TORONTO, October 25, 2002 -- Environment Canada and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) will present the prestigious international Equator Prize today to Honey Care Africa Ltd. of Kenya, a private venture in community-based beekeeping led by York University student Farouk Jiwa.
The award recognizes outstanding achievement in sustainable development and sustainable community livelihoods and comes with a $30,000 U.S. cheque. Jiwa is a graduate student in the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) at York, and is also completing a Graduate Diploma in Business and the Environment, jointly offered by FES and the Schulich School of Business.
"Honey Care Africa Ltd. is an example to the world of an innovative partnership that is creating jobs to eradicate poverty while protecting the environment," said Brian Davy of the IDRC, one of the Equator Initiative partners. Working with 2,500 subsistence farmers in poor communities in Kenya, Honey Care has helped them get start-up loans to buy beehives and guaranteed a market for the honey they produce. Last year the company sold 65 tonnes of honey in Kenya, doubling farmers’ income and bringing them for the first time above the $1-a-day poverty line. Honey Care was among 27 finalists awarded the Equator Prize at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in August in Johannesburg.
| WHAT: | Equator Prize Award Presentation |
| WHO: | John Herity, Environment Canada |
| Brian Davy, IDRC | |
| Farouk Jiwa, Honey Care Africa Ltd. |
| WHERE: | Room 354 Lumbers Building |
| York University, 4700 Keele St. |
| WHEN: | October 25, 4 p.m. TODAY |
The Equator Initiative is a partnership of the United Nations Development Program, the UN’s global development network, with BrasilConnects, the Government of Canada, IDRC, IUCN – The World Conservation Union, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Television Trust for the Environment (TVE), and the United Nations Foundation. It focuses on the region of the Equator, the area with the world’s greatest concentration of human poverty and biodiversity wealth, and identifies innovative community partnerships that reduce poverty through conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity.
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For further information, please contact:
| Susan Bigelow |
| Media Relations |
| York University |
| 416-736-2100, ext. 22091 |
| sbigelow@yorku.ca |
YU/095/02
