admin@nnngoFriends Of the Environment, FOTE is a Nigerian Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), established in 1993 to initiate and undertake programmes that address the needs of identified groups which directly or indirectly impact the environment. The core of the organisation’s activities is the preservation our environment for future generations is of great concern to us. Our mission is to promote environmental sustainability through advocacy and creating awareness in the areas of renewable energy sources, waste management, economic empowerment and gender issues.
At Friends Of The Environment, one of our objectives is to introduce to Nigeria’s rural and urban communities, particularly the women, alternative and renewable energy sources like the solar devices, improved wood stoves, energy-efficient stoves (EES) and biogas technology. With these alternative sources, FOTE keys into the World Environment Day’s Theme for 2019 “BeatAir Pollution”. By Beating Air Pollution, world’s inhabitant can begin to have better health and wellbeing cum clean and fresh air.
Currently,FOTE is working on popularizing the use of cleaner, modern fuel in the form of LPG, such that sustainable markets for consumption and use in households, institutions (e.g. boarding schools) and small businesses in Nigeria would have access to better living conditions through reduced fuel wood consumption. The campaign covered several Local Governments in Lagos State including Agege, Itire-Ikate, Lagos Island East, Ojo, Orile Agege and Badagry.
FOTE also works with the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) introducing improved wood and saw dust stoves to several rural communities in Lagos State. Ajido, a community in Badagry Local Government Area was selected for the pilot production of stoves designed to conserve wood and increase energy efficiency. The stoves were distributed free to several dwellers.
Under the Gender Renewable Energy Systems Development and Application (GRESDA) and UNIFEM programme, FOTE organized workshops for Rural Women Technician Corps (RWTC). The workshop was specifically designed for rural and urban women dwellers to teach them basic maintenance and repairs of post-harvest machinery. This programme was aimed at reducing women’s dependence on male technicians while improving their earning capacity and by extension increasing the country’s food security. The workshops also taught the women basic environmental and sanitation ideals, Gender sensitization, Book Keeping and Business Management.
For youths, FOTE established ‘Environmental and Sanitation’ clubs in some selected schools with the aim of building a new generation of young people with a culture of environmental consciousness and protectiveness. The Y-FOTE clubs currently exist in about 15 secondary schools in Lagos State.
Beyond all these, FOTE partners with the Lagos State Government on the Code Lagos Initiative; a program designed to empower 1 million young Lagosians in software coding. The Foundation works extensively with ARM Group, IHS Towers and Huawei Technologies to set up solar powered ICT centres in both public and private schools in Lagos state.
Some of the workshops organised by FOTE in recent times include:
- Proper Waste Oil Management
- Climate Change and Global Warming
- Ecosystems Changes and Poverty in Nigeria
- Wetlands Protection in Nigeria
- Sustainable Water Development and Poverty Alleviation
- Enabling Urban Poor Livelihoods Policy making- Understanding the Role of Energy Services
- Stakeholders Reflection on the Nigerian Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Situation
- Kick the Habit: Towards a Low Carbon economy
- Your Planet Needs You: Unite to Combat Climate Change