In 2018, TT recorded one of the worst instances of flooding in recent history. Entire communities were submerged and countless families displaced.

Since then, TT officials, from local government to ministries, have been brainstorming short- and long-term solutions to the problem. While the floods of 2018 were unprecedented, they were not an isolated incident. Flooding continues to be a problem for many residents, more often those who live in hillside and riverside communities.

The IAMovement, a non-profit organisation founded in 2014, has developed an eco-friendly solution that it believes, if implemented across the country, can significantly reduce the impact of flooding in these communities.

Under the Me-We-Green programme, the IAMovement has developed the Vetiver Education and Empowerment Project (VEEP) model, which it is bringing to communities across TT to educate people on how to use the vetiver system as a low-cost green infrastructure tool. It believes the system can be the solution to a range of water-related challenges.

The Me-We-Green programme is also supported by the Green Fund, the national environmental fund. The Green Fund is a grant facility available to organisations engaged in environmental projects related to key areas including reforestation, conservation, and environmental education and public awareness of environmental issues …