Main Activities of “MAMA-86”

“Drinking Water in Ukraine” Campaign aims at raising public awareness on water quality and its influence on health; supporting in resolving drinking water problems at the local level; and involving public in solving these problems.

The idea to initiate the project was originated in 1997 during the discussions of urgent health and environmental problems in Ukraine by the summer-camp participants. It was found out that drinking water quality concerns people from all regions of country. Currently project unites 11 regional branches of “MAMA-86”. The project participants develop and put into practice different pilot projects in the field of water supply, rational water use, improvement of drinking water quality, and protection of water sources, etc. Gained experience becomes the common property both “MAMA-86” branches and all interested NGOs, governmental, scientific and business institutions.

“Ecotelephone” Project provides public with access to reliable environmental information and correlation between quality of environment and human health. Informational service, established under the project, provides consultations on healthy life-style, and environmental rights of the Ukrainian citizens. “Ecotelephone” consultants and experts work in 11 cities of Ukraine. The Kyiv “Ecotelephone” service has a greatest experience receiving up to ten calls daily and answering on average on 4-5 inquiries per call.

Computer health diagnostic is a medical diagnostic of all organs and systems of human organism. Starting with 1995 about 2000 children from low-income families were diagnosed free of charge by the Fall method. Based on the diagnostic data patients received primary medical recommendations.

Kyiv-2003 Project aims at providing Ukrainian citizens with possibility to influence on development of European environmental policy. The Fifth “Environment for Europe” Conference — event of international importance that jointed together environmental ministers from Europe and CIS, including participants from USA, Canada and influential international organizations — took place in Kyiv on May 2003. Starting from 2001 “MAMA-86” in cooperation with All-Ukrainian Coalition of Environmental NGOs “Alter-Eco” and Stakeholder Forum for Our Common Future (UK) implemented “Kyiv-2003” Project under the preparation for the Conference. This work was focus on involvement of public in discussion of the issues not on the Conference Agenda, and raising public awareness on environmental problems of Europe and Northern Eurasia. 56 local and regional NGOs promoted the project idea and provided communities and public groups, lacking in own organisations and communicational facilities, with access to participation in the “Environment for Europe” process.

Environmental policy — an activity that is oriented on protection of interests of Ukrainian citizens, NGOs at the local, national and international levels, lobbying the decisions contributing in development of civil society, introducing the principles of sustainable development in Ukraine. “MAMA-86” cooperates with legislative and governmental authorities, international organisations and projects. Organisation is a member of Public Council at the Ministry of Environment of Ukraine and National Organisational Committee on Preparation for Ministerial Conference; actively participated in preparation and holding of the First and Second National Conferences of environmental NGOs, preparation and holding of the public hearings on the Law of Ukraine on “Drinking Water Drinking Water Supply”, etc.

A Summer Camp activity aimed at experience exchange and cooperation between Ukrainian NGOs. Around 40 activists of “MAMA-86” network and related organisations get together every summer in environmentally healthy areas of Ukraine with the purpose to discuss the environmental/health protection problems and formulate the joint approaches for their resolving. The Summer Camp clearly demonstrates “MAMA-86” principles of real empowerment of women for participation in social life. The Camp participants are not faced with a choice between participation in discussion and the need to improve their children's health as they come to the camp with mothers and are taken care of by tutors and instructors who hold classes in a unique environmental summer school.

Training on informational technologies: assistance for representatives of NGOs in obtaining and improvement of skills in using informational and communicational technologies.

Environmental health action plans (EHAPs). A series of different projects focused on public involvement in development and discussion of EHAPs at national and local levels. These plans are powerful tool for joining different sector of society for elaboration and implementation of environmental policy. National Environmental Health Action Plan was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and local plans for Kyiv, Nizhyn and Sebastopol also got official support and currently under way.