Protecting the environment is crucial to keeping the economies in Ethiopia and Rwanda sustainable. Issues such as soil erosion, deforestation, land degradation, water scarcity, loss of biodiversity, and multiple types of pollution are accelerated by climate change, which directly affects the ecosystems and environmental state of the local communities.

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We focus on environmental issues from a behavioral change perspective; that is, we first identify, in collaboration with our local partners, and then promote change in individual and community actions to promote environmental sustainable activities. These include:

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• Water scarcity

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Most communities and villages we partner with suffer from insufficient water supply and little access to clean water. Exploring ways to repurpose and capture water could have a significant effect on the local economy, environment, and agricultural state of the area.

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• Various types of pollution

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Air pollution - Harmful fumes from solid fuel to cook and heat the home creates indoor air pollution, and combined with the lack of proper ventilation systems, negatively affects the family's health.  Households would benefit from new sources of fuel and new approaches to food preparation to reduce this indoor air pollution. 

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Waste buildup - There is an abundance of mismanaged waste in the communities served by our partners and little effort to recycle. This problem contributes to prolonged negative environmental and health effects on the entire community, such as soil, water, and air contamination.  Finding solutions to this issue will be pivotal in increasing the overall health of the environment and local people.