Nagenahiru Environmental Education
     
Environmental Education is the organized effort to teach about how natural environment’s function and, particularly, how human beings can manage their behaviour and ecosystems in order to live sustainable and considered as an essential element to achieve sustainable development and is a crucial tool in educating citizens to prosper in a sustainable society. Its importance has been emphasized by the latest sustainability trend in the world known as the green economy, which paves a path to make the global economy and development a more environment friendly planet.

The Nagenahiru Foundation is being engaged in environmental education activities for nearly a decade and at present operates an elaborated system of environmental educational activities. The Foundation has an experienced and qualified staff to conduct its educational activities.

Nagenahiru programmes on Environmental Education promoted through a holistic approach and introduce sustainable livelihood practices replacing unsustainable strategies used by community for their livelihoods. This encourage the target groups to integrate environmental education into their lifestyle.

The Nagenahiru Center for Environmental Education (NCEE) is a well-equipped dedicated centre for these activities and act as the focal point of all Environmental Education activities of the Nagenahiru. The Center situated in the border of the Madampa Lake, at the south west coast of Sri Lanka and is surrounded by a thick mangrove forest and has access to the lake. It is a fully equipped centre with all audio-visual facilities required for educational programmes.

The NCEE also provides many of the requirements necessary for a high quality environmental education for the children. It also provides an opportunity to learn practical lessons about the mangrove and lake environment.

The facilities available at the Nagenahiru Center for Environmental Education is utilized fully with collaboration of different sector organizations & institutions to serve different target groups of the society as follows.
 
  1. School Children – The NF provides educational programmes for school children from kindergarten to grade 13. The methodology used by the NF is an amalgamated system with the school relevant curriculum in the formal education system as well as non-formal educational programmes specially designed towards the unique features and conservation of different Ecological systems as well as biodiversity.

    Major topics discussed at these education programmes for students include general topics such as Climate Change, biodiversity, ecosystems, environment friendly practices, pollution etc. along with the requirements of school curricula.

    School Teachers also benefit from these trainings as they gather a higher level of environmental awareness to teach effectively and incorporate environmental studies in their curricula.
     
  2. Women’s Groups – Environmental education programmes are organized for women’s groups in the area. These non-formal education programmes vary according to the group and aim to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and promote environmentally friendly practices to initiate sustainable livelihoods such as sustainable farming, wetland craft production etc.
     
  3. Fishing Community – A considerable proportion of the rural community of the area where the NF is active earn their livelihood through the fisheries industry. This includes all three major types of fisheries, including marine, brackish water and freshwater fisheries. The practices of this community have an impact on the sustainability of the industry as well as the environment. To respond to this situation, the NF has implemented a number of environmental education related activities targeting this community. It has resulted in a change of their behaviour and reduced the environmental impact.

    Successful initiatives include the introduction of alternative energy sources for the industry such as the solar powered LED lamp systems for traditional ja-kotu fisheries and the CFL powered lamp for night-fishing.
     
  4. Other Social Groups – The NF also carries out environmental education programmes for other social groups. These include NGO and CBO members, religious groups, farmer groups etc. The programmes designed for these groups differ according to their aims as well as the need of the group.

    All these programmes are at present supported through generous donations. You can also support the programmes of the Nagenahiru Foundation aimed towards a sustainable society. Please visit Donations Page for more details.