Futureshape? Eco Challenge Fund projects

BMS World Mission has been carbon offsetting the travel undertaken by its staff worldwide. This resulted in a sum of the order of £10,000 last year becoming available to invest in projects that improve the environment and reduce the emission of carbon dioxide.

The entire offset fund has been invested in mission projects, with half being given to Climate Stewards with its partner A Rocha to plant trees in a variety of countries across the world. Each project needs to meet the exacting standards of the Climate Community Biodiversity Alliance to ensure it benefits the local community and protects wildlife as well as absorbing carbon dioxide.

The other half has been invested in a grassroots Eco Challenge Fund project fund from which BMS workers can apply for projects in the countries where they work.

Four projects have already made successful bids for funding. These are for:

Eco-ovens (ecofogóns) in Peru.

Tree-planting in Chad.

An environmental children's project in Brazil.

Creation care material for deprived pre-school children across Latin America.