On the occasion of the GEN+20 Summit held in Findhorn Ecovillage, Scotland from July 5-11th, 2015 the Bafut Ecovillage won the Gaia Trust Award as the most inspiring Ecovillage project in Africa. By Sonita Mbah. Sonita Mbah and Joshua Konkankoh, both Better World Cameroon and African representatives said it is a dream come true. They express sincere joy and gratitude to GEN International and Gaia Trust for the priviledge. Sonita said “ I now feel that my 5 years of volunteering is paying off … Read more
Africa
Strand Report “Emergencies” Responding to a World in Crises the Whole Systems Way
"How are we responding to crises using a whole systems and regenerative approach?” This was the question that a group of ecovillagers, consultants, volunteers, and other interested participants gathered to explore during a week-long session during the 20th Anniversary of the Global Ecovillage Network in July. Facilitator Sarah Quebatlin and Leila Dregger report. Natural disasters triggered by climate change are responsible for 150,000+ deaths every year and cause millions of people to have to … Read more
Global Campus 2015 in Tamera: On the Way to Form a Global Community
During the GEN summit, GEN International and Global Campus became partners. In this report, Leila Dregger shares about the last Global Campus gathering from July 18th to August 15th, where 30 members and representatives of the base stations of the Global Campus met in Tamera, Portugal, studying and sharing peace knowledge, exploring new skills and experiencing community. While the global crisis threatening their home regions every day remained to be in our focus, they lived in the Solar … Read more
No One Leaves Home The tragedy of refugees.
No one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well your neighbors running faster than you breath bloody in their throats the boy you went to school with who kissed you dizzy behind the old tin factory is holding a gun bigger than his body you only leave home when home won’t let you stay. no one leaves home unless home chases you fire under feet hot blood in your belly it’s not something you ever thought of … Read more
GEN +20 Summit Developing the New Story of Community
This year's Global Ecovillage Network Summit at Findhorn Ecovillage in Scotland, marked the organisation's tremendous growth and development since its emergence 20 years ago. Returning to the place where GEN was launched into the world in 1995, the founders Ross and Hildur Jackson were joined by other GEN legends, Declan Kennedy, Robert Gilman, Jan-Martin Bang and Helena Norberg-Hodge, in bearing witness to how their offspring has now developed contacts with communities on every inhabited … Read more
Ecovillage Summit in Dakar, Senegal Results, Challenges, and Consequences
Update - GES Reports The Official Reports from the GES Summit are now available - read them here: GES Report - Supporting Documents Transition 2 Resilience - Participant Reports Fundraising & Program Development GES GEN-Africa General Assembly The Senegalese Ecovillage Network: The Past, Present and Future GEN Ecovillage Transition Strategy 2015 - 2020 From December 10-14, 120 people from 40 countries met for the first International Ecovillage Summit in … Read more
Responsible Tourism Sandele Eco-Retreat in The Gambia
Sandele Eco-Retreat in Kartong is an example of responsible tourism. The lodges are built with compressed, stabilized earth blocks which use a minimum of cement and are frequently stabilized with lime. Electricity, hot water and water pumping are provided using solar and wind power. The Lodges and the Guest Rooms have compost toilets and a constructed wetlands system that minimizes the use of, and purifies, the water flowing from the toilets, showers, hand basins and rainwater. Every step that … Read more
Kibbutz Lotan: Mud and Straw Homes Possible Answers for Earthquake Regions
Nepalese villagers are now faced with massive rebuilding projects following the April 25 earthquake. They could benefit from the lessons learned by eco-minded builders in Israel’s Arava desert. Marlene Dodinval reports. In preparation for future anticipated tremors, an Israeli ecovillage is taking a unique approach to safe and environmentally sound construction rather than the more common, but expensive and less effective, reinforced concrete method often relied on to withstand … Read more
Ensuring Regional Food Autonomy Creating Links of City and Rural People in Kenya
Regional food sovereignty needs farmers who have access to health and education. Loubna Sadiki from Morocco, a representative of NextGEN, reports on a research trip to Nairobi, organized by the Kenyan organization, Africa Adaptation Villages. At the end of 2013, I traveled to Nairobi, Kenya, and worked on a research project with a local Food Security organization called Africa Adaptation Villages. Our project consisted of trying to answer many of Nairobi residents (and other areas), who … Read more
GEN Celebrating 20 Years in Findhorn Ecovillages Gain More Positive Impact
A silent revolution is presently occurring on our planet. Outside the major conurbations – in villages, slums, and town neighbourhoods – citizens are joining together to assume responsibility for their surroundings, for the nature around them, for social themes, and for their ecological and economic behaviour. In living rooms, in bars and around kitchen tables, ideas are discussed and initiatives are born which directly reduce CO2 emissions, revive communities and create job perspectives. … Read more
