Selina and her commitment to the environment with the Eco Clubs
Selina is a coordinator of the Ecological Clubs network, the groups born in the province of Esmeraldas to protect the environment, and that AMU supports through the Sunrise+ project. She is a small woman who hides great strength and an equally great enthusiasm for her commitment alongside the young people, the living soul of the Clubs: ” I am happy to share this experience with people who, like me, care about the environment and sustainability. There are many activities that we carry out together: reforestation, reclamation, reforestation, cleaning the estuary and the mangrove swamps”.
First signs of change in mangrove forests
But something is changing also thanks to the awareness-raising action that Selina herself and the new generations of kids who are more attentive to the environment are carrying out: ” We’ve found less waste lately and we’ve noticed entire areas of mangrove forests completely cleaned up. This is really a positive thing.”
La minga: a collective work with indigenous roots
When she talks about these meetings to clean the environment, Selina uses a beautiful word that has no translation in Italian: minga . What is it? It is used to indicate a collective work that has both a social purpose and an aspect of reciprocity . It is a term that originates from the language of the indigenous communities of the Ecuadorian Amazon. So, every time Selina and the young people of the Ecological Clubs get together to put into practice concrete actions to protect the environment, here in the province of Esmeraldas where they live, they do something that is part of the tradition of their communities. This acting together and this touching the results with your own hands are a huge push to move forward:
“It is a satisfaction to see the positive impact that our actions are having in this territory. And we are increasingly motivated to move forward. Our efforts count, indeed every little effort counts!”.
The Value of Teamwork in Eco Clubs
The positive impact is not only a question of results achieved, but also a question of method and path : “Teamwork allows us to connect with each other, to share ideas, to promote concepts such as responsibility and solidarity. All of this enriches our social life.”
Sustainability is the key to change
These are all pieces that Selina has the ability to insert into a bigger picture: “Sustainability and good ecological practices improve the quality of our lives and can change the perspectives of our common living.. Intanto, però, sono cambiata io come persona, ho sviluppato una maggiore empatia verso il nostro pianeta e i suo abitanti”.
