FLEAT
The FLEAT 1 group at a training on water scarcity in southern Africa, in Harare, Zimbabwe, 2015.
As a multi-faith environmental organisation that believes caring for the community of life on Earth is our shared responsibility, we have designed a faith leader training programme (FLEAT) to respond to the stresses that communities are facing. The FLEAT programme includes training, learning, and follow-up with faith leaders who are selected for their interest and desire to develop an eco-faith approach with their faith communities. The programme strives to enhance the capacity of faith leaders to engage with their communities in responding to difficult situations brought about by environmental degradation and climate change, and to develop advocacy tools for eco-justice. In Southern Africa — a region affected by a dramatically variable climate — problems associated with resource availability are being exacerbated by climate change, and the poor and vulnerable are hit hardest. Communities are compelled to embrace new ideas and ways of living in order to cope with new extreme weather and its consequences. We found that when different faiths come together to address common challenges, they are able, through interaction and partnerships, to work effectively towards co-creating greater climate resilience.
The FLEAT 2 group at their introductory training in Johannesburg, South Africa, 2017.
Leaders of faith have a special platform from which to speak out against socio-ecological and socio-economic injustices, particularly those facing Africa. Through advocacy training, FLEAT aims to build a network of change agents of faith across Southern Africa who are positioned to effect positive changes in their communities. The FLEAT programme cultivates a space of mutual respect, where different ways of doing things are understood to be opportunities for learning. SAFCEI has trained 79 faith leaders from different faith groups that include Muslim, Christian (Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Anglican and Catholic), and Quaker, and the represented countries are Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Angola, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda and Mozambique
Leaders of faith are engaged in the following:
FLEAT highlights
- Zambia: 150 community members trained in organic farming.
- Zimbabwe: Environment day held in 5 schools with 180 multi-faith learners, resulting in the formation of environmental clubs, tree planting, and energy and water saving at schools.
- Kenya: 70 people involved in a coastal clean-up for World Wildlife Day; FLEAT members ran a schools programme of talks on protecting the environment; CYNESA organised a Green Room at a UN Conference in Kenya.
- Tanzania: 40 additional faith leaders were educated on climate change, and 1,200 congregants, including climate change projects with a Maasai community and workshops for youth on climate change and poverty.
- Malawi: FLEAT faith leaders planted 132,000 trees through a joint Christian and Muslim initiative with congregations in Jali District.
Stories from faith leaders in action
Apply to join our first Tanzania Faith Leader Environmental Advocacy Training (FLEAT), 25-27 October 2022
SAFCEI will be hosting our first Faith Leader Environmental Advocacy Training (FLEAT) for Tanzania from 25 to 27 October 2022 and is inviting applications now. We are seeking applications from people of faith that live in Tanzania, particularly those in leadership in...
FLEAT Namibia youth from the Hai//omSann indigenous community take action to promote Earthkeeping in the city of Tsumeb
Enrico Aseb and Nicolaas Augumeb are two young leaders representing the Hai//omSann community from the city of Tsumeb in the northern parts of Namibia. They are both part of the FLEAT Namibia group that came together in Windhoek in November 2021. After developing...
Plant a tree to save the world
Vincent Manyika from FLEAT Zambia and African Youth Global Network Director sent us this inspiring video and message. "We have grown from one level of Glory to another. We have even started a tree nursery project in our community after undergoing a series for climate...
Drive towards a solar – hydrogen renewable economy
By Dr Waheed Saban, Cape Town FLEAT member and HOD of Environmental Desk, Muslim Judicial Council (MJC) Renewable energy is a flow of energy that is not consumed when utilized. There are many forms such as wind, hydroelectric, biomass, solar, tidal waves, geothermal...
FLEAT Malawi 2022
After two sessions on Zoom in 2021, SAFCEI hosted an in-person Faith Leaders Environmental Advocacy Training (FLEAT) workshop in Malawi during 29-31 March 2022. FLEAT Malawi was attended by seventeen faith leaders who were made up of five female participants and...
Regional Women’s FLEAT blog reflections
Blog by Elizabeth Charley Attending the Regional Women's FLEAT (Faith Leader Environmental Advocacy Training) workshop from 22 to 24 February 2022, I have been granted a golden opportunity to visualize the broad spectrum of what exactly an Environmental advocate...
fleat Member pROFILES
FLEAT: Web of Life workshop in Zimbabwe
On 6 May Evans Ndadzungira, Zimbabwe Youth Biodiversity Network (ZYBN) School Outreach Officer and FLEAT Zimbabwe participant and Knowledge Vingi (ZYBN Programs Coordinator) was invited by Arundel School to conduct the exciting Web of Life workshop. The program is...
FLEAT: Earth Day 2021
Happy Earth Day to our Earth Keepers! Today (April 22) is Earth Day, an international event celebrated around the world to pledge support for environmental protection. The year 2021 marks the 51st anniversary of the annual celebrations. This year's theme...
FLEAT: Clean-up campaign at Area 25, Nsungwi Market, Lilongwe
“The President of the Republic of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera set an initiative that every Friday (the second week of each month) we should be having cleaning exercises in our communities. Malawi Creation Care Network, Scotland Partnership & National Youth Conference...
FLEAT: Nyorowai Mutsago represents the Zimbabwe Council of Churches at the Alternative Mining Indaba
On Tuesday, 9 February 2021, our FLEAT 2 member Ms Nyorowai Mutsago in Zimbabwe represented the Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) at the Alternative Mining Indaba (AMI) on the topic of Debt, extractives and inequality. Nyorowai’s presentation reads: “One of ZCC’ work...
FLEAT: David Munene to moderate a Brahma Kumaris Interfaith panel
SAFCEI Board and FLEAT member, David Munene will be moderating the Brahma Kumaris Interfaith panel on Inner awareness and commitment for restoring nature on Saturday 6th February 2021 at 1100 GMT +3. This program dedicated to UNE5.1 - UN Environment Assembly 2021....
FLEAT: Dominic Amon Nyasulu to deliver a keynote address at The Road to COP26 online meeting
FLEAT regional group 2 member, Dominic Amon Nyasulu, will be delivering a keynote address at The Road to COP26 online meeting. Nyasulu highlights this meeting as An opportunity for young people in Malawi to share their ideas and input on NDCs, NAP and Malawi...
FLEAT MEMBERS FACEBOOK GROUP
We invite our FLEAT (Faith Leaders Environment Advocacy Training) Members to join our Facebook Group.
