permaculture

[Wesley Roe and Santa Barbara Permaculture Network <lakinroe@silcom.com>]

http://transitionmarvista.blogspot.com/2012/06/permaculture-and-social-justice.html

Permaculture and Social Justice

EVENT: Saturday, June 30 at 7:00pm

Community Hall of Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, 6700 W. 83rd, 
Westchester, CA 90045

Come hear the story of how an ecological initiative in a small village 
in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe grew into a community model of 
sustainable living. Along the way they have become masters of conflict 
resolution. The project has been about health, conflict resolution, and 
social improvement—as well as food.

Julious Piti Julious Piti has more than 20 years experience in 
Permaculture, he is the co-founder of one of the most interesting 
Permaculture Projects in Zimbabwe (CELUCT in Chikukwa - Zimbabwe).
Watch video http://vimeo.com/36582870 (6 minutes)

Mr Piti will speak about his Permaculture projects and how they have 
helped transform his local area. He will explain the "Three Circles of 
Knowledge"—how he works within the area where indigenous, spiritual and 
analytical knowledge overlap.

Community Permaculture Chikukwa Ecological Land Trust (CELUCT) is a 
unique community permaculture organisation in the Chimanimani district 
of Zimbabwe. Set in the highlands bordering Mozambique, the region is 
heavily populated and has suffered from deforestation, serious erosion 
and soil degradation since the area was named a Tribal Trust Land in the 
colonial era. In this setting, the Chikukwa community has developed a 
successful permaculture program involving around 8,000 farmers and is 
one of the largest and relatively unknown permaculture sites in the world.

About PORET The PORET Trust works with the community to address hunger, 
malnutrition, and poverty.  PORET is designed to take the success of 
CELUCT and spread it further. The aim of PORET is to support the farmers 
in the low rainfall area of Chaseyama in Zimbabwe in adopting techniques 
and skills which are essential for them, their families and the whole 
area to survive and attain a sustainable, productive and healthy life 
situation. They are currently planning to expand their work since the 
demand is growing in the face of the climate change problems they are 
facing today.

About Chikukwa Chikukwa is a community nestled high up in the 
Chimanimani mountains. Because of its location—right on the border with 
Mozambique, in the gap between two stretches of mountains—Chikukwa was a 
route for Zimbabwean guerrillas based in Mozambique during the 
liberation struggle, and Rhodesian soldiers used to come and burn down 
people's houses.  After Zimbabwe's independence in 1980, the same paths 
were used by Mozambicans in their bitter civil war. Up until 1990, 
Chikukwans often slept in the bush to avoid attack by Renamo guerrillas. 
War—together with Chikukwa's remote situation— limited development in 
this area.

With the support of the Chikukwa Ecological Land Trust (CELUCT), not 
only have they managed to stay food secure and peaceful during the last 
conflict ridden years in Zimbabwe, but they have also managed to retain 
strong and joyful community relations with plenty of heart-warming 
laughter, singing, dancing and celebration. At the heart of this lies a 
powerful commitment amongst community members to cooperate to create a 
strong and sustainable community through the use of permaculture, 
conflict resolution and the practice of mindfulness.

Venue:
Community Hall of Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, 6700 W. 83rd, 
Westchester, CA 90045

Cost: Mr Piti will be collecting donations to PORET (Participatory 
Organic Research Extension and Training)

Contacts
Initiative email:  info@envirochangemakers.org
Primary point of contact:  Joanne Poyourow

Hosted by Environmental Change-Makers

The Environmental Change-Makers continue to gather, now focused on our 
local Westchester neighborhood.  We maintain an active community garden, 
out of which we teach an Organic Vegetable Gardening class series.   The 
Harvest Westchester local food redistribution program was a natural 
extension of the garden action, as were group purchases of fruit trees 
and rain barrels.  We started a LETSystem (local bartering / 
community-based finances) for our local area.  And we continue to host 
local Transition-focused gatherings in the Westchester neighborhood of 
Los Angeles.
As of October 2010 we are at the stage of building a steering group 
which would be specific to our Westchester neighborhood.

Contacts
Initiative email:  info@envirochangemakers.org
Primary point of contact:  Joanne Poyourow