Earth Day: What will you be doing?

Nearly 20 million Americans participated in the first Earth Day celebration on April 22, 1970. The day of action grew out of a grassroots movement of Americans concerned about the emerging negative impacts on the environment. Over the past year, Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) drew attention to the importance of environmental stewardship for all societies via its annual theme. With rapidly melting glaciers in Tajikistan, floods in Pakistan and prolonged drought in Kenya, we see that poor and marginalized communities are continually on the front lines of climate change. United with the determination to end global poverty, each year AKF USA volunteers organize events in up to 11 major U.S. cities. Last year alone, 33,000 attended PartnershipsInAction events, raising over $5million for projects that create sustainable solutions to poverty in developing regions of Asia and Africa. This year, AKF USA is continuing to engage Americans in the widening movement to improve the quality of life of our planet and its people through its 2011 PartnershipsInAction activities.  

We want to hear how you'll be spending your Earth Day! What are you or your family, friends, school or community doing in response? On April 21st, AKF USA will be holding a Tweet-Up beginning 10:00 am. Tweet @AKF_USA, and share with us your thoughts and actions for the day. We want to hear from you!  Also stay tuned to our website for a special Earth Day message on April 22. 

How to participate in our Earth Day Tweet-Up: If you are not already following us on twitter, simply search AKF_USA (PartnershipsInAction), and click on "Follow." You will now be following us. To participate in our Earth Day Tweet Up, simply tweet your thoughts and actions for Earth Day @AKF_USA on Thursday, April 21st, 2011, and join our Earth Day conversation.  

 

 
One Tree at a Time

The year 2011 is the UN International Year of Forests, and the Aga Khan Foundation is strengthening its efforts to promote sustainable management, conservation, and development of forests worldwide. AKF's Coastal Rural Support Programme in Kenya has been addressing the link between extreme poverty and environmental degradation through reforestation and microforestry. With microforestry, farmers and communities gain sustainable financial incentives to preserve their natural resources.  Nearly 2,800 poor households now have a chance to improve their livelihood while preserving the environment. Ms. Chidzidzingo, a farmer in a drought-prone village along the coast of Kenya, is a part of one of these households. She is working hard to increase her income through the forestry project so that she can afford to send her grandchildren to school.

Follow this link to learn more about the Aga Khan Foundation's Environment Initiatives world wide.

 
Volunteer Spotlight: Nadirshah Jivani

Nadirshah Jivani, Regional Chair of the AKF USA Volunteer Team for North Texas Region, recently visited the flood-affected areas of Pakistan where the Aga Khan Foundation has been involved in reconstruction efforts. Nadirshah saw first-hand how the floods left many regions in utter ruin.  During his trip he witnessed the impact that contributions from the U.S. individuals and donor agencies have made in responding to Pakistan's worst flooding of the century.

He recalls, "I observed with admiration how the Internally Displaced People and the local leaders worked together to face this calamity with humility and patience -- from the women carpenters building shelters to the leadership planning the short- and long-term strategy to provide relief, rebuild, and resettle affected communities.  There was not a single soul asking 'WHY ME?'  Rather every person accepted this tragedy with a commitment to come out stronger and build a more resilient community."

Back from Pakistan, and ready to spark further change globally, Nadirshah will once again, along with many other committed volunteers, be leading the North Texas Region through the 2011 PartnershipsInAction events.