Winners

Initiative:  Endlessly Green
Organization: Endlessly Green
Country: India
Facebook: @SavitaHiremath
@endlesslygreen.india
Twitter: @SavitaHiremath
Website: www.savitahiremath.com

Endlessly Green is an environmental blog run by former journalist Savita Hiremath. It offers end-to-end integrated solutions to problems of the environment with a focus on source segregation, composting organic gardening and food safety, among others. To support her awareness and advocacy efforts online, she holds public meetings and interactions with government and other stakeholders to create consciousness around efficient solid waste management.

Endless Green leverages social media well, particularly Facebook, to reach out to a wider audience and awaken the conscious of citizens to lead environmentally sustainable lives. The Facebook page also shares best practices from around the world to encourage solid waste management and efficient energy consumption, besides low-cost alternatives to activities that harm the environment. Most recently, Endlessly Green were made available to readers via WhatsApp through a dedicated group where members discuss composting at a large scale and alternate solutions for a healthier environment. The success of the blog invited Greenpeace to pick the author, Savita, to promote composting pan-India in October 2017 and host a workshop for influencers in Mumbai.

Initiative: Aurat Raaj (Women Rulers)
Organization: Aurat Raaj
Country: Pakistan
Facebook: @auratraaj
@raajitheultimatesurvivor
Twitter: @auratraaj
Website: www.auratraaj.com

Aurat Raaj is a feminist platform in Pakistan that inspires and educates girls and women through innovative digital content in an effort to deliver progressive ideas about women empowerment. Through blogs, videos, workshops, mobile screenings, chatbots and an animated character called Raaji, it addresses issues of self-defence, body confidence, consent, reporting abuse, seeking help for harassment, hygiene, reproductive health and sex. These are topics that educators, parents and often even siblings do not consider important enough to discuss or feel too shy to discuss.

Aurat Raaj uses social media channels, particularly Facebook and Twitter, to share news and updates about the conditions, problems and successes of Pakistani women; to share progress of their initiatives; to find a wider audience for their articles and videos; to recruit writers, volunteers and other human resources; to share career and educational opportunities for girls and women; and to highlight and celebrate role models and mentors, among other things. This has motivated to hundreds of girls to build confidence, and even discuss their health, hugiene and body issues in a safe private communication.