How long butterflies live depends on many things and varies greatly. It depends on the size of the butterfly, the species of the butterfly, where it lives, and what time of year it became an adult. For example, if the butterfly is of the smaller version, it will probably not live as long, but if it is a larger butterfly, it will live longer. Of course the size of the butterfly is not going to be the only factor of how long a butterfly will live. There is an average life span of a butterfly – it is usually about one month. Although the smallest butterflies that you can usually spot feasting on the flowers in your front yard will usually only live about one week. Mourning Cloaks, some tropical Heliconians, and Monarchs are some of the only butterflies that have an average life span of about nine months. Although their life spans are so short, there is a theory that they have the power to influence the course of the world in a great extent. The “Butterfly Effect” is in fact an exemplary theory that the wings of a butterfly can lead to big events in other places of the world. Assuming that such a phenomenon is real, we may say that small movements can grow as they progress and have a macro-level effect.
The Erasmus + European Voluntary Service project “Butterfly Effect” has been designed with an inspiration from this theory and aims to create small movements, like waves, multiply and create effects elsewhere in the world. Our project is compound of three activities:
1. Activity: It will be a 59-day long activity which will take place in Xylokastro, Greece. There will be 4 volunteers. Objectives:
– Protection of forests and beaches, maintaining the sustainablity of the ecosystem,
– Repairing of pathways, tables, benches and fences in forest and beach,
– Learning Greek langauge and Greek culture.
2. Activity: It will be a 59-day long activity which will take place in Draganu, Romania. There will be 6 volunteers. Objectives:
– Experiencing a technology free life style in the Draganu Camp by interacting with people with scouts, children and young people with the activities such as sports, music, arts, drama, and games,
– Having scouting competences with the scouts in the Draganu Camp,
– Learning Romanian cultura and village life by working collectively with the people in the Draganu Village.
The Article 3 of the Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment says “Man has constantly to sum up experience and go on discovering, inventing, creating and advancing. In our time, man’s capability to transform his surroundings, if used wisely, can bring to all peoples the benefits of development and the opportunity to enhance the quality of life. Wrongly or heedlessly applied, the same power can do incalculable harm to human beings and the human environment. We see around us growing evidence of man-made harm in many regions of the earth: dangerous levels of pollution in water, air, earth and living beings; major and undesirable disturbances to the ecological balance of the biosphere; destruction and depletion of irreplaceable resources; and gross deficiencies, harmful to the physical, mental and social health of man, in the man-made environment, particularly in the living and working environment.” Based on the declaration of the UN, the activities of our 14 volunteers in Xylokastro and Draganu will make us to protect the environment, the sustainability of the ecosystem and the physical and mental health of the humans, to meet children and young people with the conscious of more natural and traditional way of living, and to spread the protection methods that will affect our environmant and next generation to the world like a butterfly effect and carry them to our future.
The Volunteers in Activity 1 in Dhkexe Dhmotikh Epixeirhsh Dhmoy Xylokastroy-Evrostinhs in Xylokastro, Greece:
Erk Özel and Uğur Can Kalkan: 02 August 2019 – 29 September 2019
Erk and Uğur Can took tasks on forest cleaning, beach cleaning, school painting and contributing in environmental festivals of our Greek partner ORFEAS. Both pf them learned and served for the society.
Burak Sarı and Melih Gök: 02 February 2020 – 15 March 2020
Melih and Burak took tasks of cleaning surroundings and forest, taking care of the saplings which will be planted, visits to the nearby villages and organising cultural nights. They were able to learn in a multicultural environment. They were able to realise that the cultural differences are not very big. They saw that the Greek culture is so similar to the Turkish culture.
The Volunteers in Activity 2 in Fundatia Compartir in Draganu, Romania:
İlben Işıdı, Selin Yılmaz and Zeynep Gökgöz: 29 June 2019 – 26 Augus 2019
İlben, Selin and Zeynep taught children English and Spanish words, played educational games and helped them to learn different cultures in the Draganu Youth Camp for 2 months. Also they became friends with the other volunteers from different countries and learned about different cultures.
Sıla Çakır, Onur Akkaya and Candemir Demircan: 20 July 2019 – 12 August 2019
Sıla, Onur and Candemir organised fun acitivities for the children in the Draganu Youth Camp and played games with them for their development.
Volunteers in Activity 3 in Asociatia Forumul Cetatenesc pentru Actiune Sociala si Educatie Civica in Fumureni, Romania:
Polat Kara, Ertuğrul Gazi Aydemir, Funda Karadoğan and Çağlar Uluçay: 5 March – 2 May 2021
The films of Ertuğrul Gazi Aydemir in this activity: