Apply now to join the second round of FLEAT

Dear friends,

The Southern African Faith Community Environment Institute (SAFCEI) believes that people of faith have a moral imperative to speak against the socio-ecological injustices that face Africa’s peoples and our surrounding environment.

In witnessing for the earth, SAFCEI believes that faith leadership at local level can share our local experiences, network with each other, and learn from each other how best to advocate for the change we want to see.

SAFCEI is an institute that works with all faiths on issues of environmental justice across the southern African region.  SAFCEI is coordinating a faith leadership advocacy programme that provides a platform for common action across the region. (See http://safcei.org/what-we-do/fleat/ for more information about the previous FLEAT.)

For SAFCEI, advocacy involves:

• Local actions at faith community level that demonstrate a way of living that restores rather than destroys nature and human community.
• Sharing stories of hope with other faith communities to inspire them to take similar actions and share their stories.
• Challenging government by reminding them to act from principles and values that protect earth’s living systems including human society, as well as encouraging governments to overcome their fear of change and to support progressive earth stewardship policies.

SAFCEI is calling for applications from people of faith and particularly those in a position of leadership, who want to be involved in environmental advocacy.  If you have time to dedicate to advocacy work and a passion for addressing environmental injustice, please complete the application form and your letter of motivation, and send it to SAFCEI, together with a letter of support from your faith leader.

Please note that SAFCEI has limited funds for the training of successful participants.  This funding will cover travel, food and course materials for successful applicants.

The initial meeting of the second chapter of Faith Leaders’ Environment Advocacy Training (FLEAT) will take place on July 24th - 28th.  Location will be confirmed in due course.

This will be an intense 3 day process of sharing and designing an advocacy training programme collectively, with input from various advocacy specialists.  Issues of water, land, biodiversity, food security and energy (including the impacts of climate change) will be on the agenda.  Practical action will be part of the programme. Refer to the video to see what you can expect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSTjgw9vouQ

Participants are expected to take experiences from the workshops and apply them in their faith communities between training sessions.  Participants are expected to commit to working together on advocacy actions both in their own countries and in the SADC region.  If you are selected you will be expected to attend regular meetings of the group (expenses will be covered).

If you would like to apply, please contact Zainab Adams at the SAFCEI head office (zainab@safcei.org.za) for an application form. Closing dates for applications is 12 June 2017.

Yours sincerely

Liz McDaid

SAFCEI’s Ethical Governance Coordinator