Activities
A selection of further projects supported by our foundation
The Foundation for the Third Millennium supports projects meeting the sustainability criterion of social justice, economic stability and ecological responsibility.
Acker Schweiz
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: For a generation that knows what it is eating (*).
Acker Schweiz is committed to more appreciation for nature and food. AckerRacker (*) and GemüseAckerdemie (*) are educational programs for daycare centers, kindergartens and schools that are integrated into regular lessons. They contribute to a contemporary education that strengthens the environmental competence, sustainability awareness and healthy nutrition of children. Since Acker Schweiz was founded in 2017, over 8,500 children have already grown their own vegetables. (*) Website in German.
Fauna & Flora
UK
SDM-supported project: Strengthening the sustainability and resilience of rural livelihoods and ecosystems in Nicaragua’s biodiversity-rich agricultural landscapes.
Fauna & Flora is a nature conservation charity protecting the diversity of life on Earth, for the survival of species and habitats, the planet and people. In the project phase 2021-2024 a successful model of integrated land management and community-led forest stewardship was delivered by Fauna & Flora in Nicaragua’s Ometepe Island Biosphere Reserve.
Trash Hero World
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Global expansion of offices.
Trash Hero World is a volunteer movement that creates change in communities around the world, motivating and supporting them to collect and reduce waste. The top priority is waste prevention, for example at local festivals and events, as well as improved waste separation and disposal and the reduction of plastic consumption. By the end of 2023, Trash Hero has offices in 3 countries (Indonesia, Thailand, Myanmar) and 100 chapters in 13 countries.
Fastenaktion
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Reforestation and agroecological small-scale farming (*) protects against hurricanes and droughts in Désarmes, Haiti.
Fastenaktion (*) successfully relies on reforestation, training and solidarity groups to break the vicious circle of impoverishment and overexploitation of the environment. In 2021/2022, new community tree nurseries and compost heaps were set up, farmers were trained in agroecological methods, savings and credit groups were supported and gender equality was further promoted. (*) Website in German, French and Italian.
Oceana
Europe
SDM-supported project: Building Effectiveness of the MPA Network in Europe.
Oceana Europe calls for strong EU leadership concerning marine biodiversity conservation. In the project phase 2020-2022, Oceana’s work focused on the following areas: 1) Protection of biodiversity hotspots and closures to protect sensitive habitats or species, 2) Protection of sensitive marine habitats and 3) Increase the effectiveness and proper implementation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Europe.
Right To Play
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Tusobola – Improving Quality Education through Sport and Play in Uganda.
Right To Play aims to improve equitable quality education and social outcomes among children and youth in Kampala. In the project phase 2020-2022 Right To Play successfully trained 58 teachers and 40 coaches in its Play-Based Learning methodology, environmental protection, child safeguarding, Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), and Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM). In each of the project schools, Communities of Practice were established providing a supportive space for teachers to share learnings and challenges.
Swisscontact
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Markets for Recycling – Waste Management in the Transportation Sector, Bolivia.
Swisscontact addresses the problems of waste management in the transport sector and plastics with a market system approach: 1) creation and implementation of regulations, 2) awareness raising and collection of hazardous waste and 3) business development of environmentally friendly companies. In the 2019-2022 project phase, a national guideline for the management of special waste was drawn up, almost 5,000 companies and 2.4 million people were made aware of how to deal with hazardous waste and around 10,000 tons of CO2 were saved by collecting and recycling scrap, batteries and used tires.
WWF
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Fish protection on the Mekong (*) – a benefit for people and biodiversity, Laos and Thailand.
WWF Switzerland (*) wants to strengthen the freshwater biodiversity of the Middle Mekong. Together with the local population and the authorities, sustainable structures are being created to define, monitor and operate the fish protection zones on a permanent basis. This project scales up the fish protection activities on the Mekong that WWF Switzerland has been supporting since 2016. By February 2023, 58 fish protection zones had been created on the Mekong, spread over a length of 405 km. (*) Website in German, French and Italian.
Helvetas
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Irrigation Water Integrity Project (IWIP), Kyrgyzstan.
Helvetas supported an initiative of water committees, farmers, municipal authorities, and water experts from the south of Kyrgyzstan, who worked together for a sustainable irrigation system. The initiative was successful, and today a new law is in place that allows water committees and municipal authorities to jointly take care of the maintenance and operation of canals and sluices.
Foundation Help for Self-Help in Tobé/Benin
Switzerland – Benin
SDM-supported project: Support the conservation of community forests (*) in the Middle and North of Benin, West Africa.
The Foundation Help for Self-Help in Tobé/Benin (*) pursued the main goal of protecting and sustainably managing seven community forests in this project (2019-2022). Local communities and school children were sensitized to the values of their forests so that they adopt a more environmentally friendly attitude. Finally, the project developed alternative income-generating activities (beekeeping and poultry farming) to reduce pressure on forest resources. (*): Website in German and French.
PUSCH
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: «Biodiversity in the natural space of schools» (*).
PUSCH (*) supported elementary schools in the ecological upgrading of their grounds as part of its program «Biodiv im Naturraum Schule» (Biodiversity in the natural space of schools). Practical action modules, creative teaching materials, a research kit, factsheets for green space maintenance and further training courses were developed and encourage and support teachers and janitors to become active for biodiversity and to sensitize school children for the conservation of habitats and biodiversity. After the end of this program, PUSCH continues to support schools that wish for more biodiversity around the school building. (*): Website in German and French.
SILVIVA
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Teaching outdoors (*).
SILVIVA (*) strives to ensure that as many children as possible benefit from nature as a learning and development space and thus from the many benefits it offers for holistic learning. Teachers are supported with different methods to be able to shape their lessons outdoors according to the curriculum (Lehrplan 21): via a practical handbook, courses, events and consulting with a variety of ideas, arguments and tools. (*): Website in German, French, and Italian.
SWISSAID
Switzerland
SDM-supported project: Food security for smallholder families through the promotion of seeds adapted to local and climatic conditions, Nicaragua.
SWISSAID has improved the nutritional situation of around 1’300 smallholder families from 37 village communities in Nicaragua by introducing agro-ecological farming methods and developing and disseminating local high-quality seeds (beans, corn, sorghum) adapted to the climatic conditions. The transfer of knowledge from farmer to farmer was carried out according to the maxim «learn from the experiences of others and from each other».