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Description
PyrAnakampsi project addresses Outcomes 1 and 3, viz., Increased Citizen Participation in Civic Activities, and Enhanced Capacity of Civil Society. The project focuses on under-served geographic areas and communities impacted or endangered by wildfires, responding to calls from local authorities and communities for support and advice concerning their deliberations with officials and their future prospects.
In 2021 wildfires destroyed 55.000 sq klm in upland Larnaca and Limassol, preceded by earlier fires in Morfou and Halevga. Unless aware of the broader effects of erosion, biodiversity loss, and climate change, speedy recovery actions may harm long-term prospects for residents, productive lands, and ecosystems. PyrAnakampsi aims to provide both GC and TC communities, and CSOs, with an understanding of these impacts; to empower them by developing their capacities to engage with authorities and influence decisions that affect their community and their heritage; and to upscale volunteer skills to deal practically with the area.
Laona Foundation, with 29 years’ experience in community involvement, leads; partnered by Cyprus Environmental Initiative (CEI), a TC informal group, active in environmental and community engagement. The project will offer its expertise to three cooperating CSOs: Phoenix, an action group formed after the fires; the volunteers of Plant 300k Trees, and KEMA (Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion) established by TC foresters. It will also address youth groups, Apodimi, and local leaders. ‘PyrΑnankampsi’ will deliver active local communities understanding sustainability issues, enhanced NGOs, and volunteers trained for fire-prone areas.
Summary of project results
The PyrAnakampsi Project-Alevlerden Geleceğe (2022-2024) worked with 11 fire-stricken communities, eight in the Republic and three in northern Cyprus. The Project aim was to strengthen and empower the residents, so as to participate more actively in the future development of their communities, on the basis of sustainable actions that would alleviate social disparity. The participating communities were Agii Vavatsinias, Akapnou, Arakapas, Vavatsinia, Eptagonia, Ora, Odou, Salamiou, Agios Epiktitos/Catalköy, Agios Amvrosios/Esentepe and Vassilia/ Karşıyaka. We cooperated with the informal TC group, Cyprus Environmental Initiative, CEI.
The key elements of the project were the identification of ‘hidden’ assets (natural/cultural heritage); the conduct of a SWOT analysis in cooperation with each community, to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats; the production of a report with maps for each village on its potential; and the strengthening of local capacities on matters relevant to their future and to fire-recovery. We started with the planning and implementation of an awareness campaign, to familiarize the beneficiaries with the project’s aims and familiarize our project team with the local situation, its assets and shortcomings. Thereafter, we moved into the essence of our project’s engagement with the communities, conducting SWOT analyses in each one, preparing recommendations, implementing capacity-building initiatives and mentoring sessions for residents and apodimi. During these contacts three villages, Agii Vavatsinias in Larnaca, Salamiou in Paphos and Agios Epiktitos in Kyrenia, showed their potential to move forward with other projects in due course, so they were provided with additional information, guidance and encouragement. Our TC collaborator secured a study visit through Grow Civic, to observe how rural communities in Germany prepared for fire incidents. Laona assisted, and will continue to assist, the local authority of Agii Vavatsinias to apply for a Cy-Eu-funded project.
Among the risks foreseen, was not completing our work, or not being able to present it to the Bi-communal Technical Committees, because for political reasons their activity was limited. An unforeseen risk was three unexpected deaths, two in cooperating GC communities, and one of our TC team leader, all of which impacted on our work. Nevertheless, the project was completed on time, but we were not able to carry out the SWOT sessions in the three TC villages planned to be conducted by our TC leader.
The project engaged 798 residents directly through community meetings, workshops, and training sessions. It introduced SWOT analyses (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) in seven Greek Cypriot villages, allowing 151 participants to voice their concerns and ideas for recovery. To support local skills, 75 individuals attended capacity-building workshops on sustainable land use, fire prevention, and project planning. Hands-on activities included dry-stone walling workshops (with 195 meters of walls built) and tree-planting sessions (with 379 trees and shrubs planted). The project also promoted bi-communal cooperation, organizing seven joint initiatives, including a bi-communal dry-stone walling workshop with 39 participants and a tree-planting event with 34 attendees.
The project surpassed its goals, engaging 798 residents, far exceeding the 400-person target. It strengthened civic participation, with 196 volunteers trained in practical sustainability skills. Through social media and its website, the project reached 9,994 people. Additionally, nine Memorandum of Understandig (MoUs) were signed with NGOs and local authorities, ensuring continued collaboration. The project empowered communities to take ownership of their future—residents in Salamiou and Agii Vavatsinias have already started new initiatives. Bi-communal engagement was also reinforced, leading to further cooperation and shared environmental projects.