Non-Governmental Organization

Südwind is an Austrian non-profit organisation operating in the fields of global education, adult education, campaigning and public awareness-raising. They develop creative methods and ideas for education work for a better North-South understanding. They have already different experiences with EU-funded programmes. To a large extent the projects of Südwind are funded by the Federal Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Federal Ministry for Education, Science and Culture.

The main activities of Südwind are:

• Global Education: Seminars and Training, Programmes for teachers and multipliers, Production of Materials (Exhibitions, Workshops, Print-Materials), Network of Global Education Centres in Austria, International School and NGO Networks, Global Education Week
• Public Awareness: Campaigns: ,,Bitter Orange" (1997/1998), ,,Clean Clothes-Campaign" (1998/1999, since 2001), ,,Project Secure" (since 2001), ,,Fair Trade" (since 2001), co-operation with media and public events
• Südwind-Magazine: An Information-Magazine about: South-North-interdependencies, poverty and welfare, the world's cultures, a global future

Networking of asylum and refugee policy initiatives

The association "Schulwälder für Westafrika e. V." (School Forests for West Africa) - together with the "Youth and Environment Club" in Ghana - works for the preservation of the rainforest and for a climate-friendly and healthy environment. In order to inspire pupils in Germany and Ghana for nature and its protection, the association arranges partner schools between the two countries. In this way, pupils and teachers from Germany and Ghana can work together for the forest/rainforest. Practical action promotes sustainability education and a sense of responsibility for people in other countries. In addition, pupils learn to dedicate themselves to a project in the long term. While pupils in Ghana plant and maintain trees for shady places in their schoolyards with the motto "solar lamps/ football as an incentive for tree planting", pupils in Germany start tree planting in different places. In connection with global learning, the pupils can exchange information about the living conditions in the respective other country, e.g. these topics: Climate protection (tree planting/forestation of the forest or rainforest/tree nursery), biodiversity (animals and plants), energy (solar lamps with the possibility of charging the mobile phone), health and poverty (solar lamps instead of paraffin lamps), education (computer centre in Nyakrom, environmental education materials for primary schools), climate (including seasons), consumption of resources (trees as firewood), conservation of resources (chains made of recycled paper), consumption (clothing, food and housing), children's rights.