The Soneva Fushi by Six Senses property has partnered with a Maldivian-based NGO, Sports and Environmental Efforts of Kendhoo (SEEK), to launch an atoll-wide campaign aimed at educating locals to use cloth bags as an alternative to plastic shopping bags.

Soneva Fushi and SEEK have co-designed the marketing campaign to teach locals about the detrimental effect that plastic bags can have on the surrounding eco-system.

Soneva Fushi will also donate around 3,000 reusable natural cotton bags to households in the region and will support SEEK to lead an atoll-wide initiative that brings together key stakeholders and other environmental groups.

The campaign will cover a total of 13 islands in the Baa Atoll, an estimated 300 households and more than 11,000 individuals by the end of 2009. Campaign leaders hope to reach out to more regions in the Maldives and potentially run a nationwide campaign in 2010.

The initiative is part of the Six Senses’ group-wide Social Environmental Responsibility Fund (SERF), which actively promotes environmental awareness in a range of local communities. Details: sixsenses.com