Otesha showing youngsters how to live 'sustainably'

The 13-member group known as ‘Rising Tide’ began the day with a comedy skit that emphasized choices and the student’s ability to have a positive or negative impact on global problems.

Students were made aware that they could contribute to child labor, exploitation of people and land, pollution and climate change or contribute to alternative fair trade, sustainable agriculture and emissions-free bicycle transportation by the choices they made.

These global issues were connected with students’ everyday actions from getting ready for school, preparing lunches, transportation, buying coffee and clothes.

The performance of called ‘Morning Choices’ focused on re-evaluating student’s daily choices to show the kind of future they’d like to see

Otesha team member Tracey Guptill said the group is committed to getting the message of sustainable living across to students. “Each member of the team is a sustainability advocate,” said Guptill. “As we cycle through Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, we have to demonstrate the positive effects our everyday choices can have and inspire people to be the change they wish to see in the world.”

Fellow team member Finn Upham said that students could start making small daily choices that will gradually lead into larger ones. “Our transportation is cycling and we eat a vegetarian diet which is organic as much as possible,” Upham said. “These two choices encourage students to start small and become empowered as opposed to being apathetic to the whole idea of sustaining our future.”

Upham said Weymouth Consolidated School is doing a great job at recycling and composting and the students were interested in what the Otesha group is about. “Cycling around the province amazed students and teachers alike,” she added.

Otesha is Swahili for ‘reason to dream’ and the project, born out of Kenya in 2002, mobilized youth to create local and global change through daily consumer choices.

The Otesha Project for young people aged 18-30 has been conducting bike tours all over Canada since 2003 with teams performing plays and offering workshops on sustainability and social justice.

Rising Tide’s autumn tour began in Halifax on Sept. 2 with team members cycling along the South Shore, around through to the Annapolis Valley, on to Truro and up to Amherst.

The team heads off to Fredericton and ends its tour in Saint John on Oct. 27.

Team member Kevin Cooper said the response to their performances and workshops has been enthusiastic. “We have received a positive and enthusiastic response so far,” he said. “The crowds are diverse and inquisitive and ‘Oteshifying’ seems to be widely encouraged.” ‘Rising Tide’ spent Thursday night ‘camping’ at the Digby Wesleyan Church before heading off to Annapolis Royal the next morning for a performance.

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