A few weeks ago I posted on Volunteer Match and Idea List an ad for a volunteer translator. Our needs for translators comes and goes, so we like to keep several folks "on call" so when something comes up we can pass it out to our team. Over the years volunteers come and go, and I noticed we really needed some new expertise in this area.
The Internet really amazes me. From this simple request my inbox has been overflowing with interest. Over the past week or so I have spoken with folks in Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Washington DC, Minnesota, Mexico City, San Francisco, and the list goes on!
What I find truly amazing is the talent and skills these folks all have and how they might be able to contribute to our work in many ways. For example, One gentleman is an expert in Biology, and would like to help us with reforestation, and forest cover analysis, Another woman is a expert in Marketing (and lives in Mexico City).
Now the challenge is Stan and I is to incorporate their passion and expertise to keep us moving forward.
In addition, over the past few months I posted opportunities for Mechanical Engineering - CAD design help , and another post for "digital media" (video) help. Again, the results have left me amazed with the interest and talent these folks are bringing to us.
We look forward to working with all our new volunteers and exploring new opportunities they help us discover.
Showing posts with label Volunteer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Volunteer. Show all posts
Friday, January 16, 2015
Friday, June 10, 2011
Seattle University Students in Free Enterprise join our efforts
I am pleased to announce that the student group from Seattle University Students in Free Enterprise have joined our team. This student team will help us in a wide range of activities, including social venture enterprise business plan development, expanding our impact in Oaxaca by helping build more Family Ecosystems. Over the next few months we will work together to develop a joint strategy to both maximize their learning opportunities and increase our delivery of services in Oaxaca.
Over the coming weeks we will introduce these fine dedicated students and outline their area of focus.
Over the coming weeks we will introduce these fine dedicated students and outline their area of focus.
Monday, June 14, 2010
EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WORLD.
KOREA.
South Korea is, in many ways, a model of reforestation for the rest of the world. When the Korean War ended, half a
century ago, the mountainous country was quite deforested. Since 1960, under the dedicated direction of President Park
Chung Hee, the South Korean government put into effect a national reforestation effort. Basing itself on the formation of
rural cooperatives, hundreds of thousands of people mobilized themselves to dig irrigation ditches and create terraces to
help the trees in the arid mountains. Today, the forests cover 65 percent of the country, an area that comes to
approximately 6 million hectares. When I drove through South Korea in November of 2000, I found it gratifying to see the
abundance of trees covering the mountains, which a generation ago were naked.
www.ecogaia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=306:recuperar-los-bosques-con-elcambio-de-habitos&catid=3:noticias-y-articulos&Itemid=4
NIGERIA.
In Nigeria, the farmers who encountered a serious drought and the desertification of the 1980s, began, while they were
preparing the land for their crops, to allow some acacia shoots that grew in their fields to emerge. When those trees
matured, they reduced the wind velocity, and with that, soil erosion. Acacia, a pulse, fixes enriched nitrogen into the soil
and contributes to increased crop yield. During the dry season, the leaves and the pods supply forage for livestock. The
trees also provide the farmers with firewood. This act of allowing 20-150 shoots per hectare to grow to maturity over
about 3 million hectares has revitalized the agricultural community of Nigeria.
DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE USA.
http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/las-10-tendencias-mas-prometedoras/1480
ONE-EYED ARGENTINE DEER.
COSTA RICA AND THE IRIS.
www.tendencias21.net/innovacion/Papel-de-lirio-un-ejemplo-de-innovacion-para-la-sostenibilidadosustentabilidad_a16.html
USING THE IRIS
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2007/10/18/index.php?section=sociedad&article=045n1soc
www.pym.org/.../ewg/ gaviotas/200506image001b.jpg
www.yesmagazine.org/.../ 33/6_Gaviotas_wind.jpg
www.revistavirtualpro.com/.../ ejemplo.jpg
www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/espanol/buildings/gbsstoc.shtml
www.encolombia.com/medicina/materialdeconsulta/Admon_Salud/Hospital_Autosuficiente.htm
KOREA.
South Korea is, in many ways, a model of reforestation for the rest of the world. When the Korean War ended, half a
century ago, the mountainous country was quite deforested. Since 1960, under the dedicated direction of President Park
Chung Hee, the South Korean government put into effect a national reforestation effort. Basing itself on the formation of
rural cooperatives, hundreds of thousands of people mobilized themselves to dig irrigation ditches and create terraces to
help the trees in the arid mountains. Today, the forests cover 65 percent of the country, an area that comes to
approximately 6 million hectares. When I drove through South Korea in November of 2000, I found it gratifying to see the
abundance of trees covering the mountains, which a generation ago were naked.
www.ecogaia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=306:recuperar-los-bosques-con-elcambio-de-habitos&catid=3:noticias-y-articulos&Itemid=4
NIGERIA.
In Nigeria, the farmers who encountered a serious drought and the desertification of the 1980s, began, while they were
preparing the land for their crops, to allow some acacia shoots that grew in their fields to emerge. When those trees
matured, they reduced the wind velocity, and with that, soil erosion. Acacia, a pulse, fixes enriched nitrogen into the soil
and contributes to increased crop yield. During the dry season, the leaves and the pods supply forage for livestock. The
trees also provide the farmers with firewood. This act of allowing 20-150 shoots per hectare to grow to maturity over
about 3 million hectares has revitalized the agricultural community of Nigeria.
DIFFERENT PLACES IN THE USA.
http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/las-10-tendencias-mas-prometedoras/1480
ONE-EYED ARGENTINE DEER.
COSTA RICA AND THE IRIS.
www.tendencias21.net/innovacion/Papel-de-lirio-un-ejemplo-de-innovacion-para-la-sostenibilidadosustentabilidad_a16.html
USING THE IRIS
http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2007/10/18/index.php?section=sociedad&article=045n1soc
www.pym.org/.../ewg/ gaviotas/200506image001b.jpg
www.yesmagazine.org/.../ 33/6_Gaviotas_wind.jpg
www.revistavirtualpro.com/.../ ejemplo.jpg
www.smartcommunities.ncat.org/espanol/buildings/gbsstoc.shtml
www.encolombia.com/medicina/materialdeconsulta/Admon_Salud/Hospital_Autosuficiente.htm
Monday, May 24, 2010
Board meeting notes 22 May 2010
We held a Board meeting on Saturday afternoon May 22 to bring everyone in the organization up to speed on our progress and our challenges. We had several members joined in person and a few more on the conference call. Stan and I went over the history of the past year, including an overview of our two trips to Oaxaca. We then spoke about the challenges and opportunities we are currently facing in trying to implement our sustainable sewage treatment system. We hope to have a major announcement about this project in a month or so.
The conversation then moved to how to reshape our board and acquire more board members who are more experienced in nonprofit management and fundraising, along with more representation from the Hispanic community. In addition, we are working on an overall marketing strategy, and a strategy to increase our sphere of influence with our donors and their friends. Our goal is help our current donors to help us expand our network of supporters.
The conversation then moved to how to reshape our board and acquire more board members who are more experienced in nonprofit management and fundraising, along with more representation from the Hispanic community. In addition, we are working on an overall marketing strategy, and a strategy to increase our sphere of influence with our donors and their friends. Our goal is help our current donors to help us expand our network of supporters.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Wednesday- Firday update
Link fixed to our water testing You Tube.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A day of meetings first with Juan Jose of INSO. He gave us a crash course in Oaxacan politics 101. It was an intense time but helpful for understanding how and where we need to go from here. The second was with Erik Martinez Torres from UABJO in which he gave us some preliminary results of the water-testing. The third was a lunch meeting with Kaki Kamman and Augustin of ProMexico, a volunteer organization which plugs Americans into various work projects and seeks out opportunities for indigenous women to sell products.
We had dinner at a place around the corner from Rosalinda’s and invited Francine (from Nova Scotia via New Westminster B.C.) to accompany us. She gave us the lowdown on how well the Canadian health care system works compared with that of the US. We then walked home to bed.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
We spent the morning at the “office.” Yesterday and today we were “lucky” to get “fresh” mango from the local fruit lady. Tonight we meet with the town council of elders from Santo Domingo Barrio Bajo Etla to ask their ideas for Operations and Maintenance of whatever sewage treatment plant is built, and to let them know that we (WFH) and INSO are here to help them navigate the political landscape. We have a unique opportunity to implement a project from grassroots (bottom up) support. One of our near term goals is to formally engage State and Federal agencies such that this example can be shown to work in situations where the local municipal politics are in-effective at moving things forward.
The Council of Elders Meeting
The meeting with the town elders was very encouraging. There were 9 members present. The discussion covered many aspects off of implementing a solution to the defunct treatment plant. After listening to them we focused on how to provide ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M). This is one of many aspects that have to be considered as part of the package, whatever plan is adopted.
Maria started the meeting by doing a great introduction of WFH, how we “landed in Santo Domingo,” and the ongoing communications we have had over the past few months.
The council is hungry for an answer to the defunct treatment plant. For some background of how things normally work down here, when a city has an idea or requirement for a treatment system, a long line of consultants and engineering firms come and “sell” there product as it will solve all their problems. From what we can determine these are just “sales pitches” in that the proposals do not appear to be designed for the specific community. The proposals do not have the proper background engineering data to design a solution or determine the proper technology. Given this, in the beginning of the meeting the council wanted to “see” our proposal (technology, schedule and cost). We stressed that in order to define a scope of work the proper background engineering must be completed, as without good effluent data (volume, chemical makeup and nominal and peak flow) one can’t properly design a system that will work. We stressed that with Maria’s help we now have a site survey (topographic map). We have just completed a 5-day water testing process in which we hope to have the results of the 5 basic chemical properties needed to define the effluent. In addition we need to better understand the nominal and peak flow of the effluent. Once the council members understood this, they were excited to know that whatever we propose as a technology solution will actually work! They also stressed they did not want to “be an experiment,” i.e. they want a solution that has a track record of working.
The meeting then changed focus to discuss the difficult task of both stressing the importance of O&M and how it can be implemented. Everyone agreed that a solution for the O&M is a key part of any solution, as they have seen (way too many times) that systems get built, break, and stop functioning due to the lack of O&M. We discussed ways to generate revenue including: taxing municipal water used, “selling” the system output water, Hydroponics, Aquaculture, and “humanure” as compost. Everyone was impressed that we followed through and are committed to helping Santo Domingo come up with a sustainable solution to this issue. From this meeting Maria will be setting up a follow-up meeting with and some Etla Government officials early next week to introduce ourselves and our project ideas. The meeting ended around 10 pm. In the local style, the elders formally invited us to a breakfast and to peruse the weekly Sunday market day in Santo Domingo. Nelly drove us back to Rosalinda’s in a torrential downpour.
February 5, 2010, Friday
We met together to debrief after the meeting last night and came up with some strategies to come along side the community to support them in this project. We met with Carlos Placencia to get organized for the Oaxaca Water Forum that Stan, Rick, and Nelly will present the project at next Friday. The forum is a collaboration between Federal, State and local agencies along with communities in the state of Oaxaca. This is a place of great exchange of ideas and information. There will also be a guided tour of the Botanical Garden. The forum has continued even with many changes in administrative governments and gives everyone a voice. After a quick lunch we inte3rviewed a potential Civil Engineer who is interested in our project.
Finally, it is the WEEKEND and Saturday is a full day off :)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A day of meetings first with Juan Jose of INSO. He gave us a crash course in Oaxacan politics 101. It was an intense time but helpful for understanding how and where we need to go from here. The second was with Erik Martinez Torres from UABJO in which he gave us some preliminary results of the water-testing. The third was a lunch meeting with Kaki Kamman and Augustin of ProMexico, a volunteer organization which plugs Americans into various work projects and seeks out opportunities for indigenous women to sell products.
We had dinner at a place around the corner from Rosalinda’s and invited Francine (from Nova Scotia via New Westminster B.C.) to accompany us. She gave us the lowdown on how well the Canadian health care system works compared with that of the US. We then walked home to bed.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
We spent the morning at the “office.” Yesterday and today we were “lucky” to get “fresh” mango from the local fruit lady. Tonight we meet with the town council of elders from Santo Domingo Barrio Bajo Etla to ask their ideas for Operations and Maintenance of whatever sewage treatment plant is built, and to let them know that we (WFH) and INSO are here to help them navigate the political landscape. We have a unique opportunity to implement a project from grassroots (bottom up) support. One of our near term goals is to formally engage State and Federal agencies such that this example can be shown to work in situations where the local municipal politics are in-effective at moving things forward.
The Council of Elders Meeting
The meeting with the town elders was very encouraging. There were 9 members present. The discussion covered many aspects off of implementing a solution to the defunct treatment plant. After listening to them we focused on how to provide ongoing operations and maintenance (O&M). This is one of many aspects that have to be considered as part of the package, whatever plan is adopted.
Maria started the meeting by doing a great introduction of WFH, how we “landed in Santo Domingo,” and the ongoing communications we have had over the past few months.
The council is hungry for an answer to the defunct treatment plant. For some background of how things normally work down here, when a city has an idea or requirement for a treatment system, a long line of consultants and engineering firms come and “sell” there product as it will solve all their problems. From what we can determine these are just “sales pitches” in that the proposals do not appear to be designed for the specific community. The proposals do not have the proper background engineering data to design a solution or determine the proper technology. Given this, in the beginning of the meeting the council wanted to “see” our proposal (technology, schedule and cost). We stressed that in order to define a scope of work the proper background engineering must be completed, as without good effluent data (volume, chemical makeup and nominal and peak flow) one can’t properly design a system that will work. We stressed that with Maria’s help we now have a site survey (topographic map). We have just completed a 5-day water testing process in which we hope to have the results of the 5 basic chemical properties needed to define the effluent. In addition we need to better understand the nominal and peak flow of the effluent. Once the council members understood this, they were excited to know that whatever we propose as a technology solution will actually work! They also stressed they did not want to “be an experiment,” i.e. they want a solution that has a track record of working.
The meeting then changed focus to discuss the difficult task of both stressing the importance of O&M and how it can be implemented. Everyone agreed that a solution for the O&M is a key part of any solution, as they have seen (way too many times) that systems get built, break, and stop functioning due to the lack of O&M. We discussed ways to generate revenue including: taxing municipal water used, “selling” the system output water, Hydroponics, Aquaculture, and “humanure” as compost. Everyone was impressed that we followed through and are committed to helping Santo Domingo come up with a sustainable solution to this issue. From this meeting Maria will be setting up a follow-up meeting with and some Etla Government officials early next week to introduce ourselves and our project ideas. The meeting ended around 10 pm. In the local style, the elders formally invited us to a breakfast and to peruse the weekly Sunday market day in Santo Domingo. Nelly drove us back to Rosalinda’s in a torrential downpour.
February 5, 2010, Friday
We met together to debrief after the meeting last night and came up with some strategies to come along side the community to support them in this project. We met with Carlos Placencia to get organized for the Oaxaca Water Forum that Stan, Rick, and Nelly will present the project at next Friday. The forum is a collaboration between Federal, State and local agencies along with communities in the state of Oaxaca. This is a place of great exchange of ideas and information. There will also be a guided tour of the Botanical Garden. The forum has continued even with many changes in administrative governments and gives everyone a voice. After a quick lunch we inte3rviewed a potential Civil Engineer who is interested in our project.
Finally, it is the WEEKEND and Saturday is a full day off :)
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
8 new volunteers join our team
Water for Humans welcomes eight new volunteers to expand our capabilities to provide clean water.
Joshua Siegal, MFA: Web and Interactive media artist
Odlie Valenzuela: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Susan Peacock: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Claire LaPoma: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Marni Siegal: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Pedro Meza: Cultural Liaison and Business Development Officer
Kathleen Dowd-Gailey
Vincent Carpio: African Liaison
Joshua Siegal, MFA: Web and Interactive media artist
Odlie Valenzuela: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Susan Peacock: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Claire LaPoma: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Marni Siegal: Spanish - English Translation Associate
Pedro Meza: Cultural Liaison and Business Development Officer
Kathleen Dowd-Gailey
Vincent Carpio: African Liaison
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