From polluted wetland to botanical garden in Cape Town
This week the brand new South-African website ‘EMG’s Untold Stories’ was launched. On the website, author Leonie Joubert gives a voice to different people who work to improve their environment, together with the South African organization ‘Environmental Monitoring Group’ (EMG). Each of the four stories collected by Joubert focuses on a different aspect of the work EMG does to ensure that South African natural resources are managed in a sustainable and equitable way. The online book has been published as part of the Both ENDS’s project ‘An Untold Story’, which gives human rights and environmental organisations from four different corners of the world a chance to tell their story about the impact the global economy has on their local environment.
Township Makhaza
The first story on the website, ‘Makhaza: This is my Kirstenbosch’, is about a wetland littered with garbage on the edge of a township in Cape Town. The neighbourhood of Makhaza used to be a hotbed for criminality, where people lived in the economic margins of South-African society. Back then, Makhaza was a place where domestic violence was a day-to-day affair and criminals occasionally dumped bodies into the swamp.
The story starts with a small-scale initiative of a group of women against street- and domestic violence. After a successful campaign, which significantly reduced the violence, the same group decided to tackle the pollution problem in Makhaza. With the help of Both ENDS’ partner EMG, they succeeded in cleaning up most of the polluted wetland. Although the water is still too polluted to be used for irrigation purposes, the inhabitants of Makhaza have a reason to be proud of their neighbourhood again.
An untold story
On behalf of Both ENDS, Masja Helmer is closely involved with ‘an Untold Story’. “A story like the one from township Makhaza shows that small-scale initiatives can truly make a difference in the lives of people from poor communities. In general, such grass roots groups do not need large amounts of money to do their work.” Both ENDS has had a long working relationship with the four organisations from Central Asia, Southeast Asia, South-Africa and Brazil that participate in the Untold Story-project. These organisations are so-called ‘small grants funds’ that raise funds from major donors and funders in order to divide these sums among smaller organisations and grass-roots groups. This is how they ensure that the money reaches the people and local groups that need it most.
“But of course, in order to attract funds and donors themselves, these ‘small grant funds’ must be able to show the actual results of the work they support. Our project ‘an Untold Story’, which has been realised with a gift from the Dutch ‘National Postal code Lottery’ (NPL), enables these four organisations to train themselves to effectively communicate the stories of the groups they support to the outside world. EMG’s website shows the results! I sincerely hope that these wonderful stories help the organisation raise the funds they need to continue their great work in South-Africa.”
The brand new ‘Untold Stories’ from South Africa can be found here.
All stories are told in a different way. In addition to the story about Makhaza, you can read a comic strip about fictional farmer Kobus February, while another story is told through blog posts.
You can also read the ‘Untold Stories’ from Russia and Brazil on our website:
Read more about this subject
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Blog / 15 April 2024
The year of truth: EU Member States urged to combat deforestation
The EU is the world's largest "importer of deforestation," due to the huge volumes of unsustainably produced soy, timber, palm oil, and other raw materials that EU member states import. After many years of delay, the European Parliament and the European Council passed a law in December 2023 to address this problem: The EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). Both ENDS is part of a broad coalition of organizations that have been pushing for this European legislation. However, there is now a serious delay, and perhaps even postponement, of the law's implementation. Objections have been raised by a number of member states, who are sensitive to lobbying by certain business sectors and producer countries.
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News / 4 April 2024
EU ECA fossil fuel phase-out tracker reveals EU Member States’ lagging commitment to Paris Agreement goals in export credit policies
Our new report titled EU ECA fossil fuel phase-out tracker by Both ENDS, Counter Balance and Oil Change International sheds light on the concerning lack of harmony between EU Member States' export credit climate policies.
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Blog / 4 April 2024
If we women don't speak up, no one will speak for us
By Maaike Hendriks and Tamara MohrThis February women environmental defenders from around the world met each other in Indonesia. All these defenders face structural violence. GAGGA, the Global Alliance for Green and Gender Action, supports these women. This meeting in Indonesia provided a unique space for women, trans-, intersex and non-binary people who are often the subject of conversation but rarely have the opportunity to engage with each other and meet other defenders from around the world. For they are all amazingly knowledgeable, strong and resilient women whom we should take seriously.
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News / 2 April 2024
The Climate lawsuit against Shell
Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) and 6 other organisations are confidently heading into Shell’s appeal of the 2021 climate ruling, which will take place on April 2nd in The Hague. In the landmark lawsuit against the oil and gas company, the court decided that Shell must slash its CO2 emissions by 45%, in line with international climate agreements.
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News / 29 March 2024
Both ENDS visit Tweede Kamer to talk about destructiveness of dredging worldwide
This week several Both ENDS colleagues visit Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal to meet Christine Teunissen and Luc Stultiens with partners from Mozambique, Indonesia and the Filippines to talk about the destructiveness of dredging worldwide and especially in projects with the aid of the Dutch government.
Read their plea
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News / 27 March 2024
Changing of the guard: Paul Engel and Leida Rijnhout on the unique strength of Both ENDS
After eight years as chair of the Both ENDS Board, Paul Engel is now passing on the baton to Leida Rijnhout. In thus double interview, we look back and forwards with the outgoing and incoming chairs. Paul Engel sets the ball rolling on an enthusiastic note: “This organization decides itself what it is going to do, and does it very well. As the Board, we help and use our networks to provide support”. A conversation about taking the lead in systemic change and working with others around the world.
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Press release / 25 March 2024
Dredging destruction; worldwide research into Dutch dredgers
Dredging Destruction: Report reveals how Dutch dredging companies are systematically destroying human lives and the environment around the world with the help of taxpayers’ money
The Netherlands is providing billions of euros in support for dredging projects by Boskalis and Van Oord around the world. All of these projects are destroying human lives and the environment. The Dutch government’s policy to protect people and planet is failing systemically. And after twelve years of studies and talking, there are no real improvements. It is time for a thorough clean-up of government support for the dredging sector.
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Publication / 25 March 2024
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News / 19 March 2024
Both ENDS - Remarkably Special
At Both ENDS, we hold our own responsibility, self-direction, an open feedback culture, and personal development in high regard. Chaos, you might think? Not at all, it leads to an effective way of working with much enjoyment. The flat organizational structure that Both ENDS has been implementing since 2016 is founded on collectivity. In this, you can also see our aim of 'Connecting people for change' reflected.
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News / 12 March 2024
Equality as a key for international trade
Trade has been in the global spotlight once again in recent times. Recently, ministers from around the world gathered in Abu Dhabi at the WTO for negotiations on world trade in the coming years. However, participants from civil society were silenced. Never before has their freedom been so severely restricted at the WTO. In a time when geopolitical tensions are escalating by the day, it is crucial to prioritize equality in international trade. -
Event / 12 March 2024
From Policy To Practice: Funding Locally-led Gender-Just Climate Action
A discussion on the intersection of climate and gender justice - specifically on financing mechanisms for gender-just climate solutions!
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News / 6 March 2024
Inspire inclusion at Women's day!
Happy Women's Day!
Friday March 8th we celebrate a gender equal world; free of stereotypes, bias, and discrimination. Around the world women are powers of change. We proudly present you; the voices of the next generation of environmental leaders of the JWH initiative. All our grantees are driving change in the environmental sector and have a strong say about the inclusive world.
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News / 6 March 2024
Export Credit Agencies and development finance in the EU
We are seeing increased interest in the EU for blending different development financial instruments with export credits, even though export credits are not fit for this purpose. The European Commission is developing plans for using so-called export credits for financing everything from raw materials, to development projects, to weapons. A new report of Counter Balance is shedding light on the significant environmental and social impacts of projects financed by ECAs.
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Press release / 4 March 2024
Dutch government calls for investigation into Malaysian timber certification
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Blog / 27 February 2024
Partners fighting for rights within natural resource exploration in Uganda
A recent visit to Uganda highlighted the country as the latest example of ethical, environmental and human rights dilemmas brought forth by natural resource exploration.
Under the guise of economic prosperity and energy security, the future of Uganda’s forests, lakes, national parks, and by extension that of the people that depend on these resources, is increasingly endangered. Both ENDS partners in Uganda work with local communities to preserve these natural environments and the livelihoods that come from it.
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Blog / 26 February 2024
Brumadinho: 5 years without justice
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Blog / 26 February 2024
Exploring sustainable farming practices with partners in Indonesia
From land regeneration to improving soil health – trees play a crucial role in almost all our ecosystems. Agroforestry makes use of these benefits by combining agriculture and forestry. Agroforestry, and the reforestation and conservation efforts that are part of it, improves biodiversity and climate resilience, as well as the livelihoods of the farming communities involved.
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Blog / 26 February 2024
Impacts of the fossil fuel sector in Guanabara Bay
Last September, together with our Brazilian partner FASE, Marius Troost of Both ENDS visited Guanabara Bay (near Rio de Janeiro) to map the impacts of the fossil fuel sector there. During the trip, he was struck by the braveness and fearlessness of the local fisherfolk who protest the injustices faced by the people who live around Guanabara Bay and about the damage done to the environment.
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News / 14 February 2024
Petition to protect the Saamaka people and the Amazon Forest
The Saamaka People, the Afro-descendant tribe of Suriname, have preserved close to 1.4 million hectares of the Amazon rainforest. They have for decades urged the government to recognise their ancestral territorial land rights.
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News / 8 February 2024
The litmus test for the devastating race track in Lombok
A race track for international motor bike events in Lombok continues to worry human rights experts around the world. Both ENDS and its partners are increasingly concerned about the project’s implications for ethical standards in global development financing going forward for it continues to hurt the most basic social and environmental safeguards.