EBANA - Education + Reforestation

What is EBANA project:

By educating children about environment - theoretically and mainly practically (Agro-Forestry) in community schools- an awareness about nature is the main first goal. By planting together with the children, they get a direct connection to nature and especially the trees.
On a long run the idea is to give the children a possibility of an alternative, sustainable way of living on the countryside. Generating food and income for the families. Right now chirldren are told at home and by theire teachers that only the citylife has a future.

The project started in Bolivia, Rurenabaque (Amazon Basin), but also first aktivities in Peru, Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica took place. Main focus is right now the area of Rurrenabaque in Bolivia because of the big lever here.

* Environmental education not integrated in school system jet
* High Biodiversity
* Region 95% dependent on tourism
* Bolivia has high deforestation rate

German:

Was ist das EBANA-Projekt:

Durch Umweltbildung von Kindern soll eine Bewusstseinsbildung für die Natur erfolgen. Theoretisch und primär praktisch durch Waldfeldbau in Schulen der Dorfgemeinschaften. Durch Pflanzen von Bäumen zusammen mit den Kinder, soll ein stärkerer Bezug zur Natur und im besonderen den Bäumen hergestellt werden. Langfristig soll den Kindern durch Landwirtschaft im Einklang mit der Natur nach Permakulturellen Leitsätzen ein nachhaltiger Weg auf dem Land aufgezeigt werden. Aktuell wird den Kindern von Eltern und Lehrern fast ausschließlich die Zukunft in den Städten angepriesen.
Das Projekt startete in Bolivien, Rurrenabaque (Amazonas Becken), aber auch erste Aktivitäten in Peru, Ecuador, Panama und Costa Rica fanden statt. Kernfokus ist aktuell die Gegend rund um Rurrenabaque in Bolivien da ich den Hebeleffekt dort für sehr hoch erachte.
*Umweltbildung ist im Bildungssystem nicht integriert
*Es gibt eine hohe Biodiversität (10% aller bekannten Vogelarten kommen in der Gegend vor)
*Über 90% leben vom Natur-Tourismus
*Bolivien hat einer der höchsten Abholzungsraten


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An example how the communities where approached:

San Miguel de Bala. Rurrenabaque November 2012.
1. Coincidently speaking with family members of San Miquel de Bala in Ecotourism Office in Rurrenabaque.
2. Speak with one of the families that live partly in the town of Rurrenabaque but also in the community up the River Beni.
3. Get invited to the community to have a talk to the communities president and stay at the families home.
4. Give a general class about the importance of the forests to the primary and secondary school of the community.
5. After speaking to the president, give an introduction of the project idea to all the family heads that gathered due to another event. Agreement on trying out the project together.
6. Following day answer questions concerning the project to community members.
7. Meet the next day to build a tree nursery in front of the church with both, adults and schoolchildren of the community.
8. Have somebody responsible to take care of the plants and think about their distribution later.
9. Agree with the school director to continue with environmental education and receive help (teaching material, topics,…) as soon as I get funds.