Every year, the international community marks 19 August as the #WorldHumanitarianDay to honor aid workers who have lost or risking their lives in service to the people under difficult circumstances. For 2021, the celebration focused on racing against the climate crisis clock through the #TheHumanRace – a global challenge for climate action in solidarity with people in the world’s most disaster-prone countries and territories, and those hardest hit by climate change.

Community and Family Services International (CFSI) supported the call by participating in UN-led activities and sharing various initiatives of the organization and its staff members towards environmental sustainability.

Tree-planting activity, commitment to climate action

CFSI Operations Center in Cotabato City joined other humanitarian groups including the UN agencies and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in a tree planting activity on 19 August in Barangay Labungan, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, Philippines. The activity stands as a collective response of humanitarian actors towards the global state of environmental emergency.

During the culminating program, CFSI Director for Mindanao Programme Noraida Abdullah Karim shared different CFSI initiatives related to its commitment to environmental protection and climate action. Among these are the recent pledge of CFSI to the Climate and Environment Charter for Humanitarian Organizations and the adoption of environmental safeguard policies for project implementation.

Dir. Karim also recognized the partnerships with the government of Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, UN agencies, and other NGOs for the humanitarian and development efforts in Mindanao. She expressed commitment to mainstream environment protection in all CFSI’s initiatives and to continue the partnerships in providing valuable interventions to the people of the region.

Good practices towards environmental sustainability

CFSI follows environmental safeguards and makes efforts to raise awareness of its project beneficiaries on environmental protection. Good practices highlighting these initiatives were shared with a wider audience on different online platforms in the hopes of inspiring others to do their share towards environmental sustainability.

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Small acts of the #PeopleofCFSI

The People of CFSI are also acting against the climate crisis in their own little ways. Community Organizer Myla Gumafelix rides her bike to the office every day as a pollution-free mode of transport. The same goes with the Peer Educators of the Sexual and Reproductive Health Project (SRHP) who use their bikes to visit vulnerable young people in communities and provide SRH services. Humanitarian Workers Aira Tose and Marites Sargado also expressed support to #TheHumanRace as witnesses of how the climate emergency affects the lives of the Sama Bajau indigenous group that they serve.

All these and more were CFSI’s show of support to #TheHumanRace in this year’s World Humanitarian Day. The campaign continues to push world leaders to accelerate climate action as they meet at the UN Climate Summit (COP26) this November. #

Join the race and sign the petition now: https://www.worldhumanitarianday.org/