WWF partners faith communities

The Green Trust plays a crucial role in funding nature conservation projects through community-based programmes, and recently committed funding to support SAFCEI with their environmental eco-justice project which reaches out to various faith groups to engage on critical socio-environmental issues.

The project was funded to support SAFCEI's aim of building leadership capacity and developing environmental training resources across faith groups. These groups include the Anglican Church of Southern Africa (ACSA) and a Muslim community represented by the leadership of the Claremont Main Road Mosque (CMRM) in Cape Town.

Calendar activities

With the Anglican community, the project will leverage on environmental activities by different faith groups and the global calendar activities on environmental conservation that each faith organisation has planned for the 2014/2015 year which will includes a baseline survey with 52 churches of the False Bay diocese. The survey will cover issues ranging from recycling, changing light bulbs, water and energy audits, gardening, environmental services, and environmental outreach programmes.

CMRM's 'Muslims for Eco-Justice' is also engaging with issues of eco-justice. Ramadan began on 28 June, a time of spiritual focus and reflection on the past year and a time to re-connect with your beliefs. It is a time of fasting, and an opportunity to reflect on eco-consciousness

In the spirit of this special time, 'Muslims for Eco-Justice' have developed a Greener Ramadan Guide, which shares ideas and ways to make small changes that have a positive impact on the environment.

Additionally, throughout Ramadan, Imams have been invited to deliver the traditional Friday sermons on environmental topics at as many mosques as possible. This part of the eco-justice programme is a great step towards institutionalising environmental awareness and conservation thinking.

Student leaders

The Anglican Church's environmental conservation awareness campaign engages with student leaders from tertiary institutions across the country. It examines what it means to be young, 'green' and Anglican. The project seeks to create awareness around environmental justice and to respond to critical environmental issues by motivating individuals to act as advocates and ambassadors of the environment, and in turn pass on the learning to others.

Funding will also be used for training new Imams from the Muslim community - an environmental justice lecture series scheduled for students and Imams in training at the Madina Institute, Cape Town, in the month of August. Faith-based environmental youth camps are also scheduled in both faith communities later in the year.