. Green Ambassadors organised an event on Earth day and were a part of four capacity building training sessions on Environment and Biodiversity. The Main Activities of the members of Green Ambassadors at that time are

1. Child Care and Protection; Care & protection
2. Green Ambassadors Children Network on Climate Change and Environmental rights for children
3. Biodiversity - Study project implementation with support by KNH
4. Seed Collection, Nursery &Plantation at Villages & Panchayat Office & Schools
5. Millet Development in Agri- Biodiversity Demonstration Plot
6. Advocacy campaigns / Yatra /Public meet
7. Submission of the Memorandum to the District Collector, Visakhapatnam

The complete training sessions were conducted in a participatory manner by Dr. Malhotra, Anthropologist on Biodiversity Study, Prof, P.SathyapaulA.U,Prof.E.U.B.Reddy,EnvtDept; P.S.RajaSekhar,EnvtDept; Prof.Venkayya, Botany; Prof.M.V.Raju. Psychology Dept and Mr.Ratnam, Environmentalist. This elite resource team have shared their life experiences and provided a lot of information to the Children. These CBP sessions have really motivated the Children to stay united for a common cause. Children now have joined hands with other university students as well as child group members of NGOs from different states. Around 600 children and 120 adults turned out to take part in the Environment campaign, through which the children addressed the public on the impacts of global warming and climate justice in future.

During the Yatra the Green Ambassadors distributed stickers, posters, pamphlets, caps & cloth bags. 12 members from Green Ambassadors Children Network arrived in Visakhapatnam and shared the impact of climate change with District Collector Mr. J. ShyamalaRao and handed over the Children Network Activities and the Printed Memorandum in Telugu and English copies as well as a cloth Bag.

Activities-Time Line with Notable Milestones

GREENAMBASSADORSNetworkBuilding /CAMPAIGNS / EVENTS

  • Formation of Children Groups at Villages in 2006 - totally 29 Child Groups with 730 Children
  • Formation of Children Mandal Network in 2007 with 800 Children
  • Child Care and Protection campaigns on Education and Health at Villages and Mandal level Campaigns in 2007
  • Campaign on “No more Child Labour “ at Villages & Mandal Level-2007
  • Campaign on “Stop Child marriages “at Villages and Mandal level -2007
  • Campaign on Ecological Crisis by the Green Ambassadors Children Network in the Mandal addressed issues on Child Care and Protection and Ecological rights in 2008
  • A campaign on Ecological Crisis and Climate Justice Rally with 300 children in 2009 at Kotauratla. With support of CFCD/ KNH
  • Campaign on Child Care and Protection at Kotauratla Market place by the Green Ambassadors Children Network
  • Organised “Emergence of Green Ambassadors and Study on local Biodiversity” under the Children study project on Biodiversity and Climate change Action” in 2010 Kotauratla supported by KNH.
  • Organized a Traditional Seed Festival (380 Varieties of Indigenous seeds collected and exhibited) in 2011 at Visakhapatnam., supported by KNH
  • Organized Work shop on Children’s Voices on Climate justice and Biodiversity conservation in 2011(Distributed Indigenous seed and Wild and Domesticated Saplings), supported by CFCD/KNH
  • Organised National Awareness Yatra on Climate change from Odisha to Chennai (7 days) in 2012-(Covering 13 districts in AP and one district in Odisha) in Collaboration with CMCJ and Other 13 NGOs in Andhra Pradesh, Supported by CMCJ and AP NGOs
  • Green Ambassadors children involved in study on Biodiversity Supported by CFCD/KNH 2012
  • Organized Children Rally on Break the Chain: One Billion rising
  • Organized Green Ambassadors Cycle Yatra (Covering 3 Mandals in Visakha District) on Environment Protection in 2013 with the of support of SHGs and Child groups and CFCD/KNH
  • Organised Children and worked on Community biodiversity Conservation and Initiation of School Biodiversity in 2013 Supported by SOMNEED ,JAPAN
  • Organised a Study on Child Focused consequences due to Ecotourism (2014), selected few of the Eco Tourism areas for study like Araku, Ananthagiri and Yarada in Visakhapatnam. Supported by ZMOE, Germany.
  • Organized in People’s Climate March Rally on Climate Change (2014)
  • Formation of Green Ambassadors Children AP state Network at Kotauratla 13 NGOS from 13 districts AP attended with their members. (May 2014)
  • Celebrated on World Environment Day at Kotauratla& Visakhapatnam (2015)
  • Celebrated World Day Against Child Labour at B.K. Palli(2015)
  • Observed World Wildlife Week- 2nd to 8th October 2015 and Human Chain on Protection of Wild Life- Kotauratla (2015)
  • Celebrated on Universal Children’s Day- Stop Violence against Children- covering 3 Schools, 1700 children on 20 November 2015
  • Celebrated 25th Nov-10th Dec - Orange the World “SAY NO- UNITE to END Violence against Women and Girls (2015), covered 7 schools & hostels and Villages.
  • Celebrated Earth day at Visakhapatnam on 21st Green Earth Walk and 22nd Event meeting by the Green Ambassadors children Network of AP.
  • Participating in the Study of Aves (Protected birds in Sanctuaries and Migrated Birds)in Karnataka; Chilika lake in Gopalpur; Pulicut in Tamilnadu; Anakapalli& Srikakulam in Andhrapradesh.2015-2016. supported by ZMOE
  • Participated in Eco FeMME Campaign and trainings extended on Adolescent girls Menstrual Health Education Programme 2016-2017, supported in Kind by ECOFEMME
  • Campaigned on STOP Child Marriages in Communities at Kotauratla 2017
  • National Girl Child Day celebrated at Government Junior College Kotauratla 2017

The Organization/Green Ambassadors Children network took up the below adaptation programmes

  • Capacity building of Children in on ecologically sustainable knowledge systems
  • Awareness campaigns in Villages, Mandal, District, National
  • Developed Eco clubs
  • Reduce the usage of Plastics
  • Green Walk and green Talk in Schools in the area
  • Protection of Forests
  • Policing against unlawful activities that degrade environment
  • Learning resource centre- Herbarium, Seed bank, Collection and Preservation of Aquatic Species in schools
  • Nursery raising and Plantations in schools, communities and hill slopes
  • Design of a field- Agriculture plot demonstration by child group (Earn while you learn)
  • Agro forestry Model at village
  • Study on Wild, Domesticated, Freshwater and Agriculture Diversity brought a document
  • School Biodiversity
  • Study on impacts of children by Eco tourism
  • Advocacy and lobbying on Environment protection (submitting Memorandum to the District Collector )
  • Awareness generation to the public on Climate change and environment through Cycle Yatra and National Yatra; poster& sticker & Pamphlets campaign ; tea shirts & cloth bags campaign

Major Challenges in the area:

  • Implementation of Child Protection Policy In Schools
  • Issue on deforestation / degraded Forests
  • Issue on plastic usage
  • Burning of the coal/Trees in the forest area
  • Disappearing of Species and birds
  • Issue on Inorganic farming / unsustainable agriculture practices
  • Disappearing of Indigenous seeds & Millets
  • Commercial plantation and crops
  • Issue on drinking water and Irrigation
  • Issue on Chemical Manure & pesticides
  • Challenges are related to land, forest and Water

Green Ambassadors children AP State Network 2017

  • Registered as Green Ambassadors collective on climate change(GrACCC)
  • Kotauratla memberships-2897
  • Green Ambassadors Network Extended to State Memberships, the current count is 9043 members as of today.

The Agenda

  • Child Care and Protection advocacy
  • Formation of a Green Ambassadors children’s network on climate change and ecological Child Care and Protection
  • Biodiversity study project
  • Seed collection, nursery and plantation at Alumiyapalem village and Panchayat office and schools
  • Millet development in agricultural biodiversity demonstration plot at Alumiyapalem
  • The organisation of a child-centric ecological advocacy campaign / Yatra / public meet
  • The handing over of a Memorandum to the District Collector on August 19, 2010
  • To advocate and lobby the human rights issues related to children and promote leadership and form Dalit & Adivasi networks
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An Earth Day event by CeFHA. Mandal Level Advocacy Campaign on
August 14, 2010.

  • Children from marginalized and poor farming & non farming families of Kotauratla Mandal in Visakhapatnam district between the age group of 8 to 18 united with the commitment to protecting the natural resources, Ecosystems and Planet earth. They began work with the group members of one panchayat, in Kotauratla Mandal, and eventually covered all the panchayats in the mandal. They formed a Green Ambassadors Child Network facilitated by Centre for Humanitarian Assistance Trust, CeFHA, and supported by KNH Germany & India. They have about 1200 members in the Crusade, which is spreading over to Nakkapalli Block of Visakhapatnam District.
  • The team moved forward strategically to generate consciousness in the local areas, reaching out to the child centre members and eco club members kickstarting the “Children’s Crusade for Climate Justice” a convention held at Kotauratla during 2009
  • Since then, the children adopted various strategies to address the issue of climate justice like role plays, street theatre, communication programs, public meetings, awareness camps, rallies, nursery and plantation activities, setting up model demonstration plots on Biodiversity. One such strategic move to demand climate justice for children was the Mandal level advocacy campaign conducted on August 14, 2010 in the Kotauratla block of Visakhapatnam District.
  • CeFHA selected 4 child groups from 4 villages to work on the study project on biodiversity in the forest and over the stream at Kotauratla and Agriculture Biodiversity at Village Alumiyaplaem. CeFHA organised the event on Earth day and four capacity building training sessions on Environment and Biodiversity were held, in the Block head quarters, for the children’s representatives of all panchayats of Kotauratla. The children were put through an extensive orientation programme by CeFHA, together with volunteer environmentalists and faculty from Andhra University, coinciding with Earth Day observations.
  • Training sessions were conducted in a participatory, democratic manner by ecologists and faculty from the Andhra University. Children’s viewpoints were gathered and activities initiated by the Green Ambassadors accordingly. The decision to take out a rally on Earth Day and take up plantation activities in schools and villages thereafter, came from the children in one of these meetings.
  • Training sessions were conducted in a participatory, democratic manner by ecologists and faculty from the Andhra University. Children’s viewpoints were gathered and activities initiated by the Green Ambassadors accordingly. The decision to take out a rally on Earth Day and take up plantation activities in schools and villages thereafter, came from the children in one of these meetings.
  • The children’s network members handled the logistics themselves. They designed the programme and the campaign materials – the rally, public meetings, the public addresses and the posters and pamphlets in Telugu and English and their distribution. They prepared even the memorandum in English on ‘Demands of Children for Climate Justice’ to submit to the District Collector of Visakhapatnam August 19, 2010.
  • The campaign covered Nakkapalli and Kotauratla mandala. CeFHA joined hands with other University students as well as child group members of NGOs from ORISSA, other Local NGOs who have similar visions. Around 600 children and 120 adults turned out to take part in the campaign, through which the children made the public address on global warming and climate justice. The officials, elected representatives, officers from NGOs and friends from other CBOs took part in the campaign to demand their ecological rights. During the Rally the green Ambassadors distributed stickers, posters, pamphlets, caps and cloth bags.
  • On August 19 2010, at the appointed time, 12 members from Green Ambassadors Children’s Network arrived in Visakhapatnam and shared with the District Collector, Mr. J. Shyamala Rao, issues relating to the impact of the climate change on children and handed over the KNH Children’s Activities document and the Printed Memorandum in Telugu and English as well as a symbolic cloth Bag.
  • After the meeting with the Collector, the children participated in a media briefing, attended by print and television media
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SEED FESTIVAL

Climate change is a crisis, which challenges all of humanity and existing ecosystems. It has also affected Agriculture & livelihood and now has questioned the sustainability of our planet Earth. Children are most vulnerable to the impact of climate change. There are more than 200 million children living in vulnerable circumstances with reference to food insecurity and ill health. It is high time to awake and address the issue.

The Process of combating this global crisis on Climate is as always been challenging task and as children we need to Persevere hard enough our natural resources like land water and forest and our traditional seeds, which is our wealth.

Every year the Green Ambassadors planned various activities like Earth day, Biodiversity day and World Environment day. During this year 2011 world Environment week, the green Ambassadors along with Orissa partners’ children are organized to exhibit the collected and documented Indigenous seeds, Natural dyes, Medicinal plants and Herbal Cosmetics at Visakha Public Library, Visakhapatnam. This programme generated consciousness on environment, climate change, biodiversity conservation and forest protection.

CeFHA is involved in Climate change Mitigation and adaptation programs focus on Climate change & Biodiversity and Climate change & Agriculture in Kotauratla area. The project initiated child study projects related with Wild & Fresh water Biodiversity. It is also realized that the biodiversity economy is the sustainable alternative to the fossil fuel economy and there is a need to create biodiversity ecosystems & economies and need to return to the renewable carbon cycle of biodiversity. Children are also documented 180 varieties of the locally available traditional seeds and encouraging the communities through campaigns to preserve and multiplicate the Indigenous seeds.

Today the emergence of Green Ambassadors Children Network in Visakha took an initiative to generate consciousness among the communities and school & college students on the impact of Climate change on the livelihoods of the Indigenous communities, especially children and taking various steps to educate the public on the importance of agriculture and seed Sovereignty. They have also demonstrated with various agricultural inputs on Organic farming and local traditional seeds.

In continuation with the earlier campaigns and exhibition at Kotauratla Green Ambassadors, CeFHA along with IRDWSI is also organized a National work shop cum Exhibition on Indigenous seeds and Biodiversity on 4th June at Visakha Library .The main focus of this work shop is to preserve & protect the land and forest resources to build a strong commitment towards children ecological rights and climate Justice. Totally 350 participants were attended along with media and press; schools & Colleges & University, children from slums; NGOs; government and other line departments and companies.

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CMCJ – AP (Green Ambassadors)National Children
Awareness Yatra on Climate Change

  • Children Movement for Climate Justice is a children led network for ensuring ecological rights of children as part of overall Child Care and Protection as specified in UNCRC. This initiative is an offshoot of KNH partners working group in India. Based on the outcomes of KNH partners working group, started this initiative in a small way . During the past years CMCJ children were involved in various activities to address climate change from rights perspective and carried out various mitigation and advocacy activities. Efforts of children have been greatly appreciated by many development oriented organization both National and International.
  • Currently CMCJ is spread across four states of India (Tamilnadu, Andrapradesh, Karnataka and Orissa) with more than 15000 plus children as members. Members of CMCJ have been involved in conducting participatory studies across various food security issues, revival of traditional herbal and organic farming knowledge and study of endangered species due to climate change.
  • In Andhra Pradesh Children from marginalized and poor farming & non farming families of Kotauratla Mandal in Visakhapatnam district between the age group of 8 to 18 united and committed to protect the Natural Resources, Ecosystems and Planet earth. The group began to work with one panchayat group members, in Kotauratla Mandal, and totally covered 2 mandals. They have initiated a Green Ambassadors Child Network in the district which is represented by children of the coast, plains and hills. Currently there are 1200 members in the crusade, spreading over other Mandals of Visakhapatnam District. The team has strategically planned to move forward and generate consciousness in the local area involving the schools. Since then the children adopted various strategies to address the issue of climate justice like role plays, street theatre, communication programs, public meetings, exhibitions/ seed festivals, and awareness camps.
  • Green Ambassadors/CMCJ have initiated a study on local biodiversity and organised events on Earth day , Environment day and were a part of four capacity building training sessions on Environment and Biodiversity. In AP the Main Activities of the members of Green Ambassadors /CMCJ are Child Care and Protection; Care & protection ;Green Ambassadors children Network on Climate change and Ecological Child Care and Protection; Biodiversity study project implementation; Traditional Seed Collection & Preservation, Nursery & Plantation at Villages & Panchayat Office & Schools; Agri- Biodiversity Demonstrations; Advocacy campaigns / Yathra ;
  • Around 1200 children and 120 adults turned out to take part in the Environment campaign, through which the children made the public address on global warming and climate justice for them in future. Having grown to a size of working for protection of environment and mitigating climate change across four states, members of CMCJ evolved a working group of 42 members drawn from all four states. This working group meets twice a year to make their plans for six months especially concentrating in the area of building peer pressure to mitigate climate change, disaster preparedness and effective use of existing Child Care and Protection friendly legal systems etc. Also the consultative meetings provide space for building leadership skills and sharpening children perspective on saving mother earth.
  • Local NGOs supported by Kindernothilfe Germany and Christian Children Fund of Canada being organizations that work in line with UNCRC to protect Child Care and Protection jointly with Ministry of Women and Children, Government of India feel it is important we strengthen such initiative to make an impact on the development agenda which will support the cause of Child Care and Protection approach and children taking the lead on their own on a sustainable basis. While dealing with climate, it is also realized that we link children to child friendly legislations and judicial frameworks to best utilize existing policy frameworks.
  • The children movement, emphasize the value of education in the context of sustainable environment and promotion of alternate energy. The yatra is one along this direction to build peer pressure on the need of safe environment and reassure the general masses and government that children are challenged to protect mother earth – the only earth that is for us. Children plead that their voices to be heard on climate change issues. The yatra is a positive platform through which they want to reach their elders. They want to work closely with the governments and communities to help design and influence policies that will affect their lives, now and into the future. They would like to move forward with a multi-generational, multidisciplinary vision: Working together, leaders and youth can redesign how society operates. Together they are willing to make a difference.
  • The Yatra is designed for six days – all children from various parts of Tamilnadu (around 500 in Nos) assembled at Kanyakumari on the 21 May 2012 and eventually traveled through various districts with making halts at Virudunagar, Ramnad, Nagapatinam, Cuddalore and Chennai. Similarly children from Orissa started their journey from Koraput district pass through Visakhapatnam, Kakinada, Yanam, Palakollu, Gudivada, Vijayawada, Guntur, Ongole and Nellore in Andhra Pradesh and finally arrived at Chennai on the 26th May 2012. Concluding meeting of the yatra was held on the 27th May 2012 with many of the high level dignitaries from both State and Central Governments.
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Green Ambassadors /CMCJ AP- Cycle Yatra - 22nd may 2013

Realising the importance of Alternatives to the present destructive model of development 100 children (Green Ambassadors) of Kotauratla thought of an awareness process on different sustainable alternatives to the unsustainable lifestyle practices. There was an idea that emerged amongst the Green Ambassadors children and it was to organise a Cycle Yatra touching at least 10 villages and towns of 3 Mandals in the Visakhapatnam District.

Planning:

The Green Ambassador members organised a pre planning meeting at Kotauratla on May 1st and also a core committee meeting on May 10th 2013 and shared the responsibilities amongst themselves by visiting the Yatra route , collection of resources, planning arrangements, Invitations and permissions from Police departments and contributing resources towards the implementation of Yatra. The core committee visited the villages had meetings with communities about their plan of Cycle Yatra and requested to come forward to contribute and support the cause. The communities were happy to support with cash, and kind like rice, dhal and vegetables for the yatra.

There were important discussions and apprehensions on the implementation of the planned yatra due to the distance and the soaring temperatures of summer. There was enough thought and discussions but the children unanimously came out in favour of conducting this awareness cycle yatra.

The children proposed to invite the KNH officials, a few government officials to inaugurate the yatra – Circle Inspector, Mr. Rajendra Kumar, Mr.Rathnam, Environmentalist; MDO, Kotauratla and the Director Rev.Jeevan Roy of Emmanuel Ministries, Makavarapalem as well as Press reporters.

Press Meet

The day before the Yatra, 21st May 2013, the children participated in a Press meet where all the children shared on various issues that the human interface could face and are facing due to the climate distress.

Lalitha and Anantalakshmi spoke about the importance of organic farming and retrieval and protection of indigenous seeds. They shared important insights on how the times have changes since the childhood ages and the importance of the biodiversity conservation and the role of children, parents and the communities in the Environment protection in the area. They stressed to go back to their for fathers cultivation methods & Practices and strengthen the local indigenous seeds to be developed in the area.

Pavan spoke about the importance of change in the human mindset and emphasised on relying on the alternatives rather than on mainstream luxuries that lure people to have. The sound, air and water pollution is damaging the area and the future of the children; By the time they become adults, there will be a scarcity and may face of water problem.

Prashant shared on pollution, and various means that contribute to pollution and said that was one of the major sources for climate change.

Cycle Yatra – 22nd May 2013

The yatra started off early in the morning with children collecting their Yatra Kits and flags. The children brought their own cycles and it was a pleasant sight to see the children arrange themselves and work on their riding strategies as to when to share the ride with others who donot have bicycles and those who have come to participate from Odisha and Ongole, Prakashanm district.

There were nearly 100 CMCJ members participating in this Cycle Yatra. They did form a human chain in the centre of Kotauratla and were eagerly waiting for the flag off by Shri Rajendra Kumar, Circle Inspector of Narsipatnam. As the Circle Inspector arrived and spoke on the very important aspect of climate change, appreciated the Children initiatives on alternatives to unsustainable development. After which the KNH India Coordinator, Mr. Sathish Samuel also spoke on this initiative of children towards a clean environment. Dr.Sasiprabha Stanley shared on the active participation of the children in the yatra and greeted every one to begin the Yatra.

The Yatra was flagged off and the children started of the rally speaking out and giving their opinions on different climate based issues. There were certain important talks from an environmentalist’s enroute the Yatra near the Aluminium mining company. He had provided some important insights.

During the Yatra, The children were divided in to 6 groups to share the issues on Environment and the climate crisis in the area. Each group made their own effort in sharing their experiences of their study and the present problems and the issues in the area related to agriculture, depletion of ground level water, Health problems related with Respiratory problems& malaria, Migration, displacement, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, Plastic usage, the disappearance of wild species, deforestation, drought in the area, floods, untimely rains and child labour existence and the dropouts in the area. They addressed to the public in the three Mandals and focused on the MNC’s launching in the area causing displacement and created children dropout and identity problem and Migration of the children. The public also interacted with children regarding the problems in the area. They also distributed the pamphlets and posters in the 10 villages of 3 Mandals of Visakhapatnam District;

Finally they reached Narsipatnam and made a human chain shouted with slogans and demanded the public to protect environment with Ply cards and blocked the Traffic on the main road for 20 minutes and children shared on the Issues of climate.

Children Yatra high lights:

  • 100 children & 4 PWDS Participated in the Yatra.
  • Cycling a stretch of 48 kms creating awareness to the Communities on Climate Change, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Preservation.
  • Addressing the Communities of Ten villages in Three Mandals in Visakha District.
  • Demonstrated using Cycle as an alternative to Emission Inducing Transport Systems.
  • Children have contributed Rs. 10,500/- and 135 kgs of Rice and 40 Cycles towards the Yatra
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