The Otesha Project UK is a youth-run charity that encourages young people to join together and create social and environmental change through their everyday actions. Through Otesha cycle tours – their primary programme – they combine arts and sport to develop young leaders across the UK who adopt more sustainable lifestyles, take action on global issues, and inspire thousands of others to do the same.
Otesha’s cycle tours run for six weeks and give young people the opportunity to learn about sustainable living. All tour members get a thorough grounding in the major issues surrounding environmental and social sustainability and receive training in facilitation, consensus decision-making, public speaking, bicycle maintenance, cycling safety environmental education and other skills. Cycle tours also visit, and volunteer with, practical projects such as permaculture farms and renewable energy projects. The individuals then go back to their local communities and spread the message of sustainability in a ripple effect – every single one of their 24 cycle tour participants from 2008 have plans to give presentations at schools in their own communities and set up their own projects. Lush gave a grant to Otesha to allow a young ‘harder to reach’ person (ie from lower socio-economic backgrounds, immigrant communities, young people with disabilities, young people identified as ‘at risk of offending’ etc) to take part in a cycle tour.
Hanna, from Otesha said “We are so grateful to Lush and to all the lovely people who bought Charity Pot! With your help, someone who deserves it is going to get an amazing experience, loads of training, advice on how to set up their own project AND a free bike – thank you!”
To find out more, visit their website: www.otesha.org.uk
