GOLD (Large Organisation)
Arup & Chiswick Oasis
At St Mary’s RC Primary School in Chiswick, West London, air pollution levels were four times the legal limit, and pupils were regularly kept in at playtimes to protect their respiratory health.
A small group of parents set out to build a green wall to combat air pollution in the playground, with support from the local community.
Working with local businesses, local government, community groups, sponsors and industry partners, the volunteers not only raised £100,000 to construct the largest green wall at any school in the UK – they created a new public amenity space and brought their community together.
GOLD (Small Organisation)
Wild Shots Outreach
Wild Shots Outreach supports young South Africans from disadvantaged communities in accessing their wildlife heritage and developing employment skills through the innovative use of photography. It teaches transferable skills, builds self-esteem and helps raise the aspirations of these learners – Africa’s conservationists of tomorrow. WSO prioritises high school students from government schools and unemployed youth bordering Kruger National Park. These young people have never had the opportunity to visit a game reserve. This award-winning educational programme engages, inspires and enhances access for these impoverished students to their wildlife heritage – catalysing and igniting a passion for conservation.
SILVER
Action through Enterprise: BizATE – Small Business Development Training in Ghana
BizATE is a small business development training programme which tackles deepening poverty in Lawra Municipality, Ghana where the majority of the population struggle to survive on subsistence farming. It does so by enabling the set-up and growth of small enterprises through training and mentoring to ensure their success in an extremely challenging economic environment. Workshops are tailored to a range of trade groups and designed to work inclusively for small business owners whom have low levels of literacy. Investing in training of local trainers is a key element, enabling local people to facilitate change in their community.
BRONZE
OVO Foundation: Project Jua
‘Jua’ means sunshine in Swahili, so ‘Project Jua’ is the perfect name for a project that brings solar power to schools and health clinics in the hardest-to-reach parts of Kenya for the first time. Launched in 2017, this £2m project funded by OVO Foundation is improving health and education outcomes for 300,000+ people by providing lighting and powering lifesaving equipment. Project Jua also paves the way for energy to be a key component of other education and health programmes in the development sector by focusing on data collection to better understand institutional energy needs.