http://www.checinternational.org/

Commonwealth Human Ecology Council, London (2026)

05/09/2026

💚🌍 International Day of Charity | Small Charities, Big Impact

Today, on International Day of Charity, we're celebrating the incredible work of charities of all sizes — and shining a particular light on the smaller organisations proving that you don't need to be huge to make a meaningful difference.

At CHEC, we believe in small projects with big impacts. 🌱

Across the Commonwealth, we've been privileged to support grassroots and community-led initiatives — from helping bring solar power and environmental education to a school in Nigeria, and supporting agroforestry in Kenya, to improving access to sustainable menstrual products in remote communities in Fiji, supporting women's community growing projects in India and The Gambia, and helping protect precious mangrove ecosystems in Samoa.

These projects may begin at a local level, but their impact can reach much further — strengthening communities, creating opportunities, protecting biodiversity and helping people build more sustainable and climate-resilient futures. 🌿🤝

And we want to do more.

CHEC is committed to continuing to grow our network and support even more grassroots projects led by and for communities across the Commonwealth. Every donation, share and show of support can help a smaller charity like ours turn another community idea into action.

💚 Want to support our work? Simply click the link in our bio and head over to our website to discover more about what we do and the different ways you can support CHEC.

Small charity. Grassroots action. Commonwealth-wide impact.

31/08/2026

🌍💚 Good News Stories | August Biodiversity Round-Up

With so much worrying news about our natural world, it can sometimes feel as though environmental progress is difficult to find. That's why it's important to take a moment to recognise the good things happening for our planet too. 🌱🐝

Throughout August, we've seen stories offering reasons for hope — from species making a comeback and habitats being restored, to communities taking action to protect the wildlife and ecosystems around them.

Celebrating these successes doesn't mean ignoring the challenges we still face. Instead, they remind us that conservation works, restoration is possible and positive change can happen when people come together to protect nature.

At CHEC, we believe hope and action go hand in hand. Every restored habitat, protected species and community-led conservation project represents another step towards a healthier and more biodiverse future.

So, as August comes to an end, we're taking a moment to celebrate some of this month's biodiversity good news stories. 🦋🌳🐢

👉 Swipe through to discover some reasons to feel hopeful — and then let's keep working together to protect our planet.

30/08/2026

🌍🎥 Conversations on Climate Change | Featuring Sara Griffiths – Part 3

We're back with the third instalment of our conversation with Sara Griffiths, a 16-year-old representative for Youth Climate Ambassadors for Wales-YCA.

This time, CHEC's Digital Coordinator Kate Martin asks Sara: "Who inspired your climate action?" 💭🌱

Sara reflects on how her answer to this question has changed over time. While her climate journey began with inspiration from individual activists, today she is increasingly motivated by the future we are creating — and by the people already experiencing the consequences of a changing climate, particularly those who may be forced to leave their homes and communities because of its impacts.

Her answer is an important reminder that behind conversations about rising temperatures, sea-level rise and extreme weather are real people, families and communities. Climate action isn't just about protecting the environment; it's also about protecting people's homes, cultures, livelihoods and futures.

💚 Watch Sara's answer and then tell us: Who — or what — inspires your climate action?

27/08/2026

🌊🌍 World Lake Day

From the Great Lakes of Africa to the lakes and wetlands of Canada, lakes across the Commonwealth are lifelines for people and nature. They provide freshwater, support livelihoods and food security, provide habitats for extraordinary biodiversity, and hold deep cultural significance for communities around the world.

Yet these precious ecosystems face increasing pressures from climate change, pollution, invasive species, over-extraction of water and habitat loss. Protecting lakes isn't simply about conserving beautiful landscapes — it's about protecting freshwater supplies, biodiversity and the communities that depend upon them.

This World Lake Day, CHEC is calling for greater protection of our freshwater ecosystems and for communities to be at the heart of their conservation. Whether it's reducing plastic and chemical pollution, using water responsibly or supporting local restoration projects, we can all play a part. 💙

Protect our lakes. Protect our water. Protect our future.

26/08/2026

🌊 CHEC-Gambia in Action: Protecting Gunjur’s Coastline 🇬🇲

It’s been a busy few days for our GEPADG CHEC-Gambia team, working alongside local and international partners to support community-led environmental action in Gunjur.

The team recently joined volunteers from Gunjur Community Link (GCL) UK for a day of volunteering, bringing people together across communities to share their time, skills and commitment to making a difference. 🌍🤝

This was followed by a beach clean-up at Bolongfenyo, Gunjur Beach, alongside a site survey examining the scale of beach waste and the growing impacts of coastal erosion on the local environment.

The team also attended the opening ceremony of the Ocean Waste Pyramid at the CETAG Turtle Village, highlighting the huge volume of waste reaching our coastlines and the importance of protecting marine habitats and species such as sea turtles. 🐢♻️

These activities demonstrate what can be achieved when local communities, volunteers and environmental organisations work together. Tackling ocean waste and coastal erosion requires action at every level — and community-led initiatives remain an essential part of protecting The Gambia’s coastline for future generations.

A huge thank you to Badara Bajo and the GEPADG CHEC-Gambia team, CETAG, Gunjur Community Link and everyone who gave their time to support these activities. 💚

19/08/2026

🌍🤝 World Humanitarian Day 2026

Today, we recognise the extraordinary people working every day to support communities affected by conflict, disasters, poverty, displacement and the growing impacts of climate change.

Across the Commonwealth, humanitarian challenges take many different forms — from communities recovering from cyclones and rising seas in the Pacific and Caribbean, to those facing drought, flooding and food insecurity across parts of Africa and Asia. As our climate changes, building resilience and ensuring support reaches those most vulnerable is becoming increasingly important.

At CHEC, we believe humanitarian action and sustainable development must go hand in hand. Supporting locally led solutions, investing in resilient communities and listening to those who understand their needs best can help communities not only respond to crises, but build stronger and more sustainable futures.

💚 This , we thank humanitarian workers, volunteers, community organisations and local leaders across the Commonwealth and beyond who continue to step forward when people need them most.

Supporting people. Strengthening communities. Building resilience.

13/08/2026

🌍🎥 Conversations on Climate Change | Featuring Sara Griffiths – Part 2

We're back with the second instalment of our conversation with Sara Griffiths, a 16-year-old representative for Youth Climate Ambassadors for Wales-YCA!

After hearing what first sparked Sara's interest in climate action, this time CHEC's Digital Coordinator Kate Martin asks: "Why does Wales matter in the fight against climate change?" 🏴

Climate change is a global challenge, but action at a local and national level matters. From protecting Wales' incredible landscapes and biodiversity to building more sustainable communities and ensuring young people have a voice in decisions about their future, Wales has an important role to play.

Sara shares her perspective on why climate action here at home matters and reminds us that tackling climate change isn't only about what happens thousands of miles away — every country, every community and every generation has a part to play.

💚 Give the video a watch, share Sara's message and help us amplify young voices in the climate conversation!

11/08/2026

🌍📍 Commonwealth Spotlight Tuesday | The Okavango Delta, Botswana 🇧🇼

Welcome to Commonwealth Spotlight Tuesday, where we're exploring some of the incredible places of natural beauty found across the Commonwealth. This week, we're heading to Botswana and the breathtaking Okavango Delta. 🐘🌿

One of the world's great inland wetland systems and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Okavango is an extraordinary oasis surrounded by the Kalahari. Its wetlands, lagoons, floodplains and grasslands support an incredible 130 species of mammals, 482 species of birds, 64 reptiles, 89 fish species and more than 1,000 plant species. It also provides vital habitat for threatened wildlife including African wild dogs, cheetahs, lions and black and white rhinos.

What makes the Okavango particularly remarkable is its annual flood pulse, which arrives during Botswana's dry season and breathes life into the landscape. But this delicate relationship between water, climate and wildlife also makes the Delta vulnerable to a changing climate. Changing rainfall patterns, rising temperatures and increased evaporation have the potential to alter water availability and flooding, placing additional pressure on wildlife, ecosystems and the communities whose livelihoods depend upon them.

💚 Places like the Okavango remind us why protecting wetlands and biodiversity matters. Climate action isn't only about reducing emissions—it's also about protecting the extraordinary natural systems that sustain people and wildlife across the Commonwealth.

📸 Have you ever visited the Okavango Delta, or is it on your travel bucket list? Let us know below!

10/08/2026

♻️ Myth-Busting Monday: "If I recycle my plastic bottle, the problem is solved."

❌ MYTH: Recycling alone will solve the plastic crisis.

✅ FACT: Recycling is important, but it's only part of the solution. Around 500 billion plastic bottles are produced globally every year—that's over 1 million bottles every minute. Yet globally, only around 9% of plastic waste is actually recycled, while 19% is incinerated, around 50% ends up in landfill, and the remaining 22% is mismanaged, meaning it can be dumped, openly burned, or leak into the environment. In 2019 alone, an estimated 6.1 million tonnes of plastic entered rivers, lakes, and oceans.

The average person also throws away well over 150 plastic bottles each year, showing just how quickly single-use plastics accumulate. While recycling helps recover some materials, the most effective solution is to reduce and reuse wherever possible.

💚 Simple swaps can make a real difference:
🥤 Carry a reusable water bottle.
🛍️ Choose products with less plastic packaging.
♻️ Recycle correctly when you do use plastic.
💧 Refill instead of buying new whenever you can.

Every bottle we don't use is one less bottle that needs to be produced, transported, and disposed of.

09/08/2026

🌿🌍 International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples

Today, we celebrate the knowledge, cultures, and enduring stewardship of Indigenous Peoples across the Commonwealth and around the world.

From the First Nations peoples of Australia, who have cared for Country for tens of thousands of years, to the Inuit communities of Canada, whose knowledge of Arctic ecosystems is helping us understand the impacts of a rapidly changing climate, Indigenous communities have long demonstrated that people and nature thrive together. Across the Commonwealth, Indigenous Peoples continue to protect forests, wetlands, grasslands, rivers, coastlines, and oceans that are home to extraordinary biodiversity and are vital in the fight against climate change.

As our planet changes, it is essential that we listen to the voices of Indigenous communities. Their generations of ecological knowledge, sustainable land management practices, and close relationship with the natural world provide invaluable lessons for conservation and climate resilience. At the same time, we must respect the rights of all Indigenous Peoples—including uncontacted communities, whose choice to remain isolated must be protected by safeguarding their lands and preventing outside interference.

Protecting biodiversity also means supporting the people who protect it. Greater investment in Indigenous-led conservation, education, healthcare, sustainable livelihoods, and community priorities is essential if we are to preserve some of the world's most important ecosystems. Around the Commonwealth, Indigenous stewardship continues to demonstrate that caring for nature and supporting communities go hand in hand.

Today, we thank Indigenous Peoples for their leadership, resilience, and commitment to protecting our shared planet. CHEC remains committed to championing community-led sustainable development, supporting Indigenous voices, and working towards a future where both people and nature can flourish together.

Commonwealth Human Ecology Council

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