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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

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Eco-Vision Okinawa (EVO)

Environmental education in Malaysia through the Sabah 3R Promotion Project

Activity grant

Project Description

Rapid economic growth and urbanization in Malaysia is resulting in a steady increase in the amount of waste being produced. Various initiatives by the government and NGOs have increased awareness of the 3Rs among the public, but there is still an issue of how to convert this into action. Eco-Vision Okinawa (EVO) has collaborated with Naha city and JICA to provide training on waste reduction for Sabah government officials and members of NGO Environmental Action Center Sabah (EAC), including introducing them to the 'Shopping Game' environmental education program developed by EVO. Although trainees returned to Malaysia to develop a local program, they are still lacking in the manpower and means needed to promote it and have requested further assistance. This project will collaborate with EAC to reduce the amount of waste produced by residents of Sabah by establishing a framework for a Sabah edition of the Shopping Game, including creating and implementing the game, and cultivating 25 'game facilitators' from the government, NGOs, and other organizations. This partnership will also serve as a model for applying the experience gained from civic action tackling waste problems in Japan to other developing countries in Asia, such as Vietnam.

Fields
Climate change
Grant year
FY2010 Activity Grants
Grant term
2 years
October 2010 - September 2012
Grant amount
8,420,000 yen
Activity region
Sabah, Malaysia
Malaysian EAC members trying out the Shopping Game

Overview of the Organization

Hiroshi Kogachi, President
Representative
Hiroshi Kogachi, President
Establishment
2000
Establishment purpose
EVO was established in 2000 as a parent organization for the Okinawa Citizens' Recycling Movement, a groundbreaking civic movement started in 1983. It develops collaborative initiatives with a shared mission of "building an ecological civic society". It is engaged in activities in four areas - construction of a recycling-society system, environmental education, international collaboration and shaping the citizen sector, and supporting ecological industry - and provides information and venues so that anyone can participate.
Main area of activity
Okinawa, Japan
Staff
2 full-time staff members, 2 part-time staff members, 10 full members
Annual operating budget
12.17 million yen in 2007, 10.39 million yen in 2008, 13.01 million yen in 2009
WEB site
http://www.ryucom.ne.jp/users/kuru2/
Recent activities
  • (1) Construction of a recycling-society system
    · Publishing a manual on holding flea markets for communities and NPOs
    · Implementing the Kuima-ru Project for using food waste as livestock feed
    · The Kuima-ru Project was commended by the Environment Minister for advancing food recycling
  • (2) Environmental education
    · Implementing the Shopping Game
    · Publishing the Eco Shopping Game
  • (3) International collaboration and shaping the citizen sector
    · Establishing and operating an NPO activity center in Naha
    · Executing JICA international cooperation initiatives
  • (4) Supporting ecological industry
    · Operating an eco-shop