Category: Projects

Busi Taki season 5: The Green Agenda.

Busi Taki nears season 5. Suriname is amid multiple developments, most significantly a roaring offshore oil & gas industry. Meanwhile, Suriname made multiple national and international commitments for nature and biodiversity protection, including recognizing the original forest guardians: our indigenous and tribal communities. Moreover, Suriname is gearing up for National Elections in May 2025. The question is not only: What is Suriname's Green Agenda?But also, what is the Green Agenda for all other sectors in Suriname? Christio Wijnhard will research how various politicians, the business community, the Government, the judicial authorities and others think about keeping Suriname green with the question: what is your green…

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Forest93: 1st Food Forest

In June 2024, the first phase of a first food forest with a social purpose started in Wanica: providing the community with fruit, especially the children's homes in the immediate area.  Entrepreneur Andrew Baasaron who heard Forest93 Ambassador Christio Wijnhard's idea to create a food forest was immediately enthusiastic. Baasaron, CEO of AMPS, made a plot available to create this food forest and was present with his family to plant the first fruit trees. “It is particularly good for our family to know that together with others we can contribute to making our children in children's homes healthier. We are grateful to have the opportunity…

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1st Forest93 Ambassador Trip to the South of Suriname

From March 8-12, 2024 the first Forest93 Ambassador Trip was organised to the indigenous village of Kwamalasamutu in the South of Suriname. Forest93 Ambassadors Lindsey van de Wetering, Christio Wijnhard, Jean-Pierre Veira, SuperSharda and got the opportunity to visit this Trio community. The group was completed with archeologist Irene Meulenberg and entrepreneur Oliver Smith. All participants were enthusiast to visit this community and be inspired for their respective careers and interests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsT3Mo-b0t0 Departure and Arrival of the Forest93 Ambassadors to Kwamalasamutu One of the highlights of the trip would be the visit to the petroglyphs of Werehpai. Due to the low water tides a boat…

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Forest93 x UNICEF take climate action by sharing awareness on Suriname’s plastic footprint

The cooperation between Forest93 and UNICEF started in 2022, a year after UNICEF initiated the Plastic Footprint Suriname project. The project is aimed at establishing mechanisms to support (young) people to take climate action by reducing their various types of footprints effecting climate change, especially their plastic footprint. The activities under coordination of Forest93 Ambassador Christio Wijnhard aim to stimulate climate friendly behaviors through active engagement sessions in schools and community platforms. The Plastic Footprint Change Agents (all between 18-25 years old) developed their own awareness materials, which they use in their workshops for schools. Distribution of posters to schools throughout the country and the…

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Fresh vegetables from the Tiny Food Gardens at children’s homes

In February 2023, we were suprised with a donation of SRD 318,430.00 by the Fernandes Bottling Company. They had decided to donate the proceeds of the 2022 Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan fundraising to Green Growth Suriname, the mother organisation of Forest93. Forest93 Ambassador, Christio Wijnhard, was overjoyed to accept the cheque. He used the budget to continue the ambassador's own social project: Tiny Food Gardens for children's homes. Training and placing of the Tiny Food Gardens at the children's homes Selected children's homes in various districts received tiny food gardens to grow vegetables and spices for their kitchens. The food gardens were produced by Tiny Gardens…

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Dringende oproep om Suriname groen te houden

Keep Suriname Green is de dringende oproep van groene organisaties in Suriname om Suriname samen groen te houden. De zorg voor de natuur is immers een taak van ons allemaal.  Ondanks dat Suriname nog steeds het meest beboste land ter wereld is qua bosbedekking per persoon heeft Suriname belangrijke zaken nog niet in orde om ook het meest beboste land te blijven. Dat baart zorgen voor de toekomst. Hoewel de Republiek Suriname herhaaldelijk op internationale fora heeft uitgesproken de ambitie te hebben om 93% bosbedekking te behouden, lijkt dit in de praktijk moeilijker waar te maken. Zo is natuurbeschermingswetgeving reeds 70 jaar oud, is er…

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Forest93 receives donation from Fernandes Bottling Company NV

In February 2023, we were suprised with a donation of SRD 318,430.00 by the Fernandes Bottling Company. They had decided to donate the proceeds of the Coca-Cola Christmas Caravan fundraising to Green Growth Suriname, the mother organisation of Forest93. Forest93 Ambassador, Christio Wijnhard, accepted the cheque and will continue to coordinate the mini-food garden project for children's homes. With the donation five children's home will receive mini-food gardens to grow vegetables and spices for their kitchens. Moreover, via a train-the-trainer program, a selection of young people from the children's homes will be trained in woodwork and planting to make these food gardens themselves, and assist…

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Community Tennis Suriname zijn nu ook Forest93 Ambassadors

Na Dean Gorré, voormalig bondscoach van Natio en ex-profvoetballer, Tosh van Dijk, Surinaams kampioen taekwondo en kandidaat Olympiër voor Parijs2024, Jeffrey Vanan, athleet die momenteel in Nederland traint, en Christio Wijnhard, Busi Taki presentator en journalist, als ook Byciel Watsaam, artiest en zanger van de Mama Sranan song, zijn nu ook de jonge tennissers van Community Tennis Suriname (CTS) Forest93 Ambassador geworden. Community Tennis Suriname is een grassroots tennis club in Commewijne, die lokale jeugd liefde voor de tennissport bijbrengt en hen een nuttige activiteit biedt voor hun vrije tijd. Sinds 2011 hebben er bijna 600 kinderen uit de buurten Mariënburg, Ellen, Sorgvliet, Zoelen, en Nieuw Amsterdam tennisles gevolgd als ook deelgenomen…

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FOREST93 builds schools in South-West Suriname

Upon request from the village captains of Curuni and Amatopo, the FOREST93 project initiated the building of multi-purpose school buildings in these two villages in South Suriname. These two small villages are inhabited by people of the Trio tribe, and are amongst the last villages that never received education. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture supports the project, meaning that the government will provide the needed school material and teachers to the two villages. The building process for the schools started in November 2021 with the first phase of selecting and collecting building materials around the village, including sawing of wood for the…

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Mini-gardens for children’s homes

Our Green Growth Champions organised a fundraising in mid 2021 to start mini-gardens for children's homes. This was a welcome initiative in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic where most children couldn't attend school and prizes for healthy food rose. The mini-gardens, or gardening tables, are built by inmates from the country's jail as part of a resocialisation project. Mrs. Lilian Wiebers from Stichting Kari Yu Foundation coordinates the distribution of the tables to children's homes. With the fundraising the Green Growth Champions gathered enough funds to distribute two garden tables to 15 different children's homes throughout the country. The mini-gardens are delivered with plant…

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