GOLD
Solidaridad Stahl, PUM UPLIA, Government of Uttar Pradesh: Pollution Prevention and Efficient Water Use in the Kanpur-Unnao Leather Cluster
India’s Kanpur leather cluster represents an important economic driver and a major source of employment. However outdated methods and technologies in the cluster have had a negative environmental impact on the Ganges River.
This project focused on reducing this impact by minimizing the consumption of water and reducing pollution. Through training and technological innovations the project improved the safety of workers, protected the livelihoods of small-scale farmers who rely on the river for irrigation, and improved the quality of the drinking and sanitation water used by the rural and urban poor.
SILVER
DelAgua Rwanda: Tubeho Neza Stoves Project
Tubeho Neza (“Live well”) is providing high peformance stoves, free, to 2.3 million rural Rwandan households. The stoves use 71% less wood than traditional open fires. On project completion 8.6 million tons CO2 and 64km2 forestry will be saved annually. An integrated comprehensive education and support programme for every household is delivered by a team of over 5,000 Community Health Workers. This means behaviour change is lasting: 2 years after receipt 99% stoves are in daily use. Innovative technology and financing through the sale of carbon credits produced by the stoves makes Tubeho Neza uniquely self-sustaining and scalable.
BRONZE
MAITS and ACELP: Community Health Worker Empowerment Training, Pakistan
MAITS (UK) has partnered with ACELP (Pakistan) to deliver their award-winning Community Health Worker (CHW) Empowerment Programme. CHW training successfully targets hard-to-reach families in low-resource countries who have limited access to specialist therapists/therapy centres, and who rely on the skill and dedication of community workers to enhance the lives of children with disabilities. This was a game changer during the COVID pandemic when all efforts were diverted to COVID-relief. The programme significantly improves sustainability of skills within a country, providing ongoing quality controls following initial training, to empower communities to create sustainable sources of expert knowledge at the local level.
ONE-TO-WATCH
Fair for You & Iceland Foods: Food Club
The retailer Iceland and the ethical credit provider Fair for You are working together to offer micro-loans to low-income families, ensuring they never have to go without food. The Iceland Food Club offers affordable loans of between £25 and £75 so families can smooth out their income in the school holidays or when they are hit by unexpected bills or hardships. Early data from the pilot already shows 65% of customers reducing their food bank usage and 80% having improved mental health, among other positive outcomes.