UNDP / UNV "Social Innovations and Volunteering in Uzbekistan" in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the GEF Small Grants Programme with the support of UNDP in Uzbekistan launched a new initiative - Social Innovation Lab “Nature and Society”. This initiative aims to promote youth volunteering ideas, social innovations and environmental protection.
So what is the Social Innovation Lab with a title “Nature and Society”?
The word ‘laboratory’ itself means holding or testing something new, carrying out of new experiments, finding new ways of solving problems. A firstly launched initiative aimed at promoting youth volunteering ideas, social innovations and environmental protection. Working on innovation a person should look for unconventional approaches, discover new opportunities and perspectives that will allow him/her to acquire the skills and discover new abilities! And all this knowledge can help solve real problems of the environment and society.
Briefly, the idea of this lab was as follows: young people were introduced with the problems and they were proposed to find innovative ways to solve problems or to mitigate its effects and choose the most suitable and acceptable design solution in all respects. It was stated by the organizers that the best ideas can be funded by a small grant.
There were many young people among the first laboratorians from most regions of the country. Any young citizen could attend the lab, all they needed was to pass a simple selection. Despite of the brevity of the announcement regarding the selection of participants for the laboratory there were a lot of interested. And the fact that the working language of the event was Russian, it did not cause any discomfort to the participants, but rather it was one of the elements which united more participants, and it contributed to the gathering of the most diversed and sometimes improbable ideas and solutions that seized the participants throughout two working days of the laboratory.
Specialists were invited for introduction with the problems of local importance that the laboratory should work on and that should be announced for the participants. The first one was presented by Alexey Volkov, who introduced the water shortage problem in one of the villages in Surkhandarya province, next was Bokhodir Ayupov, who in turn told the participants about the ecobags and the problem with their promotion in the field of life and service. Next, the Environmental Specialist Rustam Murzakhanov, together with Alexey Volkov presented the problem of deforestation of wild fruit trees. And the last one, Andrey Maleev closed the list of presenters (an experienced cyclist) , who told the youth about the delights and advantages of following a ‘bike’ style and also presented a problem with the promotion of cycling in the country.
Alexey Volkov about water issues
A. Volkov – Water project (download presentation 1,4 MB)
Bokhodir Ayupov tells about a problem of promotion for ecobags
B. Ayupov – Promotion of ecobags in Uzbekistan (download presentation 1,8 MB)
Alexey Volkov and Rustam Murzakhanov are telling about deforestation of wild varieties of fruit trees
R. Murzakhanov, A. Volkov – Project on wild fruit trees (download presentation 937 KB)
Andrey Maleev “about cycling for healthy climate”
A. Maleev – Promotion of cycling (download presentation 350 KB)
After a short coffee break, a two-hour block on global environmental issues and the environment was presented to the participants. At this time, the first presentation was made by Rustam Murzakhanov, who spoke about the inexorable losses of biodiversity and proposed to look at the problem differently.
Below, this presentation is uploaded for your attention:
R. Murzakhanov – Different points about biodiversity (download presentation 838 KB)
After intro to the biodiversity, where water is undoubtedly the main factor of its variety, the speech was continued by the specialist on water from Karakalpakstan, Yusup Kamalov. His presentation is given below for your reference:
Yu. Kamalov – Water problems (download presentation 1,4 MB)
Aleksander Morozov presented a topic on land degradation:
Block on global issues was closed by Alexey Volkov with a story of climate change:
A. Volkov – Climate change. A myth or reality? (download presentation 1,7 MB)
After the experts told the stories on global issues of ecology and the environment, the organizers reminded participants of previously presented problems and were asked to divide into thematic groups according to their interest. After forming the groups, the participants spoke about the practical skills of innovation and engineering of design thinking. There were several interesting video clips of the social and environmental innovations. Links to these videos are presented below on our site:
Neighbors in the garden - who are they?
Do workout - get rewards! - click here;
Mobile applications against environmental degradation - here;
Secret Life of Trees. How to get energy from the sun during the daylight hours? - The answer is here;
Save the food! Why and for what? - Find out here;
Visualization of information - how to do it?
Further, a work has begun in groups, which was continued until the end of the first day of the lab.
Yusup Kamalov about water
Alexander Morozov about land degradation
Groups are working
The second day started with a very interesting topic about skills for preparing presentations, presented by a head coach of the lab, Bokhodir Ayupov. Right after him, another great friend of youth and an experienced volunteer Alexandra Povarich told about infographics . Finally, closer to the second half of the second day, young experimenters with an arsenal of new knowledge and skills started working in groups to find solutions to problems and further preparations for presentations on their own groundwork. The experts gave practical advices, and directed and clarified arguable moments if necessary.
- Speak in that way, so even a person who is sitting in the corner in the last raw could hear you
B. Ayupov – Skills for effective presentations (briefly but capacious) download presentation 555 KB
Two generations are talking about infographics (Alexander Morozov - from the left and Alexandra Povarich - from the right)
А. Поварич - Инфографика для экологического просвещения населения (презентация 1,32 MB)
And groundwork presentations have started. The groups talked about the interesting solutions, some even gave more than one solution. Of course, many of them require a deeper understanding and improvements, but still the participants got enough knowledge for the further practical use for finding solutions to existing problems. The participants noted the unusual nature of the event and enjoyed the collaborative and creative work.
Let’s use a logical way of thinking…
Trainers are explaining how to work using supplementary instruments
Next, we decided to share with you the interesting impressions of the participants, where our honored experts also were distinguished:
Mirsaid Ergashev, a representative of Social Youth Movement “Kamolot” in Samarkand region
- Speaking about today's event, I want to say that young people from different regions have gathered here, including students and employees of various organizations. Gathered in groups, we are exploring ways to solve problems, developing projects and learning how to apply this knowledge in practice. I think that in the future it will help to solve our problems at the local level. Together we are trying to find new, accessible and affordable solutions to problems, in particular, the introduced problem of water in one of the remote villages of Surkhandarya region, as well as other problems. We got to know each other and made friends through sharing knowledge and information. Until that time, I did not know how the project works. We were given a basic knowledge of project managing, how to set objectives and plan the activities. I got the skills of the project implementation and in the future I hope to develop more and more specific projects. Until now, I have only once participated in a seminar on environmental issues in Khorezm and did not hear, for example, about problems in forestry and others.
I liked the atmosphere of the lab, when you work with pleasure and put our hearts and souls.
Aziz Tojiev, representative of Youth network Y-PEER
- I had the assumption about the event, but the reality exceeded my expectations. I did not expect so much new and relevant information. As you can see, we do not use any ‘energizers’ (invigorating games), everyone is interested and working actively while at another event all probably would have fallen asleep. The topic is very relevant and necessary and, in my opinion, this work should be initiated often. Thank you so much for selecting me as a participant in the lab and if I would not be here and found out that I missed it, I would have regretted very much. Regarding the topic, I knew ecobags are beneficial even if you have to pay for them and plastic bags are free, you still need ecobags. And now I myself (promoting) telling others about the benefits of ecobags that we need to think about. For example, regarding bikes, I have my own ideas and have something to add, and it is actually implemented. Last night, I hardly slept and thought that there is some benefit from it all and not only for me. And it is not only possible, but it is necessary to carry out. And it should be done now, not in 50-60 years, when it could be too late. We have an alternative solution regarding the ecobags, and my team will show harm from the use of plastic. Besides a design of the ecobags we will tell why it is necessary, how it could be promoted, through whom, who may be interested in it, whom we could engage, who could benefit and for whom it could be useful.
Alexander Morozov, Head of the department of water and energy and socio-economic problems, ‘Hydroproject’ JSC
- I was glad to participate in this workshop, where a lot of talented young people gathered and I myself became younger, well, at least for a few years. And I’ve seen a lot of useful things, in terms of designing of presentations, presenting a material in a convenient and understandable form. I think that holding such sessions is very useful and actual for our time, for such a transition.
Saidmurod Mamarajabov, senior researcher of Surkhan State Reserve
- Topics covered at the workshop are very relevant. My personal impression and evaluation of the event is very high, because conducting of just such training seminars is very useful and important to solve local environmental problems. Such events give an opportunity to discuss innovative ideas, express self-viewpoints on this issue. I think that if you continue to frequently hold such seminars, then it will be possible to solve the existing environmental problems in the Republic of local value, develop new approaches, approaches, methods, and measures to address them. If we talk about the issues discussed in this seminar, among other things I was interested in the topic of ecobags. In my opinion, production of ecobags, questions of their promotion, dissemination of knowledge about the benefits of using the ecobags is considered as a well-designed and planned initiative. And this initiative was new for me. Another interesting point for me was the story about infographics. I think if in the future we will develop these two ideas, their use will bring us good results.
Alexandra Zaslavskaya, employee of Ecocenter ‘Djeyran’
- I learned a lot on how to solve problems at the seminar. At first, we sat and pestered long, trying to figure out how to solve the problem. Our team consisted of some sub-groups, and each tried to solve something itself. In the beginning we had a language barrier, we constantly had to translate from Uzbek into Russian and vice versa, but then, this situation has united us in the process of design and then we could work together in a group. Now we are shifted to the development, different tasks were determined for sub-groups. It became much easier to solve everything by order and in parts. Such interaction tactics helps us to work in a group. We have a very complex composition, we did not understand a lot because of the language, and then when it was distributed by the list, we identified the place for each suggestion. Then we were able to combine it all in a number of solutions.
If we talk about my personal impressions, I liked the performance of Bahodir on skills for creating presentations. There were some moments in his speech, which I did not know. For me it is always difficult to perform, and it was interesting to listen about what a person knows about such problem. I also met two wonderful experts. They are Yusup Kamalov and Alexander Morozov. They suggested a wonderful idea to our group that I might also be able to use in Ecocenter. One of them, for example, is a stone pyramid with a truncated top, made in the form of a crater. It is a very interesting technology related to the obtaining of water when daily temperatures drop, almost from air. With the help of such a pyramid, people in antiquity collected water for drinking. But this and other technologies are expensive, and we have developed and suggest an affordable way to obtain water by collecting rainfall from the roofs of houses and other buildings. It certainly does not bring a lot of water, moreover the experts have different opinions on rainfall and data of the region are diverse and therefore it is to be explored. But in any case, it makes sense to collect precipitation.
There is another method of receiving water in this place, but it will cost much more, but bring plenty of water. This method consists in drilling wells in the riverbed. Usually groundwater flow where the river flows in spring and dries in summer. They are at different depths, but it is possible to find it under gravel. The water flow has to be blocked and force it to lift up by constructing a well, which will prevent a leakage of water and allow taking it in a required amount. There is evidence that somewhere a saxaul wood was used for constructing a well.
Of course, expensive technologies give a lot of water, but they are not always innovative and cheap options, unfortunately, given the low amount of water. And since water amount is small, there is a problem how to use it with a maximum effect, i.e. rationally. And here, we also found an option of using water for farming. If water is enough, then it will be possible to build a greenhouse for growing vegetables that will be irrigated using drip irrigation technology. And to make the drip irrigation system working, a greenhouse is to be constructed below a ground level, and a water tank is to be placed on towering pillars and then the water will go by gravity.
Madina Saidkarimova, head of the Society for the Protection of Animals
- My impressions of the laboratory are the very best, as well as of other previous events held by GEF SGP and UNDP. I liked the approach itself. The most global environmental problems have been considered. Dividing us into groups, the trainers gave us the opportunity to work on solutions to these problems and to think about how we can personally contribute to the improvement of our environment. Of course, it is a more effective way than simply tell you that there are problems and you need to think about them. When a person is involved in solving problems he/she, firstly, better understand the problem, and, secondly, by finding solutions, he/she can no longer remain indifferent and possibly change its way of life. We got a lot of interesting information that will help us in our future work. Well, apart from the knowledge and experience it should be mentioned that we have got a big boost of energy and positivity. Thank you so much to organizers for this event.
Alexandra Povarich, consultant on raising awareness of environmental issues (skills trainer on infographics application)
- In fact, such events are very important, because, firstly, they attract young people from different areas of the country, and everyone can share their experiences. And most importantly, such events kindle a fire in a person, and he/she wants to do something, to learn something new and it's a big boost for future development. I myself attended similar events many times and after you would like to fly and want to do something and even more, you're just full of ideas. And it seems to me the most important thing. If at least 25% percent of the guys get enthusiastic about any idea and will continue to work then this is a great result. They will ignite others with energy. Today I talked about infographics and I hope that the guys become interested in the visualization of textual information, because it is very interesting and could be very useful in future and in everyday life, and even in their studies. Possessing these skills, you can make beautiful presentations, reports, and a person become more self-confident, when you know how to convey any information to the other person and so that he/she will understand. This technique is not new and it seems to me that we use it every day, just do not pay attention to it and do not know that it is called this way. For example, these are the same smart cards, they are just called so. In school we always are tasked to draw a cluster. Teachers used such word and taught us. We just have forgotten a bit of it.
Shavkat Anvarov, student of Andijan State Medical Institute
- It is not the first time when I visit such events. But I liked this particular event because of a lot of teamwork, plus there is an outcome. Teamwork is aimed specifically at something, i.e. towards the problems that today we all need to address. They are the problems of poor development of cycling in Uzbekistan, the problem of pollution made by plastic bags and conservation of wild varieties of fruit trees from being cut down. The most interesting thing is the view of young people on these issues, i.e. a fresh look, a fresh solution and a project that we were able to present at such a short time. And if we did it in such a short time then if we would spend more time we would come up with a project that in reality could help solve existing problems now. In this seminar, I got a lot of knowledge about the Aral Sea, ecosystems and learned about the problems in the absence of drinking water in some cities. As for the presentations of experts, I already knew about infographics and of oratory, but still I’ve got new information here.
Khurshida Salieva, student of the 3rd course of the Tashkent University of Information Technologies, Fergana city
- I came to the seminar because I am very interested in environmental issues and the environment itself. I was very interested in the project of ecobags and I think that in the future, I would work in this direction. I myself want to do make ecobags because I have experience and we have our own workshop. But we are producing of other products in the workshop, and I want to adjust our production for making ecobags. Before participating in this seminar, I did not know how to design a project, and now it became much clear for me. I am a volunteer in many organizations where we, for example, perform maintenance works on a healthy lifestyle and in other areas, but I participate in the event on the field of ecology and the environment for the first time and I loved it.
Andrey Maleev, volunteer of Social Innovation project. He presented the issue of promotion of cycling in the country
- Today is already the second day. The guys are working hard and it seems to me they are quite successful. They have very good ideas, and I hope that something worthwhile will be turned out of all these activities that we can apply in the future. Maybe we will create some project with these guys. I presented the project for the development of cycling and guys offered quite good ideas, including the combination of cycling and helping to alienated people or the ones with disabilities. They have very worthwhile ideas and I think they will succeed.
Nadejda Gavrilenko, student of NUUz, Center of Hydrometeorological Service
- I learned about the project quite by an accident, just filled application and forgot about it. But it was a great pleasure for me to participate there! And it was not only fun, but also skills in approaching of proposed environmental problems. I met wonderful people who have conquered me with their initiative, dedication and devotion in the struggle for the preservation of flora and fauna. Teamwork was interesting and exciting and consultative discussions with experts were informative. I would like to thank them for that! In turn, I want to express my appreciation and gratitude to the organizers of this event for the idea of holding the Social Innovation Laboratory project, for the opportunity to participate in this project and for the excellent time.
Yes, indeed, the problem of the village in Surkhandarya region did not leave me indifferent. I have a little experience in the field practice (implementation of my official duties often includes travels to the region) and I saw even more serious problems! But every time I wonder how and what solutions and techniques people have to adapt to the prevailing conditions of residence. If the residents of this village could not provide water for themselves by their efforts and asked to assist in resolving this problem, then the situation is really complicated.
Firstly, I want to see how realistic the implementation of our proposed options is from a practical standpoint - I am studying climatic, hydrogeological conditions of the area.
Regarding the stone towers for collection of the condensed water – I’ve consulted with people who have experience in this field and they say that it is theoretically possible to implement such idea , but in practice, no one has tried it yet. To do so, firstly a number of research and calculations have to be carried out. It turns out that such studies are already carried out in our country and we even have a number of research works for the extraction of moisture from the air in arid (desert) areas.
Since I'm still studying, then, unfortunately, I do not have sufficient time for in-depth study of the problem. But as soon as I will be free I will start exploring this problem and will let you know about my ‘findings’.
