Working with communities in India: Access to affordable sustainable energy is inextricably linked to poverty.  We are currently working on a project to install renewable energy in rural Indian villages. As part of this, we are rolling out a wood stove programme. Over 1.9m people worldwide die each year as a result of the deadly smoke generated by indoor cooking. In some of the villages, women still cook on open wood fires, indoors. We have been trialing different stoves and we have found that a stove will reduce smoke by 80%, wood consumption by 60% and all for just $20.

Climate change adaptation: We are currently working on a programme to understand more clearly what impacts are due to climate change in India so that we can support their adaptation. Some of the farmers and people who we come into contact with in the rural areas of Tamil Nadu tell us that changes in the climate are already affecting them. Salination of soil through rising sea level, changing seasons that affect crop production and increased water shortages, are all experienced today. ‘It is a global injustice that those who suffer most from the impacts of climate change have done the least to cause it’ Global Humanitarian Forum. We are tcktcktck partners (an international campaign for climate justice) in support of this group of people around the world.

Wider community development: TCW support the work of SCAD (Social Change And Development), an Indian NGO, financially allowing them to extend their reach and work with more villages and empower more people. SCAD are well established and have been operating for 25 years. Their aim is to ‘reach the unreachable’ and to this end they work with impoverished people, marginalised communities such as gypsies or lepers and those with disabilities and learning difficulties. Read more about SCAD here.

Working with communities in the UK: Our ‘Power to the People’ programme mirrors our work in India on access to affordable sustainable energy. The programme provides, guidance, tools and a mentor to support communities to develop and implement sustainable energy plans and projects. We help them to install renewable energy within a community or community building. For example, we are working with a charity that runs a school for disabled pupils. They currently use oil, which is expensive and carbon intensive. We are helping them install a more sustainable option (such as wood), which will help them save money and CO2. We are currently working with 20 communities. For more information or support for your community please contact us. Click for more information.

Youth programme: Tomorrow’s people in today’s world are key to shaping the future. We are keen to raise awareness and support education around climate change, global citizenship and to nurture and inspire the aspirations of our youth. We have developed a Scouts Activity Pack, which is being used by 50 Scout groups. Activities range from quizzes to helping their own community citizens with energy efficiency measures, through to visiting and working with a community in India. For more information about how you can introduce this pack to your local scout group please click here.

Joint India/UK school twinning project: As part of working with tomorrow’s people today, we have brought together a community centre on the edge of one of largest slums in Mumbai and the Knowle West Media Centre in Bristol. Both centres support their local youth who come from socially challenging and disadvantaged areas; helping them aspire and supporting their development. Through the use of digital media we will be running a program of engagement between the two centres where the central theme is food and nutrition and also touching on energy and climate change. The use of digital media and the subject matter aims to help upskill the teachers and pupils, build an understanding and appreciation of different cultures and support the development of global citizens.