Cochin Adventure Foundation
TARGET: To promote awareness of environment protection, undertake Nature conservation and to initiate members and those interested into trekking.
ORIGIN : The Cochin Adventure Foundation (CAF) is a Kochi-based adventure club which has taken up the mission of promoting various kinds of Nature-friendly, wildlife-related activities. CAF is an organisation open to Naturelovers and to those who have a penchant for wildlife camps and trekking. The Cochin Adventure Foundation was formed around two years back on an Independence day. With a pan-Kerala presence, the Foundation is run by a council of 25 members and has more than 2000 followers and a team of more than 100 dedicated volunteers. It’s also the first online trekking community in the state.
ACTIVITIES: The Cochin Adventure Foundation undertakes a host of Nature-based activities. The celebration of wildlife week, trekking, organising wildlife camps, study classes, training on varied ecological affairs are just some of them. In a short span of two years, the Foundation has put up as many as 40 programmes which include some for children, wildlife awareness and Nature camps. “We were one of the first to organise a discussion on the highly debated Gadgil Report in the city,” says Naushad. K. Moideen, secretary of the Foundation.
The Foundation is into concept-trekking in a big way. They have successfully organised monsoon and rail trekking to various locations in Kerala and Goa. One-day trekking, river rafting, discussions on environment issues, classes on disaster management, social awareness events commemorating World Forest Day, World Environment Day and World Water Day, initiatives like afforestation programme in collaboration with the Forest Department and blood donation camps have remained the mainstay of the Foundation.
As a socially responsible and committed organisation, CAF has undertaken several programmes to express their solidarity with eco-sensitive issues. Moreover, they have also initiated events to better the lives of underprivileged and deprived people. Since acquiring a formal structure, CAF has been celebrating Children’s Day in an out-of-the-box format. Last year they took children from a city orphanage to places like Kodanad and Kaprikad for a one-day trip and this year they have scheduled a programme where renowned wildlife photographer N.A. Naseer will interact with children of a government school on the outskirts of the city. This year, the members of the Foundation made Onam celebrations memorable by joining the inmates of an old age home in the city.
The Cochin Adventure Foundation has been able to retain its buoyancy despite all odds and their upcoming programmes include a four-day trek to Kulathoopuzha forest range next month and talks are on to undertake a project in one of the national parks in Kerala. Depending on the abilities and fitness of members, trekking programmes of the Foundation have been classified into three – soft, medium and hard. Women, children and novices are included in the first category while the more experienced find their way into the ‘medium’ segment and the seasoned trekkers are accommodated in the uppermost segment. Notably, thanks to the necessary caution taken by the organisers, the events have been free of mishaps.
IMPACT: Through continuous and innovative programmes, Cochin Adventure Foundation has been able to effectively highlight and sensitise its members to the importance of protecting the environment in general and wildlife in particular.
GETTING IN TOUCH: To know more about the Cochin Adventure Foundation and their wildlife-related programmes call 9961631096 (Secretary), 9048328063 (President), Email:cochinadventure@gmail.com, Website: www.cochinadventure.org
