The use of illustrated cards 

Natural Justice was commissioned to develop a set of eight illustrated cards and a facilitator manual to support local communities in understanding ABS processes. Designed for use in low-literacy, multilingual settings, these cards simplify complex topics like the value of genetic resources, value chains, and benefit-sharing agreements. This visual tool encourages dialogue enabling local communities to engage meaningfully in ABS discussions. Only the images are shown to participants, while the manual helps facilitators explain each concept and ask the right questions.

The cards allow community members to connect the content to their own lives strengthening ownership.

The use of role games

Role games help communities understand complex processes, such as ABS by simulating real-life access requests to local resources. Participants act out roles, being community members, government, and users (e.g., companies) to practice negotiations, benefit-sharing, and communication. Performed in local languages, the sketch is repeated until key ABS steps are correctly represented, helping embed knowledge through active participation. It should be explained that the role play is to illustrate how the procedure just explained works in practice. The script is explained to all participants before the sketch begins. 

The key game changer in the process was the inclusion of young community members, known as animateurs, who had been identified by GIZ’s bilateral Pro2GRN project, active in the Comoé region. Already engaged in local outreach, these animateurs supported the transfer of project ideas to village level. With their strong standing in local structures, they facilitate internal discussion of GIZ ideas, fostering local ownership without GIZ presence.

In collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, the ABS Initiative conducted a workshop with around 40 animateurs. Using illustrated cards and role games, they were trained on key issues of valorising biological resources and ABS processes in an interactive, playful way.

The animateurs also developed initial criteria to identify local representatives for upcoming workshops. Over the next three months, they reached around 250 villages, raising awareness, helping communities select around 100 workshop participants. They provided crucial assistance with translating information and actions into local languages.

During the workshops, the animateurs facilitated group activities, led role games, translated, and enabled open, participatory dialogue on genetic resources, traditional knowledge, community needs, effective value chain participation and ABS.

The approach began at the national level, recognising the pivotal role of traditional leadership in community engagement. The National Chamber of Kings and Traditional Chiefs, representing 31 regions and thousands of villages, serves as a key communication channel between communities and the national government, even up to the presidency.

Together with the Ministry of Environment (MINEDDTE), an interactive workshop was held with ten kings to openly analyse the current context and co-design activities to better integrate local communities into the valorisation of biological resources. These sessions were not only informative but essential in shaping a locally grounded and culturally appropriate approach.

With official ministerial backing, the project engaged regional administrative representatives, followed by administrative and traditional authorities in northeastern Côte d’Ivoire, especially near Bouna and Dabakala.

At each level, interactive, participatory methods tailored to local realities were used. Authorities expressed support, shared insights, and provided key contacts. Their involvement enabled direct outreach to communities and laid the foundation for their participation in the value chains on medical plants.

Wewalkele is one of the pilot ESAs, is home to several threatened animal species such as the Thambalaya (Labeo lankae), the Leopard (Panthera pardus), the Fishing cat (Prionailurus vi-verrinus), the Elephant (Elephas maximus), and the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra). Amidst the 125 flora species identified, cane plants grow to be quite tall and dense, are usually located in mud-dy groves, and are extremely thorny. People from the surrounding villages harvest Heen Wewal (Calamus) from Wewelkele using unsustainable means to make handicraft items that often sup-plement their household incomes. Recognizing the role played by the Wewalkele area in biodi-versity and sustenance of ecosystem services, and its potential threats, Divisional Secretariat (DS) and the community members joined hands to safeguard it via the respective Local Management Committee (LMC) in 2018, defining Wewalkele Co-Management Plan. The area was surveyed both socially and physically, demarcated to avoid further encroachment to ensure its conservation targets are met. And, to leave no one behind, the project focused on incentivizing the surrounding community to conserve the ESA while sustaining the economic benefits derived from it by transforming their existing natural resource usage to green jobs by enhancing their skills, facilitating stable market linkages and ultimately promoting the cane industry further. To ensure the sustainability of the community livelihoods, the project also worked towards setting up cane nurseries along with the required replanting facilities and support the village craftsmen to develop craftsmanship on value added products and to link them with marketing networks. The strong partnership with the local government bodies the community and oversight of LMC was the secret to the success of the managing ESA. Communities, natural habitats and biodiversity can co-exist, benefit each other, be protected and thrive, and the Wewalkelaya ESA is evi-dence of that!

This building block highlights the importance of forming strong, collaborative partnerships to achieve meaningful and sustainable grassroots impact. The success of any social enterprise, especially one focused on menstrual health or community wellbeing, depends not only on the product but also on the strength of the networks that support it.

First, by working closely with local partners (such as municipalities, local NGOs, girls' schools, colleges, hostels, and health centers), you can directly engage with the community. These partners help spread awareness about your product, support outreach activities, and even assist in distribution or sales. They also help ensure that the solutions are tailored to the specific cultural, geographic, and economic needs of the area.

Second, being active in national networks, such as the Menstrual Health Management Partner Alliance (MHMPA) Nepal, allows your project to stay aligned with national goals and current discussions. These networks offer a platform for advocacy, peer learning, joint campaigns, and collective problem-solving, enabling you to scale your impact beyond your immediate locality.

Third, building global partnerships opens the door to shared learning and innovation. For example, learning from other initiatives, such as the banana fiber pad project in Cameroon, can help you avoid common mistakes, adopt better technology, and improve your operations through exposure to diverse approaches.

Finally, teaming up with women’s rights organizations is crucial, especially when addressing issues such as menstrual health. These organizations already have strong community relationships, experience in gender-based advocacy, and a trusted presence in the field. Collaborating with them helps you access the right audience more effectively and lends greater legitimacy to your work.

Together, these partnerships enable your enterprise to grow stronger, gain trust, improve outreach, and build long-term sustainability.

Successfully establishing and scaling a social enterprise like a pad factory requires careful coordination with government authorities and strict compliance with legal requirements. This building block focuses on creating a strong foundation by building trust, ensuring legality, and protecting the enterprise from future risks.

The first step involves informing local and national government bodies about your project plans and activities. Regular communication not only builds transparency and trust but also makes it easier to gain support when needed. It ensures that the enterprise is seen as a responsible and contributing part of the country and community development.

Secondly, it is crucial to coordinate with local or provincial offices to confirm that the factory is located appropriately and meets all zoning, operational, and environmental requirements. Early consultation helps avoid future legal complications and promotes smoother project implementation.

Before any physical construction begins, the enterprise must complete all legal steps, such as securing land use permits, building approvals, and environmental clearances. This process prevents future disputes and ensures that the factory is legally protected at every stage.

If the enterprise plans to import machinery or raw materials from abroad (for example, from India and Chaina), it is essential to follow all import rules, including documentation and tax payments. Compliance with import regulations helps avoid customs delays, penalties, and additional operational costs.

Further, to operate legally in the market, the enterprise must register officially and gain approval to sell its products, such as sanitary pads. Official registration enhances the company’s credibility among customers, partners, and regulatory bodies, opening doors to wider distribution opportunities.

Finally, it is critical to insure the factory, machinery, and assets against potential risks like fire, natural disasters, burglary, or other damages. Having appropriate insurance coverage provides financial protection and ensures business continuity even during unforeseen events.

By following these structured steps, the enterprise not only secures its legal standing but also strengthens its reputation, improves sustainability, and creates a solid platform for growth and social impact.

It focused on transforming the initial relationship between the protected area's management and the Artisanal Fishers Social Organizations (OSPAS), which initially acted as defenders of their interests in the face of fears of restrictions on their activities. Through a transparent dialogue process, the scope of management was explained, assuring that artisanal fishing would not be prohibited and that sustainable resource management would be pursued. This helped build trust and change the dynamics of the committee, moving from a defensive posture to active and committed participation, with the members themselves promoting the incorporation of new stakeholders and strengthening the planning and conservation process of the Dorsal de Nasca National Reserve.

In the Sihlwald forest, field names such as ‘Chrebsächerli’ indicate that there must have once been a crayfish population. 

In 2022, as part of his bachelor's thesis at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, environmental engineer Marc Furrer investigated:

• what is known about the historical populations of crayfish in the Sihlwald, 
• whether crayfish currently live in the streams in the Sihlwald and 
• whether the streams in the Sihlwald would be suitable as a potential habitat for crayfish.

He investigated six streams in the northern part of the transition zone of the Sihlwald Nature Discovery Park. Two of the streams analyzed were ruled out because they went dry in summer. Of the remaining four streams, one stream was found to have very good habitat conditions for stone crayfish and white-clawed crayfish: all water parameters have optimal values, the watercourse offers countless hiding places due to the high proportion of dead wood and the nature of the stream bed. Stream obstructions in the lower section prevent the migration of invasive crayfish species and thus offer protection against crayfish plague.

Based on the length of the stream and the habitat quality, a possible population of 647 crayfish was estimated.

The results of this study now served as the basis for the reintroduction of crayfish in the Sihlwald.

Top-level athletes have an important communications platform at their disposal and can lead by example, making them key contributors to the Healthy Waters Alliance’s goals. By using this awareness-raising potential, they can help bring attention to the degradation of freshwater and coastal ecosystems, increase visibility of practical solutions, and drive greater public engagement and action. 

Appointing athlete ambassadors dedicated to the cause strengthens the movement. With the launch of the Healthy Waters Alliance, World Rowing have engaged Christine Cavallo (USA) and Martin Helseth (NOR) as the first World Rowing Healthy Waters Ambassadors, and are now looking to expand this into a global Athlete Ambassador Programme with representatives from each continent.

Athletes inspire action more effectively than generic messages, making initiatives more relatable and engaging. For example, Norwegian Olympian Martin Helseth led a powerful environmental initiative through the World Rowing – WWF Healthy Waters Alliance to inspire action across Norway’s rowing community. The project demonstrated how athletes can effectively engage the public and protect nature by addressing water pollution in the Oslo Fjord. The initiative includes two key phases: 

• Phase 1: Clean-Up Week (3–8 June 2025) – Timed with World Ocean Day, rowing clubs in Oslo conducted seabed dives, shoreline clean-ups, and environmental education to tackle local pollution. 
• Phase 2: Oslo Fjord Restoration Day (23 August 2025) – This phase will focus on habitat restoration and youth involvement, supported by the local NGO Marea.

Helseth’s leadership exemplifies how athlete ambassadors can lead grassroots environmental efforts with global impact, aiming to foster a new generation of nature protectors in rowing and beyond. 

The Healthy Waters Alliance connects the Rowing community with WWF communities worldwide to foster collaboration. Together, they co-create and jointly deliver local projects and initatives that protect and restore healthy waters through awareness and hands-on action, benefiting rowing, communities, and ecosystems. Working with WWF ensures that actions implemented by rowing communities are relevant from a nature conservation perspective. 

 Projects can be initiated by National Rowing Federations, clubs, athletes, event organisers, or WWF local offices. After contacting the Healthy Waters Alliance, through submitting their interest via an online form partners agree on a locally impactful project recognized by the Alliance. These projects focus on community engagement, nature restoration, waste reduction and other areas.  

  The rowing community benefits from the platform through access to educational workshops, working groups, global visibility of local projects, and healthier waters for rowing. In turn, WWF offices gain partners who help raise awareness on the freshwater & coastal ecosystems' crisis and promote solutions, while engaging with event organisers to drive visibility at major rowing events with wide media coverage.