Kenoli & The Global Goals
The Global Goals are a roadmap to achieve a better world by 2030. In 2015, 194 nations adopted the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the “Global Goals.” Each country has agreed to work on these goals and will be held accountable for their results. There are 17 goals that aim to address the world’s most critical environmental, social, economic, and security challenges.
These new goals are unprecedented in that they are:
- Universal: they apply to every country, including Canada
- Integrated: achievement of any of the goals is linked to the achievement of the others
- Aspirational: the goals acknowledge the need to move past “business as usual” models and seek transformative solutions.
How does Kenoli Foundation fit in?
Kenoli is a small foundation that impacts thousands of people each year in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Through the work of our partners in Central America, Kenoli is contributing to the global effort in the following ways:
Goal 1 – End poverty in all its forms.
Kenoli works with the most vulnerable people in Central America to alleviate poverty and hunger.
Goal 2 – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.
From family gardens, saving seeds, diversifying crops, adding organic compost, teaching about healthy nutrition, many Kenoli partners work in sustainable agriculture, food security and healthy nutrition for the whole family.
Goal 3 – Ensure healthy lives and promote the well-being of all at all ages.
Kenoli partners work to prevent and alleviate child malnutrition and to promote healthy pregnancy. Communities organize health fairs to share information and provide medical tests, otherwise not available.
Goal 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
Kenoli works to build capacity and strengthen resiliency. Learning workshops are key components of the methodology of all Kenoli partners and some partners support early childhood development so that girls and boys are ready for primary education.
Goal 5 – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
Gender equality impacts achievement of the other SDGs. Kenoli works to empower women and girls, and improve the lives of the most vulnerable. In addition, women play important leadership roles in most projects.
Goal 6 – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Safe and affordable drinking water is crucial for life. Many Kenoli partners work in keeping drinking water safe, teaching proper hygiene and ensuring good sanitation.
Goal 12 – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Reduction of waste, healthy sustainable consumption, recycling and reuse are promoted. For example, pop bottles filled with sand or old tires act as barriers for many family gardens.
Goal 13 – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Rural farmers are severely affected by droughts or floods. If their crops fail, they do not eat. Kenoli partners implement adaptive measures to strengthen resilience of such climate related hazards.
Goal 15 – Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
All work on family and collective gardens involves enriching the soil with organic compost, increasing biodiversity, and taking care of mother earth. In addition, reforestation efforts prevent soil erosion.
Goal 16 – Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
Some of Kenoli partners work in the area of human rights and justice. They defend indigenous rights, and protect human rights defenders even in dangerous situations. They expose corruption and advocate for accountable and transparent institutions.
Kenoli is working together with countless others around the world to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals to achieve a better world for all!