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  • initiatives-for-sustainabilit

    WORLD UNITE! INITIATIVES FOR SUSTAINABILITY

We at World Unite! want to be at the forefront of running our programs in an environmentally and socially sustainable way. In continuation you can see a list of initiatives we have implemented to make our operations more sustainable. When feasible, we want to go beyond mere "sustainability" (meaning "to sustain" the current situation) and actually improve a situation, aiming for a "regenerative" approach.

Aquaponics

Meals

  • Our Mother Nature Camps in Zanzibar, Tanzania and Japan include meals served to our participants. Our meal plans are 80% vegetarian. If we reduce the amount of meat and fish served, we address issues such as industrial livestock keeping and overfishing.

  • 80% of the fish/seafood provided must be fish from sustainable fishing or fish farming. 80% of the meat used must be from small-scale organic local farms.

  • At our Mother Nature camp at Kilimanjaro and in Matemwe/Zanzibar, we have aquaponics systems where we grow fruits and vegetable and farm fish.

  • 30% of all fruits and vegetables used for client meals in Zanzibar are sourced from permaculture and aquaponics farming, including at our own garden and all other fruits and vegetables must be from small scale local farmers. At our own garden, we use permaculture design principles and organic fertilizers and pesticides only.

  • All meals provided are served in self-service buffet style rather than pre-portioned. This reduces food waste and food packaging waste.

  • On our website, in the preparation materials and on-site we inform our participants about critical issues related to food.

Ressources

Ressources

  • Our camp in Matemwe/Zanzibar is optimized for water management, including rainwater harvesting, greywater filtering and use of blackwater in an evapotranspiration toilet system. At some of our other accommodation we have installed water-saving faucets and shower-heads.

  • All Mother Nature Camps make use of solar water heaters.

  • Lots of the lighting at our Mother Nature Camps and at the Tokyo sharehouse make use of infrared sensors or time switches to provide a good balance of safety to our participants and saving electricity. We exclusively use energy-efficient LED illumination at all accommodation and offices.

  • At our Mother Nature camp in Matemwe/Zanzibar we use a parabolic solar cooker and a heat-retaining cooking bag for the preparation of meals and also demonstrate these low-cost, yet efficient technologies to our program participants. Energy-efficient cooking is a main topic of activities at our climate change camp at Kilimanjaro.

  • Where feasible, we have improved insulation at existing buildings to reduce the amount of energy needed for cooling and heating.

  • We try to optimize, do regular awareness training and control the use of vehicles by staff to reduce unnecessary use of cars. We also very cheaply rent bicycles to our program participants at many program locations, whereby the rental cost only covers our cost to maintain the bikes. At Kilimanjaro we have started growing jatropha bushes in 2022 and we have the plan to make our own bio-diesel to operate our cars when the bushes are productive.

Recycling

Waste

  • We inform on-site and in the preparation documents about the 5 R's to reduce waste (Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle) and we regularly host informative online sessions for all program participants about Ocean Pollution.

  • In all client accommodation we have installed appropriate systems and information about the separation of waste materials.

  • In Zanzibar, where there is no effective public waste separation and recycling system, we have partnerships with private-sector recycling and upcycling companies and initiatives to make maximum use of available recycling options.

  • At all Mother Nature camps we compost all organic waste.

  • At our sharehouse in Tokyo, we have started cooperation with an urban composting organization to compost the organic food waste of the sharehouse residents, and with a "circular action" organization rescuing materials that are still in a good condition (e.g., clothes, toys, household items, furniture) from being thrown away.

  • At all accommodation and offices, we use eco-friendly cleaning products. We avoid any strong chemicals and single-use products.

  • At all Mother Nature camps we provide biodegradable shower gel/shampoo and discourage clients to bring their own non-biodegradable shower gels/shampoos. We also discourage them to bring any materials that would end up as waste in countries where there are no proper recycling systems in place, such as batteries (or at least to take them back home again).

  • All meals provided are served in self-service buffet style rather than pre-portioned. This reduces food waste and food packaging waste. In Japan it was particularly challenging to convince caterers not to provide food in single use portion-sized plastic packaging and we only work with those who were able to adapt to our concept. On excursions with volunteers, single-use food packaging and transportation materials are completely banned from our operations at all countries. We provide reusable, unbreakable metal plates, cutlery and cups.

  • At all Mother Nature Camps and at our Tokyo sharehouse we have installed drinking water fountains that filter and cool and/or heat tap water to reduce the purchase of single-use PET bottles by our program participants.

  • At all accommodation we prefer to make use of natural, upcycled or recycled materials for all newly purchased construction materials, furniture and decoration where feasible. Whenever objects break, we aim to repair them rather than replace them, where possible.

  • Where economically feasibly, we try to rent materials rather than purchase them.

  • We work almost completely paperless. All program information, rental agreements, other agreements provided to clients are provided digitally only. Instead of brochures and other printed materials for promotion, we use QR codes linking to the respective online information.

climate

Climate

  • We plant 10 indigenous trees on slopes of Kilimanjaro for every participant joining our worldwide travel programs to compensate for the CO2 emission of long-distance flights. We try to minimize flights of our team members and if they have to fly, we also plant the trees for their flights. As the CO2 of the flights is emitted now and it takes years for the trees to be most productive in the absorption of it, we have additionally started planting bamboo in Japan, Zanzibar and Tanzania. For this we have acquired plots of land in Moshi/Kilimanjaro and in Kisauni/Zanzibar, where we plant bamboo together with our Mother Nature volunteers. Bamboo occurs naturally at all three project locations. Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants. A complete bamboo forest can grow within 3 years and bamboo is very effective at absorbing CO2: One hectare of bamboo forest can absorb around 17 tons of CO2 per year. In order to avoid mono-culture and ensure biodiversity, a permaculture specialist is involved in the project.

  • In workshops we teach the diverse uses of bamboo as a sustainable material that can replace plastic or wood in many areas of application. In Zanzibar and Tanzania, wood is mostly not sourced sustainably (cutting wood contributes to deforestation of mangroves and rain forest).

  • To improve the inner city micro-climate and provide inner city biodiversity, at our sharehouse and office building in Tokyo we have added elements of vertical gardening and rooftop gardening.

regenerative action

Regenerative Action

  • In Zanzibar, we have transformed a less fertile sand dune into a green oasis using permaculture techniques. We host a colony of stingless bees and provide shelter for solitary bees. Additionally, we educate the local population about the importance of these bees for pollination.

  • On Sado Island in Japan, we are transforming an abandoned rice field into a habitat for pollinating insects. To achieve this, we improve the soil after decades of use as a monoculture, sow and plant native wildflowers, create shelters for ground and wood-nesting insects, and operate an insect watering feature.

  • The regular cleanups of beaches and villages that we conduct with our volunteers, removing large amounts of plastic waste and fishing debris such as nets and ropes, benefit many beings, including sea turtles, birds, fish, seals, and humans.

  • Alone and in collaboration with partners, we, along with our volunteers, plant corals at damaged reefs and mangroves in the southern mangrove zone of Zanzibar. At Kilimanjaro, our volunteers replant deforested rainforests with native trees.

  • On Sado Island in Japan, we treat raccoon dogs suffering from mange by placing medicated meatballs.

  • We green the rooftop terrace and facades of our sharehouse in Tokyo to improve the microclimate and support pollinators in the urban environment. Here too, we install shelters for solitary bees.

team members

People (1) - Team members

  • At the less developed countries where we have our own teams, we employ at least 20% of staff from disadvantaged backgrounds, train and empower them. All employees have social security benefits and healthy working conditions.

  • At less developed countries, we offer at least 2 annual free or low-cost external adult education programs for staff. We also send at least 2 staff members from less developed countries per year for a  secondment to more developed countries.

  • In the less developed countries, we provide interest-free loans to staff.

  • Whenever possible, we offer flexibility of work place and working hours, including remote work. We offer flexible work options if employees decide to do further education and for maternity leave and childcare of employees.

local stakeholders

People (2) - Local stakeholders

  • We include all local partners financially in the programs and leave it up to them how to spend the money. In addition to our contributions and payments for services provided by those partners (e.g. for internship supervision), we regularly receive donations, for instance, from volunteers or people who find us on the internet. We forward such donations completely (100%) to the projects and also provide further assistance with local logistics and follow-up for transparency.

  • We would NEVER work with projects and local partners that use "misery" as a "business model." For instance, there are children's homes where the children continue to wear miserable clothes, have very few toys, and the facilities look very poor because "pity" is used to attract volunteers and donations that are then not invested in the project. Would the visible conditions at such organizations improve (which must be our goal!!), it would stop the constant flow of money into the project. (This is a general problem of "development aid." The "development industry" would make itself redundant if considerable improvement resulted from their work). Similar undesireable business concepts exist with projects that keep wildlife in captivity.

  • When you book with World Unite!, you can make sure that you will NEVER end up in such a program. We thoroughly screen any projects, and if in doubt, we prefer not to work with them. After all, we are "locals" as we have our own teams on-site that are in daily interaction with our local partners and volunteers, so they are at the source of feedback.

  • Please read in our magazine ("Read More" from the main menu) various awareness-raising texts about critical issues related to programs abroad.

  • When selecting local projects, we make sure that foreign volunteers and interns don't replace local employment.

  • We also do not offer any internship, volunteering, and job placements with companies or organizations that are involved in non-sustainable business activities, e.g., industrial farming or non-sustainable fishing practices. All providers of jobs, internships, and volunteering placements that we work with must show commitment to sustainable development goals. We preferably arrange internships, jobs, and volunteering positions with companies and organizations that are explicitly at the forefront of implementing sustainable business practices and technical innovation supporting sustainability.

  • We cooperate with charitable projects that advocate for the SDGs with innovative and creative initiatives, such as "Pack for a Purpose" and "Labdoo."

  • When buying supplies such as staff uniforms, participants' welcome packs, and other materials, as the preferred option, we purchase from local non-profit projects that support women's empowerment, the physically and mentally impaired, and other disadvantaged members of society.

  • We regularly offer talented and motivated applicants from countries with lower income educational experiences through the participation in our programs,  exempting them from program fees, covering travel expenses, and/or visa sponsorship.

Abdallah Sekievu, Sustainable Development student

I am immensely grateful to World Unite! for enabling me to undertake a profound internship journey in my home country, Tanzania. Returning from Taiwan to engage in practical experiences within my local community was both a heartfelt reunion and an enlightening learning expedition.

Abdallah Sekievu, student from Tanzania, studying "Sustainable Development" in Taiwan

Satoru Homma, Sado City Hall

As a government official,  I am sincerely grateful to World Unite! Japan for the involvement in activities contributing to the improvement of water quality in rivers and the sea. Furthermore, your participation in the Ogi Administrative Service Center's organized intergenerational exchange events, has provided opportunities for cultural exchange between international program participants and local residents. Ogi has prospered as a port town since ancient times, embracing people, goods, and cultures from various regions. I look forward to the continued activities of World Unite Japan connecting Ogi, Sado City, and the world.

Satoru Homma, Ogi Administrative Service Center, Sado City Hall, Japan

program participants

People (3) - Program Participants

When it comes to volunteer travel, we have to go one step further than just thinking about "sustainability". The aim should be to achieve more than just to "sustain" the status quo, but to actually improve the situation for everyone involved. Volunteers play an active part in this, and therefore the qualification of volunteers is essential to the success of the programs.

We try to improve the qualification of volunteers in various ways:

  • The "right attitude" - It is necessary to adjust the way of thinking that an ‘expert’ from the developed world provides their ‘knowledge’ to someone “in need of help” or who is “inferior” in a less developed country. Being a volunteer should be seen as an equal exchange, and the foreign volunteers, through their placement, can learn just as much, if not more, as they can offer. We try to make this attitude clear to our participants. We provide sensitization about post-colonial ways of thinking to all of our program participants and team members.

  • Another important topic is intercultural skills. Few providers put so much effort into intercultural preparation as World Unite!. In our participant's log-in area, you will find comprehensive preparation materials and videos specifically made for you and for your host country.

  • Further aspects that we try to qualify our participants in include responsible behavior when dealing with vulnerable children and children's rights.

  • We also inform our participants about sustainable travel on this website, in our travel preparation, and on-site.

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