Nicodemus Wilderness Project
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NWP Global Registry of Apprentice Ecologists - Cali, Colombia

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Cali, Colombia
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ccordobaa



Registered: December 2012
City/Town/Province: Cali,Valle del Cauca
Posts: 2
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Apprentice Ecologist Projects
ECOEDUCAR
(ECO EDUCATE)
Cindy Córdoba Arroyo
Student of environmental engineering of National University of Colombia


The priority of environmental education is to improve the existence of all living beings and in this way is an alternative to create ethic in communities.
In line with the importance environmental education should be an essential issue in educational institutions, universities, government institutions and organizations worldwide. The technological and economic progress poses a deterioration of ecosystems that have served as a platform for our human development, biological, and intellectual, from the individual to the community, they operate in an environment that provides what is necessary to live and develop, these great benefits we get from our ecosystem provides commitments to environmental conservation in which we live . If from anywhere in the world individuals assume the task of educating for nature and keep in our minds the environmental friendliness we will initiate an irreversible path to recovery and permanent progress.
From my start as a student of environmental engineering at the National University of Colombia I have always considered environmental education as the most viable strategy toward awareness and resolution of environmental problems in the communities, that is the reason why I started acquiring tools that allow me to teach others to preserve and value the environment, is necessary to provide individuals with the means to enable it to establish the close relationship between biological elements , cultural, economic, social and the environment.
Social work has always attracted me for its implications, the act of putting our skills and potential to others service is a way to contribute to the development and demonstrate the knowledge that we have received. I've been fortunate to be part of this profession that facilitates in touch with people, so I decided to make the project ECOEDUCAR because through environmental education finds solutions to the issues that are affecting the community.
I am working in this community since 2010 and belongs to the Agua Blanca district, Cali (Valle del Cauca) - Colombia. Considered as an area with high rates of poverty, the project ECOEDUCAR works specifically in commune 14 inhabited by 154,076 people representing approximately 7.3% of the population of Cali, with unemployment rates close to 11.48%.
The environmental issues of concern in that locality are poor solid waste disposal, lack of natural resources in the area, the inefficient use of water despite the difficulties that they have to get the liquid and affectation of the landscaping image of the area.
The work began with youth and children belonging to the SEMBRADORES DE PAZ foundation (Peace Planters) and in the course of the project have been adding people of different ages and gender. In working with the foundation based on several aspects:
a. Psychological b). Ethical c) Cognitive d) Social e) Cultural
Since people are considered vulnerable due to the levels of violence that occur in the Agua Blanca district.
With them we have implemented programs to reduce pollution and lack of sustainable practices with the environment.
Among the most important strategies in the program to address environmental issues is to divide it into two components: practical and training, in the first part we realize trainings about environmental issues and the second part we organize field trip for activities such as waste collection, parks beautification and recycling, the two lines of action are based on the following activities:
Integrated management of solid waste: This activity makes an efficient job with waste through recycling, reuse and reduction in the increase of garbage, so objects are made from those that are not being used .
Efficient and saving water: From this area we provide techniques for optimizing the use of water in daily activities and how we can take advantage and conserve water sources near the area.
Environmental culture: from this area we promote sustainable practices with the environment and show the community the importance of conserving the ecosystem teaching environmental dynamics such as weather cycle, pollution, global warming, the greenhouse effect and the depletion of natural resources.0
Among the most outstanding achievements in 2012 include:
• The love and concern that the community has acquired its environment
• The 60% reduction in the use of paper and plastic in daily activities.
• Increasing the scenic beauty of the Rio Cali that crosses much of the area by cleaning up wastes left near the riverside, hampering the flow of water and the generation of foul odors.
• The significant increase of community knowledge towards the compression of environmental interactions involved in the development of the population.
The project has helped to strengthen community life of the Alirio Mora Beltran neighborhood, Cali (Valle del Cauca) - Colombia because it has allowed to find the solutions to environmental problems that affected the community considerably and the project has given rise to a new space where the people work together with commitment, awareness, love, appreciation for where they live. From my personal experience, I could enhance my leadership skills and put into practice in the service of the community the knowledge that I received from the college and this has enriched the love for my career and performance, plus the satisfaction of the achievements that have a great effect on the quality of life for local people
Nicodemus Wilderness Project is a highly regarded organization that through Apprentice Ecologist Projects calls those who believe in the recovery and conservation of our planet by presenting of environmental initiatives. I believe that ECOEDUCAR project should be selected by Nicodemus Wilderness Project because this project has elements like teamwork, love for the community, promotion of values, care for our planet earth, environmental awareness, leadership in communities affected by factors such as violence and inequality that lead to preserve their environment to guarantee an improvement in their quality of life.
The education as the most direct means to human being that brings our knowledge and emotions into a world that has given us everything to live in harmony and natural balance.


END OF ESSAY



Post-project Interview with NWP:



WHERE DO YOU ATTEND OR PLAN TO ATTEND COLLEGE AND WHAT IS YOUR FIELD OF STUDY/INTEREST?


I'm studying at the National University of Colombia, Environmental Engineering degree, currently I'm coursing the 8th semester. The National University of Colombia is the best university in the country, is known for high quality research, social commitment and help to form professionals protruding internationally. My interests focus on environmental impact studies, for which I wish to make a postgraduate degree abroad.



WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE EDUCATIONAL, CAREER, AND LIFE GOALS?


Life: Life for me, consists of happy moments that are states where the rewards generated from the activities that you are doing, The happiness is the alignment of those moments to generate emotion and self-confidence, conserve my principles, share and get close to people who have a positive outlook.


In my life I make the effort to multiply those moments so my activities are focused my academic training, help my family, work with communities and improve myself as a human being, these are my objectives that satisfy and make me feel happy with hope and expectation daily .


Career: Make an international internship before completing my college career that allows me to learn and share successful experiences carried out in other countries and promote that knowledge in the community to which I belong. Of the institutions that call my attention for the international internship is the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) because of its relevance worldwide, supported on its programs for climate change action, promoting environmental justice, Environmental Expansion of culture, sanitation , protection and conservation of natural resources.


Education: Through being selected in the Martin Luther King scholarship funded by the U.S. Embassy in Colombia that gives the opportunity to learn English and train in leadership for Afrocolombian students. I could study this wonderful language, and currently being bilingual, and even gave me the confidence to apply for Apprentice Ecologist because I dominated the language. The projections that I have in my life are very high, I will do a PhD in Environmental Impact Studies, is the area of my career that attracts my attention, and even increase my Emotions towards that area because of the need my country has of professionals in that field.
Supporting my academic training and my quality as a person and I'll continue helping communities in favor of the environment.



WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE LONG-TERM BENEFITS TO YOUTH AND THE ENVIRONMENT MADE POSSIBLE BY THE APPRENTICE ECOLOGIST INITIATIVE?
Nicodemus Wilderness Project does an outstanding job encouraging young talented with social commitment for developing activities for the environment, involving the community and demonstrating the importance of conservation.
I am grateful for the opportunity to be selected for Apprentice Ecologist Initiative for allowing me to share my experience and learn about the actions of leadership and commitment of the other participants.


Benefits for Youth


• Encourage leadership skills and creativity.
• Promote working in community and solidarity
• Environmental Education
• Increase research and generate Spirit science through the various proposals created by young people.
• Gain global recognition through the work done
• Feel great personal satisfaction by helping to improve our environment.


Benefits for the environment


• Create awareness in humans for care and strengthening our environment.
• Solving environmental problems from more effective ways.
• Conservation of wildlife
• Beautify the landscape image
• Commitment with the life
• Compensation of environmental liabilities of humans with the planet



HOW HAS YOUR APPRENTICE ECOLOGIST INITIATIVE PROJECT ENRICHED YOUR LIFE?


Leading ECOEDUCAR let me share with others the knowledge I have been acquiring in college and see if it has applicability in a social context such as Alirio Mora Beltran neighborhood a community located in eastern Cali with low socioeconomic levels and signs of violence that necessitate the presence of projects that improve the quality of life in the area. The continued contributions provided by the youth from Sembradores de paz foundation from their own knowledge allowed me to view the perspective of environmental education from another angle to find effective solutions to the problems of the place. The satisfaction you get when working with young motivated to environmental and the use of recyclable materials that make me love every day of my profession and understand the relevance of my career in the world.
Analyzing our planet requires more action than words, and through the projects promoted by the Apprentice Ecologist Initiative this theory is demonstrated.



WHY DO YOU FEEL IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE AN ACTIVE STEWARD OF THE ENVIRONMENT NOW AND IN THE FUTURE?


The environment calls for friends who work for it, to lead projects for conservation. Apprentice Ecologist initiatives are supported by a community, but is a leader, Administrator, through planned communication skills enthusiasm and gives guidelines for moving forward. In this way I want to have excellent academic training, doing postgraduate studies with the aim of having the academic profile that allows me to exert powerful actions to favor large populations and the environment. Also, our planet needs of processes, actions accumulated, researching and this is accomplished being multipliers of the environmental conservation now in order to make sustainable these Ecologists Initiatives over time to observe current and future impacts.
· Date: December 31, 2012 · Views: 8839 · File size: 17.5kb, 967.9kb · : 2222 x 1904 ·
Hours Volunteered: 280
Volunteers: 22
Authors Age & Age Range of Volunteers: 12 to 25
Area Restored for Native Wildlife (hectares): 8
Trash Removed/Recycled from Environment (kg): 8250
Native Trees Planted: 5
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ccordobaa

Registered: December 2012
City/Town/Province: Cali,Valle del Cauca
Posts: 2
December 31, 2012 11:10pm

I love this project because I has allowed me to teach others how to preserve and value the environment.