OpenIDEO - How might we restore vibrancy in cities and regions facing economic decline? - Inspiration - Green Belt Movement

The Challenge

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How might we restore vibrancy in cities and regions facing economic decline?

Inspiration 894 inspirations

Concepting 329 concepts

Applause 329 final concepts

Refinement 20 final concepts

Evaluation 20 final concepts

Winning Concepts Announced!

Realisation Ongoing

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Mission #1

Explore Vibrancy

Share your definition of what vibrancy looks like where you live. Find out more...

Mission #2

Share Stories

Tell us about the cities and communities you know are currently struggling or in the process of revitalising.

Mission #3

Get Active

Take some time to get active and explore your own community – then report back what you learned. Find out more...

Mission #4

Collect Insights

Interview someone living in a struggling city or region to learn more. Find out more...

Mission #5

Surprise Us

Got an Inspiration that doesn't fit the other Missions? Find out more...

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Mission #2 Share Stories

Green Belt Movement - Wangari Maathai

Kenyan women empowering each other to plant trees and strengthen livelihoods

Mama Miti (image from Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books)

taking-root-the-vision-of-wangari-maathai

The late Professor Wangari Maathai, founder of The Green Belt Movement in Kenya's central highlands, mobilized women and communities to enrich their livelihoods through the simple act of tree planting.

For a quick primer, the children's book Mama Miti: Wangari Maathai and the Trees of Kenya beautifully shares the simplicity and poignancy of Professor Maathais' message to look to nature's abundance for health, nourishment, income generation, and resource conservation.

This simple message invites communities to look to inherent local resources, studying the natural history of the place and building or recalling traditions, skills, and delights to help define new opportunities and livelihoods.

Mission #2 Share Stories

Comments

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Meena Kadri

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November 29, 2011, 04:26AM

Fab stuff! Komaza is doing interesting work in this space too: http://komaza.org/

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Meaghan Orlinski

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November 28, 2011, 08:22PM

This is a great reminder of how complex problems can be made better and solved by simple sollutions.

She is missed.

http://nightshadesbikecrew.blogspot.com/2011/09/great-women-live-on.html

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