Young Volunteers for the Environment – (JVE) began as a small group of youth who were touched by the degradation of their land and the impoverishment of their people. They gathered weekly in the rural village of Tsiko (a mountainous area of Togo) to discuss issues of environment and development. Their concern for the environment and frustration with the lack of information on environmental issues available to them prompted them to organize and begin working to provide a better future for the youth of Togo. Consequently, JVE was founded in 2001 in accordance with Agenda 21 and the principle that “education is important to change the attitudes of the people and to ensure that populations have the necessary tools to assess and tackle the problems of sustainable development”. Today, JVE is an international environmental advocacy NGO operating in 13 countries throughout Africa and America. Its international scope has already been recognised by several local and international partners, including the Global Young Greens and the Global Youth Action Network.
It is managed by a five member Board of Directors, elected for two years, and an Executive Staff currently employing six permanent members and eight interns, mostly from Europe. With a membership outnumbering the 1000, JVE meets annually for activity reports and to review its program.
I - Strategic priorities
The mission of JVE is “to involve youth (and marginalised groups) in the sustainable development process and promote social justice for all”. In order to achieve that goal, JVE has set up 4 extensive programs that include:
- environmental education
- social justice and economic, social and cultural rights
- youth empowerment and volunteering
- access to natural resources and biodiversity conservation
- sustainable development (renewable energy, recycling, participation)
The organisation is strictly not for profit, non-political and not affiliated to any religion. Its core values include sustainability, justice, transparency, gender equity, intra-intergenerational equity, human rights, youth participation and ecological integrity.
II - Organizational structure
- General Assembly (GA):
It is made up of all members of the organisation, both in Togo and in all international member organisations. Outnumbering the thousand, JVE’s membership is the fastest-growing ecological youth movement on the continent and in the worldwide. It meets on an annual basis to listen to both activities and financial reports and approve action plans. As the supreme body, its decisions are irrevocable.
- Board of Directors (BD):
Elected for two years by the General Assembly, from representatives of all local branches and international representations, the board is responsible for ensuring respect of decisions made during the GA. More importantly, the Board recruits members of the executive staff and make sure that core values of the organisation is always guaranteed. The current board comprises:
- Président : M. AGBOZO Félix ;
- Secrétaire Générale : Mlle EKLU Bernadette ;
- Trésorier : M. ATIKPA-KAGOUNOU Kodjo
- 1er Conseiller, Chargé de l’information : M. VOULE Marc ;
- 2ème Conseiller, Chargé des Projets : M. AKUTOR Yao ;
- Executive Staff (ES):
The main task of the staff is to implement the action plan as accepted at the GA and according to orientations given by the board. Funding is provided exclusively by the BD through grants from international NGOs and other sponsors. To date, more than 70 volunteers, mostly from Europe, have worked within this body either as development specialist or interns. The ES is under supervision of the BD to which it submits a monthly report.
Executive Director: Sena ALOUKA
Staff
- KAYAWOE FOFO
- KAMETI ATI DODZI
- EZIN AMI
- BAMALI TAHONTAN
- BRUNO AKPATIGBE
- ESSI NATHALIE ADJOGOU
- THAI BECHODRO NGATIMON
- PAPA ADESSOU
- GEORGES ADJANLA
Recent Forein Volunteers & Interns:
SASKIA DE MELKER (Holland)
- International representations:
Thanks to Internet and international conferences, JVE has extended its membership since 2004 to several countries. Whereas some international member organisations existed before joining JVE International, some countries have created a new organisation, in line with JVE aims and core values. Membership is free but submitted to acceptance of JVE by-laws and writing of a clear letter of motivation signed by committee members to the BD. Non compliance of JVE principles can lead to exclusion. The partnership is a loose one with exchange of information and expertise, implementation of joint project, joint fundraising, mutual assistance and learning visits. While organisations are free to engage in whatever relevant action and partnership at national level, the action plan agreed upon during the General Assembly is primordial. Earth Day 2006, gave opportunity for a joint international celebration with activities in several countries, from Uganda, to Ghana, Mexico, Gabon etc…
- Local branches:
Local branches are city-based organisations, most of them managed by a local committee and based in secondary schools. There are more than thirty branches in Togo. Placed under supervision of the Executive Staff, they submit an annual activity and financial reports.
- Account verification commission:
Two members are elected each year to verify on a three month basis, accounts of the Treasurer General and report back to the General Assembly about transparency, fair use and exactitude in the calculations.
I - Financial Policy
JVE is an independent, non-political and autonomous organization operated exclusively for non-profit purposes. The organization is officially registered as a non-profit organization under the laws of Togo since November 2002.
The organization is not required to pay income taxes in Togo. In accordance with Article 36 of JVE by-laws, if the organisation is dissolved, a specialist will be appointed to balance the organization account, if necessary pay past credits and any remaining asset will go to another not-for-profit Non-Governmental Organisation, recognized as such by the General Assembly. Any net surplus would be used in non-profit activities, never for the private gain of individuals, states Article 34. The only payments made by the organization to members of the Board of Directors are actual expense reimbursements. JVE is operated by volunteers and there is therefore no regular salary but daily subsistence allowances are paid to full time employees. None of the organization’s officers or members have an ownership claim in the income or assets of JVE.
In 2005, JVE’s final total used budget was 28,319,015 FCFA, or 55,000 USD. The annual budget for 2006 is 50,000,000 FCFA (50 million FCFA), approximately 97,107.9 USD. As of May 2006, more than 25% of that amount has been received and used on various projects. The organization expects to reach at least 90% of that amount by the end of the year.
II - Awards, Conferences, and Connections
JVE-Togo has been internationally recognized for its efforts. JVE was presented with the International Award of Excellence for Best Performance by the Council of International Awards (2001-2002). Furthermore, a founding member and current executive director, Sena Alouka, was given in Washington, the 2002 IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and Reuters Award for Environmental Press.
JVE was involved in the success of numerous international conventions:
- The Greens Congress, Stockholm, June 2006
- Fourth world water forum, Mexico, March 2006
- African Ministerial conference on Water, Johannesburg, March 2006
- COP11 in Montreal, December 2005
- Strategic Meeting on the World commissions on dams, Nairobi, 2005
- Fifth forum of the Dams and Development Forum, Nairobi, march 2005
- Project WET annual meeting, Bozeman, Wyoming, USA, November 2005
- Francophonie Youth and Environmental education, Ouagadougou, dec 2004
- UN Workshop on case studies in Gender, Water and Sanitation, Ethiopia, Dec 2004
- Second World Summit for Dam-affected Peoples in Dasi Salai, Thailand, November 2003
- African Ministerial Conference on Water (AMCOW) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nov 2003
- Launching of the African Civil Society Network on Water, Nairobi, Kenya, October 2003
- NEPAD and Water Workshop in Johannesburg, South Africa, November 2003
- UNEP TUNZA Youth Summit in Dubna, Russia, March 2003
- Workshops on Biodiversity, GMOs, Environmental Impact Assessment... in Togo in 2003
- The World Summit on Sustainable Development Johannesbug, South Africa, August 2002
- Workshop on Globalization, Biodiversity and GMOs in Awassa, Ethiopia, November 2003
- Workshop on the UN Convention on POPs in Africa, Arusha, Tanzania, July 2003
- France National Preparation towards the World Earth Summit, Rennes, France
- Southern NGO Summit and African Civil Society Strategic Meeting, Zerala, Algeria
- Ministerial Preparatory Summit in Bali, Indonesia, June 2002
- Regional Workshop on Agro-forestry, Soil Conservation and the UNCCD, Lomé, Nov 2001
JVE holds memberships with numerous youth and environmental networks:
- African Rivers Network, Uganda
- Global Young Greens, Belgium
- International Campaign for Justice in Bhopal
- Water Education for Teachers, Bozeman, Montana, USA
- African Youth Initiative on Climate Change, South Africa
- Climate Action Network, Canada
- Global Youth Action Network, USA
- Earth Day Network, USA
- International Pesticide Action Network, USA
- Earthaction, USA
- African Biodiversity Network, Ethiopia
- Youth Associations Network for Sustainable Development, Togo
III - Main accomplishments at international and national level
Since inception, the organization has initiated new ideas and programs in order to have greater impacts on the population. JVE could thus organize for the first time in the ecological history of Togo:
- the national conference on sustainable development, April 2002
- the youth conference on water and energy, April 2004
- the earth car free day, April 2003
- the TV-Quiz on environment, June 2005
- the street campaign for social and ecological justice, June 2006
- the workshop on the impact of ICTs on social activism, Feb 2003
- drafting of the first Local Agenda 21 in Togo, August 2003
- cultural biodiversity week, annual
- the hunger strike in support of victims of the Bhopal tragedy, April 2006
TU-Agua in Mexico is recognized for its outstanding actions on water education
VPE in Cameroon is famous for its environmental education programs
YVE Ghana works closely with city authorities on youth participation and city cleaning
the teacher’s association in Uganda and other international members are well-known for their diverse activities essentially on
- education and environmental education
- tree-planting
- advocacy for biodiversity conservation
- rural development
- combating poverty
- social justice (particularly in supporting the Bhopal victims)
- etc.
ONGOING ACTIVITIES
JVE is currently implementing the following projects. All of these projects are aimed at providing economically disadvantaged youth and local communities with a better understanding of the environmental issues facing them and the rest of the planet. It is an education that stresses the importance of environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation and which encourage immediate engagement in environmental-friendly actions.
- Environmental Education Project in Schools: Ecology and Conscience
Since 2003, environmental classes are organized in 4 schools in Lomé, basically by using the free hour that each class has in the week. The following subject matter was covered: Ecology, Sustainable Development, Water, Air, Soil, Energy, Population and Health, Poverty Reduction, Globalization, and Biodiversity. Most of the subjects are built around materials provided by Project WET (water education for teachers) and UNEP famous guide PACHAMAMA. These classes were taught over the course of six months by JVE volunteers. The teachers follow training each year before the classes. The goal of the classes is to give students a deep understanding of the ecological processes that surround them, to instill a respect for the environment, and to raise awareness of development issues affecting the people of Togo and other underdeveloped countries. Values such: reuse, recycle, reduce and repair are seriously emphasized.
- Cultural Biodiversity Project
In order to better preserve Togolese bio-cultural diversity, JVE is working on implementing a project into primary and secondary schools in Togo in which students will conduct research to explore and connect with their cultural traditions. An emphasis is being placed on learning the value of local environments to different cultures. It is based on a project that has been very successful in Ethiopia through the African Biodiversity Network. The framework to begin the project in Togo has been drafted and received a good response from Sybille Studer, a Swiss Volunteer who implemented this project in Kpele Tsiko, a rural community in the Plateau Region. This project is expected to help identify the clear link between culture and environment. Many activities are associated to this research: story-telling, cultural events, traditional dance parties, tree-planting, etc. As a result of the case study which was conducted in 2003, a cultural biodiversity week is being organized each summer. It gathers youths from all over the world and various participants from Togo. Many cultural competitions are organized and awards given to individual or folkloric group winners. In 2006, the biodiversity week will take place from 21-31 august. It is important to note that this project is entirely conducted by volunteers of the JVE local branch, under the supervision of a Survey specialist, member of the Board of Directors.
- Eco-Development Television Program
JVE produces a weekly television program on TV2, a local television station in Lomé since March 2003. Themes include genetically modified organisms, information and communication technologies, volunteering, and other environment and development issues. The program can be watched every Wednesday between 8:30 – 9:30 PM. JVE also participates each week in informative radio programs on several private radios and particularly on international days.
- Summer Youth Camps
In 2003, a three week long summer camp was held in Danyi-N’Digbe. The participants included Togolese, American, and English volunteers. In 2004, two similar camps were organized in Kpele, Tsiko and in Hiheatro. Our summer camps are designed to help (national and international) participants to learn traditional ways of caring for the nature, share with local resource persons, empower women, engage in environmental protection activities, discover natural sites...
Each year, similar activities are planned. A series of two camps are scheduled for 2006.
- Project WET
The goal of Project WET is to facilitate and a promote awareness, appreciation, knowledge, and stewardship of water resources through the development and dissemination of classroom-ready teaching aids and through the establishment of state and internationally sponsored Project WET programs. With headquarters based in Bozeman, USA, Project WET is the fruit of 10 years research and millions of dollars of financing. Project WET TOGO hopes to provide the youth of Togo with appropriate information on the characteristics and properties of water in hopes of raising awareness on the importance of water in the ecological system and in people’s everyday life.
- Water Relief Projects
JVE has implemented two different water relief projects: one to eventually dig wells for ten of the most water-stressed villages in Togo, and the other to repair existing water structures in the village of Danyi-N’Digbe in response to urgent needs identified during the summer camp. Both projects include sensitization of villagers on issues of hygiene, water protection, and maintenance of water structures. Repairs began in Danyi-N’Digbe in January 2003 and ended on water day, 22 March. While JVE and US Rotary international provided the main fund the village contributed 30% of the necessary 2.000 USD that this project requires. Fundraising is currently sought for two other water projects.
- Distribution of newspaper Enjeu
The newspaper l’EnJeu edited by JVE since 2004 contains issues on sustainable development, global environmental news and local activities. The newspaper is distributed to students, children and JVE members. The future plans for l’EnJeu is to increase the distribution, improve the lay-out and increase the scope of the newspaper depending on the financial support achieved.
- African Youth Initiative on climate change
As a result of discussions between African youths attending the UN Montreal Conference on climate change, it has been decided to set up a network which will promote African youth action to fight climate change and facilitate their participation in climate discussions at both national and international level. This network is aimed at putting together relevant youth-led initiatives and building their capacity in understanding and participating in decision-making and discussions related to the global warming. Of course, this is the time to hear the voice of the youth as the one really affected by climate change. Between survival and sustainability, Africa authorities and populations must now make a choice. JVE is coordinating the network and fundraising for various youth capacity building workshops and actions prior to the next Conference of Parties meeting scheduled for November 2006. the first meeting will be held in August 2006 in Johannesburg.
- Water pasteurization through the use of solar cookers
With support from NNV, a Norwegian NGO, JVE has implemented a pilot project in the rural village of Akumape in 2005. The main program which will cover the whole prefecture of Vo (the most affected by desertification in Togo) has been approved and started in early 2006 and will enable the establishment of women groups, school environmental clubs and many related water management activities. Solar heated water pasteurization will be promoted in every participant village. This project is aimed at reducing human impact on natural resources, promoting the use of renewable energy and facilitating gender equity.
- International celebrations
For 2006, JVE is organizing special events on international days, especially those related to environmental protection and sustainable development. The main ones are:
- Earth day : 22 April : events centered around climate change include training of environmental Journalist, science and biology teachers, NGO leaders and a hunger strike in favor of Bhopal victims
- Water day: 22 March: many conferences and competitions will concern “water and culture”
- Dams day: 14 March: events will be organized in various villages where dams have been built
- Pesticide and Bhopal day: 3 December: this day will help to create awareness on the worst chemical tragedy, the Bhopal explosion which killed thousands of people and keep alienating populations in India.
- Environment day: 5 June: this year, “deserts and desertification” will be featured in our celebrations. A national TV competition will be organized.
- JVE’s day: 23 November: Local branches will be brought together and celebrate youth’s action
- GYSD: 18-21 April: youth’s action to foster sustainable development will be celebrated and promoted.
- Community development project
Thanks to funding from an honourable member, JVE has been implementing a project of animal husbandry in the rural village of Kpele Tsiko. The project aims at empowering local population in this activity by building their capacity in caring for the animals and developing other small parallel activities. It is expected that money will be generated for households and the local community-based group, entrusted with the daily monitoring of the project. As pilot project, around 50 people have already benefited from the project and the same number of people is on the waiting list, hoping to receive 2, 3, or 5 sheep if more funding is secured. As a pilot project, the results from this experience will be analysed and the project will be extended to neighbouring villages which are already expressing interest in being considered.
- Social Justice and Corporate responsibility
Since inception in 2001, JVE has worked to ensure equal access to basic human needs like water, energy and land. Its four programs are designed to ensure respect of human rights and intergenerational equity
The ‘social justice’ program particularly has brought several benefits to populations both in Togo and in various parts of the world. Several projects are implemented with the aim to fight corporate irresponsibility, mining exploitation, modern slavery, capitalistic globalization etc… Concretely, JVE has been supportive of the fight for justice in Bhopal (India) where an explosion in a Union Carbide owned plant, back in December 1984, killed hundred of innocent people and affect until now thousands of population. JVE organised an International Youth Forum on Social Justice, in April 2005, in Kpeme, which brought together participants from 12 countries of Europe and Africa. Kpeme, where the event happened in a city where phosphate exploitation has put thousands of local communities in the margin since 1970.
In the context of the world environment day 2006, JVE collected hundreds of signatures in support of justice in Bhopal which were handed over to the Indian Consul and the Ministry of Environment of Togo, on the 5th June. Earlier, on earth day, 8 volunteers of JVE observed a hunger strike for the same cause, but also to inform populations of social injustices in Togo, like phosphate exploitation, modern slavery in free zones, forest destruction etc...
Interestingly, JVE is beginning a new program, mainly of research on economic social and cultural rights. About 50 students of the University of Togo will conduct case studies on every issue pertinent to social justice in Togo, which will be validated by the whole group and publicized.
JVE takes part is various social forum where it uses the opportunity to stress on the respect of ecological justice and social welfare
As member of the African Rivers Network (ARN), JVE is implementing since October 2005, a project aimed at publicizing implication and applications of the World Commission of Dams (WCD) in west Africa. This project is aimed at initiating a national multi-stakeholder dialogue on dams. Communities affected by dams and civil society organisations along with private and public institutions are engaging in dialogue so as to compensate for past harms and unfulfilled promises related to dams’ construction but also to ensure that new dams in construction go through public acceptance and ensure proper compensation to local populations who will be resettled.
JVE is member of CADTM (committee for the cancellation of the third-world debt) and as such has taken several actions to fight indebtedness of poor counties, corruption and embezzlement of public budget.
JVE has been implementing a project on ‘access to land’ in conjunction with ILC (international land coalition). This activity has a human right focus, in the sense that most of the lands here are owned by powerful and rich men, in the detriment of women and elderly ones. It requires lot of education and training to set justice for all. JVE has developed an educational package comprising discussions, radio and TV programs. The ‘biodiversity conservation’ program is mainly about ensuring fair and equitable share of the benefits drawn from the exploitation of natural resources, but also preserving communities’ rights over our genetic heritage. JVE has worked hard to fight bio-piracy and destruction of forests, habitat of many indigenous communities. In the same vein, JVE has conducted a study on cultural biodiversity, which led to the establishment of an annual celebration called ‘cultural biodiversity week’ since 2003. This event is aimed at preserving local traditional and ecological knowledge from external influence, through conferences, games, dances, ceremonies, quiz, youth to adult debates etc… which draw a whole district in the village of Kpele Tsiko (150 km north-east of Lomé).
The ‘environmental education’ program, has various components; with the main one being a weekly TV program, entitled ‘eco-développement’ which 2003; informs the populations on various issues related to globalisation, justice and cultural rights.
By empowering young people and through international summer camps; JVE is fighting unemployment and young people marginalisation.
Through celebrations of world Water day, or International Earth day, world Biodiversity Day, JVE stresses on the need to ensure justice for all, especially as our actions of today generate ‘climate or environmental refugees’. Through campaigns around the whole country, JVE experts explain to populations how important it is for every person to adopt more sustainable practices and avoid causing harm to our mother earth.
IV - Experience on large dams
In the process towards the World Summit on Sustainable Development (Johannesburg, August 2002), JVE actively participated in the water and energy caucus activities both in Bali (Indonesia) and in Johannesburg. Since then JVE has been engaging government, donors and private investors to encourage them to be transparent, to allow for a participatory approach towards the development of the country’s damming program, and to consider other options before implementing additional dams. JVE succeeded in informing populations and even authorities about the adverse effects of dams. To showcase an alternative, the organisation currently implements a water pasteurisation through solar cooking project throughout the entire Prefecture of Vo, Togo.
Having campaigned for corporate responsibility, particularly regarding mining exploitation, ecological debt and biodiversity exploitation, the organisation has developed expertise in advocacy and lobbying. In the context of WCD, as member of the coordinating committee of the African Rivers Network (ARN) and founding member of the West African Network for Ecology Information Exchange (WANEIE), JVE has thorough knowledge of relevant DDP Forum stakeholders. Moreover, the organisation participated in the issue-based workshop on ‘Gaining Public Acceptance’ and the UNEP Dams and Development Project (DDP) 4th forum, October 6th and 7th 2005.
Through various national campaigns, JVE has developed expertise in dealing with schools and rural populations. JVE has provided consultancy to both the United Nations and the Togolese Ministry of Environment, predominately on environmental communication. Each year, JVE organises at least five international day celebrations, and has developed great experience and skills in organising big, public events and working co-operatively with the media.
As a result of our participation in various international summits and experience and familiarity with the drafting process for national environmental frameworks, JVE understands global issues and has learned to translate them into local contexts.
It is important to note that JVE, along with the Volta Basin Development Foundation (an Accra-based NGO), undertook a large media campaign on the Akossombo dam, situated in Ghana, which provides electricity to both Togo and Ghana. Interestingly, JVE has been supporting the National Dialogue process in Ghana as it has participated in the first steering committee held in May 2006.
After its participation in the second international summit of the dam-affected communities and their allies, in November 2003, in Dasi Salai, Thailand, JVE has been organising several awareness campaigns and visits to dam-affected communities. Links have been built between Togo and Ghana authorities, NGOs and Experts in the energy field.
From October 18 – 28, 2005, JVE organized a National Campaign on ‘Ecological Challenges and Sustainable Development’ which went through 30 big cities, schools and villages throughout the country. The many presentations on dams and WCD, visits to affected communities in Kpime and Nangbeto and group discussions enabled populations but also the group of campaigners to understand the process of construction and management of dams, but also the social injustices surrounding their construction.
Like every year, JVE celebrated the World Day of Action on Rivers on March 14, 2005 with a one-day village discussion in Kpime on that year’s theme of ‘rivers for life, not for death’.
In general, local populations were very pleased and eager to be involved in a national dialogue in order to ‘avoid the avoidable’, as a local elder said.
- More official consultation with these communities and with government ministries began in March 2006.
- Various contacts with the CEB, the electricity company and CEET, the national energy distributor, helped them to be aware of the Dialogue objectives and the ongoing DDP process.
- JVE has conducted a case study on the ‘implication of civil society in the energy sector in Togo’ which was presented on the occasion of the African Ministerial Conference on dams, in March 2006.
- Since March 2006, JVE has been conducting an analytical study of existing dams in Togo, thanks to the work of two French interns, who will complete their research by July 2006 at the latest.
- The first civil society meeting was held on the 15th of June 2006 with attendance from various NGO and human rights organisation. JVE has been selected to serve as secretariat for all activities related to dams in Togo.
The organization is very keen to join the UNEP DDP forum as it is: An international advocacy organization. JVE brings the youth perspective and dynamism, the francophone diversity, the West African experience and a unique history of dedication and commitment for the planet.
