More and more of our grantees are developing creative community projects around sustainability – from upcycling to recycling, swaps and the circular economy. Take a look at these very local sustainability initiatives in the towns of Jaroměř, Ochoz and Teplice.
From start to finish
Every community activity that Tomáš Mrkvica of Jaroměř leads has a singular focal point: sustainability. In 2023, Tomáš was a participant in of the “Community Academy”, Via’s learning program for active citizens. He joined the Community Academy to build further knowledge and skills to help him develop a shared cultural and educational space for young people.
Tomáš founded a circular re-use center called RECYUPCY in Jaroměř. The center helps people look at waste in new ways: not as something to be thrown away, but as material for new creative uses. The center raises awareness about sustainability and the circular economy among children and adults. It holds workshops, features lectures by designers and professionals, arranges internships for students and symposiums for emerging artists, and starting in September there will also be a youth group.
Last year, the center put on a Recycled Design Festival, which was a great success. The event gave visitors an opportunity to learn more about sustainable living, and the chance to try their hand at making something out of ‘trash’. Workshops on linocuts, herbal tea blending and upcycled jewellery making showed how waste materials can be transformed into new products. In addition, visitors were inspired to reflect on their own lifestyles and how they could help protect the environment. The second-annual Recycled Design Festival is already in the planning phase and will be held in Jaroměř on 12 October.
Tomáš’s activities promote creativity, manual dexterity and environmental awareness among different generations in fun and easy ways. And we are delighted to have been able to support him through the Community Academy. The Academy workshops and online learning meetings have given Tomas a new perspective and motivation to continue his efforts. He has been able to expand the center’s work to other regions by giving workshops for other Academy participants from different parts of the Czech Republic.
You don't need a full closet to be happy
Michaela Klennerová is a volunteer at the organization Swap Teplice, which sells donated clothes to support a circular economy by making it easy for people to buy used instead of new. In 2024, Swap Teplice processed over 3 tons of clothes and shoes – and found that with this volume, it had outgrown its current premises. The organization is currently looking for new premises. Ideally, the new site will have enough room for swapping things as well as for meeting spaces, workshops and awareness-raising events about ecology and sustainability. In short, a place for exchanging both things and ideas on how to bring sustainability into everyday life.
There is more to the Re-use principle than just swapping out things you don’t need: it’s also about repairing things that don’t work. At some Swap Teplice events, there is a repairman on site to make small repairs on things visitors bring in. People can also print spare parts for their household appliances. All of the organization’s activities aim to reduce the amount of waste in the city of Teplice and the surrounding area and to motivate people to give their unwanted belongings a second chance instead of throwing them away. The Re-use Center also plans to work with local schools, non-profit organizations and businesses to jointly spread awareness about responsible waste management and recycling.
We have a great gift
Another participant of Via’s Community Academy, Markéta Němčanská, is also concerned with reducing waste, working with local resources and raising awareness about sustainable living. She works with the Forest Circle Association, where she is involved in early childhood education in nature and promoting sustainable living in the local community. Markéta and her friends also organize a number of community-wide events to educate and raise awareness about nature conservation. As Markéta says: “We have a great gift – we live in a place surrounded by forests and nature. Out of gratitude, we also try to promote sustainable living.” The group promotes sharing household objects, a green office and car sharing.
The Forest Circle Association operates a preschool in the forest which offers children a healthy environment for the development of the mind, the imagination and the body. The association is gradually adding other activities to its work: a club for parents with little ones, family events for the public (e.g. gatherings about high-quality children’s literature), a community garden, a woodworking club for preschool and school children, courses and workshops (e.g. a first aid course for children). The group also hold thematic events, such as a Nature Survival Day and Earth Day Weekend, art workshops, and environmental films. Sustainability and awareness are the main thread connecting all of the organization’s activities, both at the forest preschool and in their interactions with the broader community.
About Via's Community Academy
Via Foundation’s Community Academy is a year-long training program launched in 2023 that provides participants with knowledge and skills for local community building. Workshops, mentoring and small grants help participants develop and implement neighborhood improvement plans.
