Major Events and Achievements of the “Ecotelephone”

September 1996 — the “Ecotelephone” Hot Line was established by the initiative of “MAMA-86” and WEN organisation (Woman Environmental Network, UK) with financial support of the Charity Know How Fund, the Lien/TASIC Programme and Lottery (Community) Fund.

May 1997 — a presentation of the “Ecotelephone” Hot Line was held in a joyful, creative atmosphere of a theatrical festival on the Kyiv city streets. Actors and performers of the Circus, Youth Theatre, young dancer and musicians participated in the presentation-festival. Under the presentation “MAMA-86”:

• provided consultation on environmental state in the city;
• conducted an environmental exhibition of national producers;
• organised a celebratory concert;
• performed an environmentally oriented fairy tale for the youngest participants;
• held a press-conference for mass media.

1996—1998 — the “Ecotelephone” informational service in Kyiv was the only one in Ukraine.

1999 — launching nation-wide activities of the project in five cities of Ukraine, namely: Odesa, Sebastopol, Artemivsk, Tatarbounary (Odeska oblast), and Ternopil.

2000 — extending the network of member-city, launching pilot projects in another five cities.

May 2000 — the presentations of the “Ecotelephone” opening were held in Yaremche, Nizhyn, Kharkiv, Mariupol and Dnipropetrovsk .

December 2000—February 2001 — a National Children's Drawings Competition “Environment as Seen by Children” was held within the framework of “Ecotelephone” Program. The best children's drawings illustrated a booklet “Be Careful: Persistent Organic Pollutants!” designed by activists of “MAMA-86”.

Every year the travelling “Ecotelephone” works with children and adults and representatives of communities in a summer camp organised by “MAMA-86”.

Experience Exchange

Cooperation with foreign colleges. The numerous hot lines are very popular and of different varieties in the World. During working visits to Grate Britain representatives of “MAMA-86”, supported by “UNED-UK”, got the opportunity to become acquainted with activities of different environmental NGOs and hot lines, learn and exchange experience, attend workshops, contact with mass media and different companies.

Training delivering . Trainings aimed at experience exchange, raising the level of knowledge, improving working skills, familiarizing with the project's achievements and progress were carried out among the teams of hot lines during the “Ecotelephone” project implementation.

Know-How. During 2000-2001 representatives of the Milieukontakt Oost-Europa (the Netherlands ) studied “MAMA-86” experience and invited activists for assisting in arrangement of a similar project “Green Phone” in Belarus . Three training-seminars on forming and arranging of a team and launching the hot line “Green Phone”- Belarus were carried out within the framework of cooperation. Working version of the informational database of the “Ecotelephone” project was handed over to the teams of Belarus environmental help lines for successful beginning. A special technical training on obtaining the skills of the database maintenance was delivered for future instructors.

Owning to joint potentials and efforts of many people and organizations, the number of hot lines increased. Citizens are able to obtain the qualified, correct and comprehensive assistance in different environmental matters that enables them to raise level of environmental awareness, develop practices of decision-making and environmental actions and promote improvement of environment, human health and well-being for the quick transition of Ukraine to sustainable development.