My next interview was with Global Washington, an umbrella organization for Seattle’s international development NGOs.  Bookda Gheisar, Global Washington’s Executive Director states, “We started Global Washington four years ago because there were many small nonprofits based out of Seattle who were working in the developing world, and we knew that if we could get them talking there would be greater collaboration, better partnerships and an elimination of redundancy.”  Amanda Bidwell from Global Washington reiterated this point, arguing that “we believe that lasting change comes from collective impact.  Our partners know that the problems we are each working on are interconnected and that we are more effective when working together.”  I personally find this ecosystem argument compelling.  I remember Dr. Paul Light, one of my professors at NYU-Wagner and a scholar of social entrepreneurship, arguing that it was often the swarm of NGOs working on different pieces of a common problem, rather than a single NGO going it alone, that led to deep and enduring change.  If Global Washington can help building the collective capacity of Seattle’s international development community to change the world then I’m all for it.

Interview with Global Washington: Convening the Sector for Collective Action
Lasting Change |  Ryan Richards | September 22, 2012

Welcome to the September 2012 issue of the Global Washington newsletter. If you would like to contact us directly, please email us.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Note from our Executive Director
• Support Global Washington!
• Featured Organization: The Mona Foundation “What is your plan?” Supporting and Learning with Local Educational Initiatives
• Changemaker: Water 1st Partner, COCEPRADIL, and Board President Wilfredo Ramos Ventura Keep the Water Flowing
• Welcome New Members
• Career Center
• Announcements
• Global Washington Events
• Other Events

Note from our Executive Director

Greetings,

It seems to be the month of the girl! Whether you have daughters who are heading back to school as I do, or you are simply interested in issues affecting girls worldwide—we are offering many ways to support work that benefits girls, engage with the relevant issues, and encourage your children to learn and engage as well.

We are so excited for our event, GlobalFest: Stand for Girls, coming up this Saturday! I really hope to see you all there—this free event will take place at the Seattle Center and we invite the whole community to come and learn about what our member organizations are doing to benefit women and girls around the world. Some highlights: world music by SuperSones and MBOrchestra, GlobalEDU lectures about topics relating to women, inspiring speakers, coupons for free bagels for the first 500 to show up, and the opportunity to meet 40 of our member organizations through interactive booths!

This month, much of our work surrounding this event has been to really highlight the issues affecting women and girls and the organizations that are working on addressing them. The Stand for Girls Campaign is an innovative venture that we launched in partnership with 10 of our member organizations. We are so proud to say that even during a time when many organizations are jealously guarding their funding, these 10 are instead working together to raise money and awareness, recognizing that collectively they can do much more than anyone can do alone! I highly recommend their work and hope that you will consider supporting them by giving our suggested $12 donation (or more!) and then encouraging 12 of your friends to do the same. Together we are more powerful, and we need to work together to make a difference!

Global Washington could also use your support this week! We have been nominated for Chase Community Giving Grant but we need your vote. Please login to Facebook, go to https://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/, and search for Global Washington to support us in this way.

Thank you for your support and I hope to see you this Saturday!

In unity,

Bookda Gheisar, Executive Director

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Support Global Washington!

Global Washington has been nominated for a Chase Community Giving Grant!  We need YOUR vote to get funded from Chase Community Giving. If you haven’t yet, please VOTE and SHARE with your friends. Voting ends TODAY. Follow the link and search for Global Washington to cast your vote. Thank you for your support—we could not do this without you!

Vote now: https://apps.facebook.com/chasecommunitygiving/ You will need to log into Facebook and accept the application in order to vote.

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The Mona Foundation

“What is your plan?” Supporting and Learning with Local Educational Initiatives

By Megan Boucher

Class at Digital Study Hall, India

Antari was a shy girl who could not even pronounce her own name properly. She dropped out of school three times before she finally enrolled at the Barli Institute for the Development of Rural Women, an educational program for girls that is based in India and supported by the Mona Foundation. After attending the Barli Institute, Antari came back to her village with renewed confidence and skills. She started a tailor shop and went on to receive her Masters of Philosophy in Education. She is now a post-graduate in Hindi literature and works as a teacher in Dahi Village.

The Mona Foundation focuses on two central issues: universal education and raising the status of women and girls. To accomplish this mission, the organization supports grassroots, locally-based programs like the Barli Institute, which has educated over 6,000 women from 500 villages. The Barli Institute provides educational opportunities to rural women, most of whom start the program with little or no reading and writing skills. Within six months, the girls learn to read and write, pass their national exams, and learn a vocation like tailoring. The basis of the project is gender equity. Most graduates return to their villages with the confidence to serve in their local communities. They may teach others to read, teach about healthcare and safe drinking water, or get involved with local governments.

Students from Barli Institute, India

The Mona Foundation was started in 1999 when a small group of friends attended a social economic development conference and become intrigued by the issues presented. During lunch, they met in a little café to brainstorm and doodle ideas for how to address some of the issues presented.  “Mona was the result of those doodles on napkins so long ago,” recounts Gaellen Quinn, Mona’s current Executive Director. “I found it inspiring because it would have been so easy for Mona’s founders to say ‘these are great ideas’ and then just go back to their busy lives. But they didn’t.”

The Mona Foundation was formed to support education and empower girls using a model that is highly collaborative and seeks to listen and learn from local communities. Supported programs are all locally operated with a proven record of sustained success. Mona comes alongside them with an attitude of support, providing funding and resources to make the initiatives succeed without imposing an outside agenda.

Quinn described a project in Panama as an example of this model. The Ngobe-Bugle tribes live in the mountains of Panama, isolated from services and the rest of Panamanian society. Their main work is farming and most who live there are extremely poor. However, many among them have a deep value for education. A group of men made a solemn pact with each other, saying “we cannot let our children go on another generation without education.” These men were more educated than many in the community so they started leaving their own farms for periods of time and travelling to remote villages to teach the children there.

The Mona Foundation come alongside the Ngobe-Bugle at this point in their development, and began by providing a stipend to these teachers to make up for the lost income while they were away from their farms. Mona then helped them get teaching credentials so they could be paid as teachers by the government. Finally, Mona provided support as these informal tutorial sessions were consolidated into actual schools.

Class at Digital Study Hall, India

Later the Ngobe-Bugle came back to the Mona Foundation saying that they wanted a university. The Foundation was surprised by the ambitious request, but instead of saying no or trying to control the project, they asked the question they always ask their partners: “what is your plan?” The Ngobe-Bugle responded a year later with a detailed plan for the university that they wanted to create. The curriculum would be based in math and science so that their youth would gain the skills needed to conceive and execute economic development projects in their homeland. The Foundation agreed to the project and gained help from Microsoft to build two solar-powered community technology and learning centers so that this remote university could connect with the University of Panama Library remotely.

“The sweetest thing was when they first came back to the Mona Foundation with this big plan for the University,” Quinn recounted of the process of working with the Ngobe-Bugle. “These very humble, very dignified people looked at our board president and said gently and with conviction ‘and this we will do, with or without you.’” Quinn was also impressed when the Ngobe-Bugle later came back to the Foundation and said that things in their villages were changing with education, new roads, and services that had not been available before. They wanted time to reflect on the changing conditions and asked Mona not to give them any more money until they could decide what should come next.

The Mona Foundation’s interactions with the Ngobe-Bugle illustrate how a project is supposed to work—self-directed by the local communities, with Mona coming alongside with an attitude of learning to support existing programs and local visions for the community. “We learn a lot from these folks,” said Quinn. “It’s easy to come in and say how they should do things—but we really don’t know.  We could have told them to sell their beautiful embroidery, but that’s not what they wanted. They wanted a university.”  And now they have one. Ngabe Bukle Universidad opened its doors in 2007 and is the first-ever indigenous university on native lands in Panama.

Learning is one of the Mona Foundation’s core principles, not only in the programs it supports but also in the organizational ethos. “The world has never achieved a state where poverty and war have been abolished,” explained Quinn. “We don’t know how to do it. Nobody knows how to do it—if we knew how, I think we would do it! But we are all learning and we are all learning together.” Mona seeks to look past what Quinn called the “false dichotomies” between global north and global south, developed nations and underdeveloped nations, and so forth. Such divisions create barriers and inhibit learning.

Women at Barli Institute, India

Instead, the Mona Foundation recognizes that we are all developing and we all have much to learn from each other. “This is one of the reasons we really love what you [Global Washington] do and are so happy to come and share,” said Quinn. “Because we know that we don’t know it all!”

The Mona Foundation has achieved much over the years through this attitude of listening and learning. They started with 3 small projects that served 450 children and have grown to support 15 projects in 9 countries that serve over 40,000 children and their families. They also support U.S. programs, especially with minorities or migrant children. One project called Teaching Kids Programming is especially aimed to narrow the technology gap for girls. Teaching Kids Programming will soon start a new project in Hawaii on the Island of Molokai.

Many of the projects that Mona supports have won awards, for instance the Digital Study Hall recently received a Peter F. Drucker award for nonprofit innovation. The Foundation’s Board President, Mahnaz A. Javid, has been nominated for the second time as a finalist for the Microsoft Alumni Foundation Integral Fellows Award Program. But Quinn feels that the organization’s greatest accomplishment is the dedication and collaborative spirit of the organization’s leadership, who epitomize the Mona Foundation attitude of respectful learning. “That’s not something that everyone gets to see so you can’t get an award for it!” laughed Quinn. “But from the inside out it’s great.”

The Mona Foundation’s simple question: “What is your plan?” has sparked excitement, innovation, and vision that is transforming both communities abroad and the Mona Foundation itself. These projects are shining examples of how learning and collaboration can make a real difference for children and communities around the world.

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Changemaker

Water 1st Partner, COCEPRADIL, and Board President Wilfredo Ramos Ventura Keep the Water Flowing

By Carolyn Hubbard

Across rugged terrain in the mountainous region of Lempira, Honduras, men and women carry heavy pipes uphill to a water source, dig trenches for miles, and link and secure each section, forming a long silvery snake through which clean water will flow to kitchens in their homes. Elsewhere, another group replants the heavily deforested land to protect their watershed and this most vital and treasured of resources: water.

Honduras is considered the second poorest country in Central America. Unequal wealth distribution and high unemployment, caused from systemic government corruption and economic mismanagement, beset the country of eight million. Lempira Department is one of the most cut-off areas in the country. Bordering El Salvador, it’s mountainous, land-locked, and far away from the urban hub of Tegucigalpa or the touristy coast. Instead some 270,000 people eke out a living from the land. Deforestation is a problem, as is access to clean water.

COCEPRADIL, an acronym for Central Committee for Water and Comprehensive Development Projects in Lempira, has been working for some twenty years to help communities gain access to clean water and sanitation. The Seattle-based organization Water 1st, which offers financial support to community-based organizations focused on the collective development and maintenance of water and sanitation systems within their communities, has partnered with COCEPRADIL. This partnership enables the Honduran organization to continue, even prosper, during some difficult economic times. Wilfredo Ramos Ventura, who will visit Seattle in November to participate in Water 1st’s fundraising event, the Give Water Give Life Benefit, is the board president of the exclusively volunteer-run organization.

Communities that would like COCEPRADIL to help them gain access to clean water must provide the time and labor. (One recent project serving 300 people took 20,000 hours of hard work.)  Two adults from each household in the community must also commit to five weeks of full time training on sanitation and water management. Once the community agrees to these conditions, COCEPRADIL will approve the work. The community then becomes part of COCEPRADIL and participates in community meetings, serves on the board and pays a small water-access bill, the proceeds of which are used to train community members.

“Our families are interested in how they are made owners of the source and the micro-watershed to ensure the reforestation and forest conservation in these areas,” Ramos notes.  “Families know they have to be in the training workshops after working hours. They understand that this year, they’ll spend more hours a day and more days a week at their jobs, because in addition to the normal work of growing their corn, their beans, their rice, they have to work on the project, two or three days, and besides that, enroll in a training program together and make those changes in attitude.”  They know the demands that are going to be placed on them, and, Ramos notes, they love it. The workshops motivate them and the work provides families and communities a sense of cohesion and organization, which in turn provides them the foundation from which to advocate for themselves. “They have organized and gone to the mayor to ask about  providing a school, or to say they need a health center, or to show support for the teacher or nurse. They understand clearly that to achieve, you have to be together and speak, as we say here, the same language.”

Born and raised in Lempira, Ramos knows first hand the harsh life that many in the area endure. “I was born into a poor family. My first eight years I walked barefoot. I didn’t have three meals a day. It satisfies me greatly now that my daughters have new opportunities. Growing up, I longed to be able to go to school for longer, but our family situation wouldn’t allow it. What I couldn’t achieve for myself then, I now want others to achieve.  We are glad to see a child can laugh because of the improved living standard, that they have access to at least three meals a day, which is a human right. That makes us happy.”

Ramos points out that women benefit greatly from a community’s improved access to water. He recognizes that by not spending the day seeking water, they have more time to be actively involved in community development and are also more respected by their husbands. “The levels of domestic violence are reduced too, thanks to the organizing work we do and how men are becoming more understanding of their wives.”

Ramos has only one more year to serve as president, but he’s not going to stop working with COCEPRADIL.  He is committed to continuing the work, regardless of the hardship. “We are in this fight to continue improving. Our goal is to satisfy the needs in the Zona Sur South Zone, then the department of Lempira, to have water and sanitation in each house. We are achieving this little by little, but there is still a lot that needs to be done. Unfortunately, the systems are expensive now. Water sources are miles away from the communities, and that prevents us from being able to do things in less time.”

Funding from Water 1st and its private donors has allowed COCEPRADIL to complete projects and help more communities. Speaking on behalf of COCEPRADIL, Ramos notes, “Even though we don’t know these families, who are in our hearts, we are reallly very grateful for the donations that for us, as poor farming families with few economic resources, are invaluable. Without such help, our situation would be very different.”

You can learn more about COCEPRADIL’s work at Water 1st. Check back there for more information on November’s fundraiser and a chance to meet Wilfredo Ramos Ventura.  Also check out the Changemaker article about Water 1st’s inspiring executive director in our August 2009 newsletter.

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Welcome New Members

Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and consider opportunities for support and collaboration!

Educational Empowerment
Educational Empowerment (EE) is dedicated to providing access to an educational environment in Southeast Asia that improves children’s future economic opportunities and affords them fundamental reading skills. http://www.educationalempowerment.org

Lift Up Africa
Lift Up Africa is a US nonprofit with an extensive network of partners and projects in East Africa. We support sustainable, community led projects that address poverty, malnutrition, lack of education and health care, and the impact of climate change on people, crops, animals and the environment.  http://liftupafrica.org/

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Career Center

Highlighted career

Name and Profile: Abby Stepaniak. Program Officer, International Visitor Program, World Affairs Council

I work with the Department of State’s International Visitor Leadership Program which brings leaders from around the world to the States for professional development and exchange. I work to connect these leaders with their counterparts here in Seattle to foster collaboration, cross-cultural exchange, and open dialogue about the world. More.

Highlighted positions

Northwest Regional Manager, Special Events – Friends of the Orphans
The Director of IVP oversees all program operations and leads a staff of three to successfully execute high-quality, high impact programming for visitors from all corners of the world in a wide array of fields. More.

Northwest Regional Manager, Special Events – Friends of the Orphans
The Regional Manager, Special Events is a full-time exempt employee of Friends of the Orphans and reports to the Regional Director. The Manager will plan and execute successful fundraising events that benefit the work of Friends of the Orphans, including (but not limited to) cultivation events, house parties, gala auctions, one-hour ask events, and events with schools, businesses, and faith communities. The Manager participates fully in activities of the national organization and regional chapter to reach annual revenue goals and the overall strategic goals for the entire organization. More.

Senior Foundation and Corporate Development Specialist – Landesa
The Senior Foundation and Corporate Development Specialist (Senior Specialist) is responsible for performing the full array of activities related to securing revenue from private foundations and corporations. The Senior Specialist will also be asked to perform other appropriate tasks to support the Landesa revenue-seeking and program delivery function. More.

Research Assistant – Landesa
The Research Assistant conducts and documents research and supports the research efforts of others on a variety of topics relevant to Landesa’s work. More.

Highlighted Internships

US GCC Monitoring and Evaluation Internship- Mercy Corps (Portland)
Implement and extend strategy for the upcoming school year to monitor and evaluate education programming at the PDX Action Center and GCC US program. Research and update tools that educators use to monitor programs. Interview relevant staff to understand the needs of the monitoring program. More.

Intern/Volunteer Research Position–Mangrove Action Project
Mangrove Action Project is seeking volunteer or intern help for a project we are planning to conduct as part of our ongoing Question Your Shrimp Campaign. We want to assess the number of restaurants in Seattle that are serving shrimp, or have shrimp on their menus. More.

Highlighted Volunteering Opportunity:

Volunteer – One by One 
We currently have volunteer needs in the following areas:
• Office: stuff envelopes (normally we work with Seattle area people who can physically come in a help us)
• Interns with project-specific research, data entry, curriculum development projects
• Website/translating volunteers
• Short/long term projects
• Technical expertise—excited to work with people all over the country, long term (researchers, graphic designers, photographers, film makers, translators). More.

Technology Committee Volunteer- Literacy Bridge
For people who are professional software developers, testers, support staff, and technical writers.
Activities will include:
1) developing, debugging, testing, and documenting the Talking Book’s software
2) providing email technical to support Literacy Bridge’s partners. More.

For more jobs and resources, visit www.globalwa.org/resources/careers-in-development/

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Announcements

Why should you attend GlobalFEST on September 22^nd?

You’ll meet over 40 organizations that are actively changing the lives of women and girls all over the world. You’ll listen to MBOrchestra’s Middle Eastern music and the Cuban melodies of the SuperSones. And you’ll be invited to a special screening of Half the Sky as well as a series of GlobalEDU lectures on Global Studies, Raising a Global Child, and Secrets to the Development Field’s Job Market. We hope to see as many of you as possible.

Learn more here: http://standforgirls2012.org/
When: Saturday, September 22^nd, 2012 11:00am – 4:00pm
Cost: No Charge
Where: The Center House @ Seattle Center
MAP

The Growing Movement of Half the Sky

Filmed in six countries, Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide follows Nicholas Kristof, Sheryl WuDunn, and celebrity activists America Ferrera, Diane Lane, Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union, and Olivia Wilde on a journey to tell the stories of inspiring, courageous individuals. Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide is a special presentation of Independent Lens broadcasting on PBS October 1st and 2nd, 2012.

http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/half-the-sky

This month there will be numerous screenings around Washington, including one at Global Washington’s GlobalFest event on September 22nd. Make sure not to miss this film!

Seattle
Saturday, September 22
The Center House at the Seattle Center
12:00pm
A part of Global Washington’s GlobalFest: Stand for Girls Event

Vashon
Tuesday, September 25
Vashon Theatre thanks to GreenTech
6-8 PM, doors at 5:30 PM

Bellingham
Tuesday, September 25
Pickford Film Center
5:30-7:30 PM, doors at 5:00 PM

Clarke Nuber P.S. presents Not-for-Profit Audit and Tax Update: Federal Taxes and Financial Reporting

Please join us on September 20th to hear an update on current trends and changes in federal taxes and financial reporting and accounting for not-for-profits, featuring Jane Searing, CPA and Andrew Prather, CPA. We will discuss: The Other Washington – A Federal Tax Update and Hot Topics in Not-for-Profit Financial Reporting

When: Thursday, September 20^th, 2012
8:00am – 10:00am
Cost: $50 (Includes 2 hours of CPE and continental breakfast)
Where: The Meydenbauer Center
11100 NE 6^th Street
Bellevue, WA

Register.

Who Stole the American Dream?

Looking for plans this Friday? Bill Clapp is recommending this event to all and encouraging you to attend!  Author Hedrick Smith is here to explain how the promise of the American Dream- a home of your own, a secure retirement, and a better future for your children- was chipped away through legislative, electoral, and corporate decisions.

When: Friday, September 21^st, 2012
Cost: $5
Where: Town Hall’s Lower Level (enter on Seneca Street)

Register:  http://townhallseattle.org/hedrick-smith-who-stole-the-american-dream/

Habitat for Humanity’s World House

Habitat for Humanity has built a demonstration home at the Seattle Center to illustrate that affordable housing can be sustainable. Next to the House of the Immediate Future, Habitat has built World House, representative of homes located in other parts of the world. People of different countries use their houses in different ways and Habitat’s house designs reflect these cultural considerations. At the Seattle Center, visitors have the opportunity to tour the World House which contains informational materials on housing locally and globally and can participate in brickmaking as used in homebuilding in parts of the world.

When: Tours available from 1-4 on Saturday, September 22^nd, 2012
Where: Seattle Center

Seattle Cultural Exchange Tours

The Pacific Northwest has an exceptional character of its own and these tours are designed to put that unique appeal on display. Travel through three of Seattle’s cultured neighborhoods and enjoy ethnic cuisine, a neighborhood folklore presentation, and a look at economic innovation from that community.

When: Chinatown Discovery- Saturday, September 22^nd, 2012
Ballard Cultural Tour- Saturday, September 22^nd, 2012
Martin Luther King Business Association Tour- Saturday, September 29^th, 2012

Cost: Chinatown Discovery- $40
Ballard Cultural Tour- $21
MLK Business Association Tour- No Charge

Where: Varies by Tour

Tickets for all three tours available on Ticketmaster at these URLs:

Chinatown:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F004918AC9E3711?artistid=1771868&majorcatid=10005&minorcatid=106

Ballard Cultural Tour:
http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F004918B090384F?artistid=1771917&majorcatid=10005&minorcatid=106

MLK Business Association Tour: http://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F004918A61D34EC?artistid=1771852&majorcatid=10005&minor

Women’s Funding Alliance- Film Series

The Women’s Funding Alliance screened the film Miss Representation last fall to a sold out crowd. Because of unrelenting demand, they are once again screening the film, but this time in three cities across Washington! This three-city effort will kick off a larger film series that will include The Invisible War, and Wonder Women: The Untold Story of American Superheroines. Don’t be left out!

When: Thursday, September 27^th, 2012 TACOMA, Grand Cinema
Thursday, October 4^th, 2012 SEATTLE, Uptown Cinema
Thursday, October 11^th, 2012 KIRKLAND, Kirkland Performing Arts Center
Cost: $10

Get your tickets here today!
http://wfalliance.org/news/actioncinema.php

The Bali Fund honored at upcoming Give2Asia 10 ^th Anniversary Gala!

The Bill & Pat Bali Fund, a Global Washington member, will be one of the four honorees at the upcoming Give2Asia 10th Anniversary Gala Event. Join hundreds of other Give2Asia partners and community members at the Awards Gala, which will honor outstanding philanthropists who have made a unique impact in Asia with their innovative approaches.

When: Tuesday, October 2^nd, 2012 5:15
Cost: $300
Where: InterContinental Mark Hopkins Hotel, San Francisco

Seats are limited for Give2Asia’s 10th Anniversary Awards Gala. The price per seat is $300 and tables of 10 are also available. RSVP here.

MercyCorps, Global Washington, Sounders FC, and Golzao present a film screening of The Beautiful Game

The Beautiful Game is an inspirational documentary about the power of soccer in modern Africa- a game that is helping to change the lives of individuals and communities across the continent. Unlike anything else soccer brings fifty-four diverse countries into a common and passionate dialogue. And the results are tangible: when an African country does well at a competition, its national GDP rises, its exports go up, crime decreases, and political divides narrow. As Reverend Tutu shares in “The Beautiful Game” “soccer isn’t like a religion in Africa. It is bigger than religion”.

This film premiered to a sold-out audience during the SIFF festival in June; and now it’s being brought back to you!

When: Monday, October 8^th, 2012 6:30pm
Cost: $5 for preorder and $10 at the door
Where: SIFF Uptown Cinema

Advance tickets available on Brown Paper Tickets!

SIFP: Make a difference, learn, and have fun on October 18th

Social Venture Partners’ second annual Social Innovation Fast Pitch is around the corner.  This fast-paced competition was a huge success last year, with more than 700 social innovation enthusiasts voting for their favorite pitch and awarding $5,000 to the winner.  This year, 14 groups will compete for more than $150,000 in grants and investments at the Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center, starting at 4:45pm.  Judges, investors, and the audience all participate, and everyone can meet the innovators in the “Poster Table” receptions before and after the event.  Global Washington members receive a 10% discount on any ticket by clicking here, until September 30th.  To learn more about SIFP, please go to http://sifp.net or visit the event on Facebook.  SIFP sold out last year, and is likely to do again, so reserve your ticket now!

When: Thursday, October 18^th, 2012 4:45pm
Where:Fisher Pavilion, Seattle Center

ED Forum announces schedule for 2012-2013

The ED Forum is exclusively for Executive Directors and CEOs seeking professional development opportunities, emerging best practices, and information sharing on how to lead nonprofits. Meetings are an informal, fast-paced learning circle where executives rotate among three table discussions, each led by an experienced ED or topic expert. Each participant can share their challenges, experience, and expertise.

When: ED Forums are held on Wednesdays or Fridays from 8:30-10:30am
Friday, October 19, 2012
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Friday, February 22, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Friday, June 21, 2013

Cost: Member Rate*- $18
Non-Member Rate- $25

*Includes Washington Nonprofits, 501 Commons, and Global Washington Members

Where: The 2100 Building

EarthCorps REVIVE – A new kind of party!

This fundraiser/cocktail party soiree is a celebration of EarthCorps’ work. All proceeds go to the EarthCorps leadership program. Guests will enjoy a live auction, international hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, and inspirational insight into the workings of EarthCorps.

When:Saturday, October 20^th, 2012
Cost: $65
Where: The Mountaineers at Sand Point – 7700 Sand Point Way NE – Seattle, WA 98115

MAP

RSVP Here: http://www.earthcorps.org/auction.php

MEDRIX Fall Festival Benefit

MEDRIX is hosting an evening benefit in which all donations will support ongoing projects to improve the lives of the people in Southeast Asia. Come hear stories of how projects in medical education and clean water development are having a profound influence on the health and safety of Vietnamese communities.

When: Saturday, November 3^rd, 2012 6:00
Cost: $25, or $45 for two
Where: Glendale Golf and Country Club
13440 Main Street, Bellevue, WA 98005

RSVP by October 13^th to office@medrix.org or by phone (425) 485-5423.

Video from Landesa- Nutrition and Land Rights

Three of the best minutes you can spend if you want to know how securing land rights helps families to feed themselves! Watch Landesa’s new video and learn more: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie8jBEWdNLQ

Mercy Corps Toolkit for Private Sector Engagement

Engaging with the private sector is one of the most effective means towards the sustainable, market-based change that communities all over the world could benefit from. If you or your organization recognizes this, but aren’t sure how to begin such a partnership, then Mercy Corps could have the perfect tool for you. This comprehensive report details why Mercy Corps chooses its partners, some key programs, and resources utilized by Mercy Corps field teams to ensure that all arrangements with private entities meet their strategic goals.

http://www.mercycorps.org/resources/privatesectorengagement

Red Lotus Technologies

Landmines kill thousands of people each year, over half of whom are children. Over one hundred million landmines scatter the globe, and it is estimated that it will take over 100 years to clear these landmines at the current rate of removal.
A Seattle-based start-up, Red Lotus Technologies, has a new solution to this problem that uses a widely-available and affordable technology: a smartphone. By using smartphones to aid in the detection of landmines, the company’s research has shown that they will increase the speed of landmine removal and increase deminer safety.
Red Lotus Technologies is currently running a fundraising campaign to get its product to Cambodia – support this project or spread the word.

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Global Washington Events

Saturday, September 22
GlobalFest: Stand for Girls 2012

Thursday, December 6
4th Annual Conference

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Other Events

Friday, September 21
Own It! Celebrating Youth in Global Leadership
Celebrate Ten Years of OWN’s Innovative Leadership!

Saturday, September 22
Women in Innovation Summit 2012

Thursday, September 27
Lumana’s 4th Annual Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction

Friday, September 28
An Intellectual Conversation with Guru Ji

Tuesday, October 2
Diverse Landscapes of Iceland: Photography by Bill Stafford

Thursday, October 4
Announcing the Center for Impact & Innovation!
Jolkona’s Corks and Forks
WFA Film Series: Miss Representation

Friday, October 5 – Sunday, October 7
#SocEnt Weekend: Next 50, October 5-7th!

Wednesday, October 8
Beautiful Game Film Screening

Thursday, October 11
WFA Film Series: Miss Representation

Tuesday, October 16
Financial Management: Best practices for managing your organization`s finances
Into the Devil’s Garden: Whatever Happened to Spanish Sahara? Public Lecture by Leah Farish
Tenth Annual Business of Hope Luncheon

Saturday, October 20
ANNOUNCING REVIVE: A Community Affair!

Sunday, October 21
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Monday, October 22
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Tuesday, October 23
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Wednesday, October 24
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Saturday, October 27
14th Annual Africa Day Business Forum

Sunday, October 28
SAVE THE DATE: Smiles Forever 12th Annual Live-Auction Fundraiser

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Welcome to the August 2012 issue of the Global Washington newsletter. If you would like to contact us directly, please email us.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Note from our Executive Director
• Feature: Stand for Girls 2012 – Sept 22nd 2012
• Feature: Washington organizations stand together for women and girls
• Global Washington Conference 2012
• Welcome New Members
• Career Center
• Announcements
• Global Washington Events
• Other Events

Note from our Executive Director

Greetings,

The big news this month at Global Washington is the exciting launch of our 2012 Stand for Girls Campaign! You may remember our promotional campaign last fall about Washington’s importance as a “The Global State,” which highlighted the exciting global development work being done here and how this impacts both our local economy and our world.

This year’s campaign builds on last year’s success. In 2012, we have chosen to focus on development work that impacts women and girls and have selected 10 members to partner with us in raising awareness about and funds for women’s issues.  The highlight of the campaign is a public celebration called GlobalFest on September 22^nd, which will feature music and booths hosted by over 40 GlobalWA member organizations.

Stand for Girls is a special collaborative effort, in which organizations across issue areas are able to come together with a common goal. Adding to that spirit of partnership, we are also working with the Seattle Center’s Next Fifty campaign and the Office of the Mayor of Seattle to be a part of their September focus on “Commerce and the Innovation Economy.” We are thrilled that so many people in our state are beginning to recognize the important efforts of Washington’s global development sector! We invite you to partner with us in the month of September by joining us as we stand for girls!

Global Washington exists to be a catalyst for collaboration, and this is a special emphasis for us this year; the theme of our fourth annual conference is“Redefining Development: From Silos to Collective Impact.” We firmly believe that global development actors can make a significantly greater difference in the world by working together. Our conference will discuss this theme and offer members the opportunity to share their own partnership success stories. We hope you will join us at our conference on December 6^th for what is hopefully one of the highlights of the year for Washington’s global development sector!

In unity,

Bookda Gheisar, Executive Director

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Stand for Girls 2012 – Sept 22nd 2012

HEAL Africa

Every year, Washington organizations find new ways to help women worldwide receive a quality education, better healthcare, and more economic opportunities. Next month, Global Washington will celebrate these organizations.

Global Washington recently announced its Stand for Girls campaign, which encourages Washingtonians to support women and girls around the world during the month of September. The campaign will benefit ten Global Washington member organizations that have a special focus on women’s issues.

Women and girls have some very pressing needs. According to the United Nations, women comprise compromise 70 percent of the world’s poorest people and own only 1 percent of the title land. Historically, girls have been less likely to receive an education than boys. They also face special risks related to pregnancy and reproductive health.  Yet despite the negative statistics, the news for girls worldwide is positive: more and more organizations are realizing how big a difference investing in girls can make. More and more people are speaking up in support of girls, making sure they are educated, healthy, and able to make a living.

Imaging The World

The Stand for Girls campaign is a collaboration between Global Washington, Ayni Education International, Imaging the World, the Mona Foundation, OneWorld Now!, Richard’s Rwanda IMPUHWE, Lumana, One by One, Women’s Enterprises International, Upaya Social Ventures, and HEAL Africa. Together, these organizations hope to celebrate the ways that the lives of women and girls are improving and gain support for work that will continue to make a difference.

This campaign has three parts:

• Starting September 1st, Washingtonians are encouraged to give $12 to support these 10 specially-selected organizations who are leading the way in women’s education, healthcare, and economic development. Donations can be made online and by mobile phone.
• Go to a community event called GlobalFest, featuring 40 member organizations at the Seattle Center on Sept. 22, 2012 as part of the Seattle Center’s Next 50 celebration of innovations in Seattle’s economy
• Global Washington will help people all over Washington gather their friends and neighbors to host community events and house parties that focus on global women’s issues on October 11th, the Day of the Girl.

Stand with us. Stand for girls.

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Feature

Washington organizations stand together for women and girls

Richards Rwanda

When resources are limited and donors’ budgets are stretched, nonprofits may think that they have to compete against other worthy causes for every dollar. However, some Washington nonprofits are rejecting this competitive mentality and are instead finding new ways to do their work effectively, even with limited resources. The key? Collaboration.

In September, Global Washington is sponsoring an innovative venture called Stand for Girls 2012 that invites ten member organizations to join their resources, time, and ideas in order to raise awareness and funds to benefit women and girls worldwide. Our staff was pleasantly surprised when we held a meeting with representatives from participating organizations to talk about how to make this happen. “We want all of the proceeds to go into one fund, which will then be split evenly,” the organizations decided unanimously. “We don’t want to be siloed individually or by issue area. We think everyone in this room is doing wonderful work. We need each other to make a real difference for women and girls.”

The organizations represent a variety of development projects in numerous countries, across the issue areas of economic empowerment, health, and education for women and girls. All have relatively small budgets, but are high on innovation, impact, and community ownership. “Young girls can’t learn effectively without being healthy,” someone pointed out. “And healthy, educated women are better able to provide for themselves and their families. All of these areas are needed to really make a difference.”

This type of collaboration is one of the main reasons for Global Washington’s existence. The state of Washington is home to numerous nonprofits, businesses, universities, and individuals dedicated to making a difference in the lives of the world’s most vulnerable populations. Although they are doing quality work individually, we firmly believe that together they can be even more powerful. By sharing knowledge and resources, Washington organizations increase their effectiveness, make a greater impact in the communities where they work, and gain even more enthusiastic support for global development from Washington’s internationally-engaged citizenry.

Upaya Social Ventures

Global Washington has chosen women and girls as the theme of this year’s annual campaign because investing in women and girls is an investment in our shared future. Women who are healthy, productive, and educated become change-makers in their own families and communities.  Our member organizations recognize this fact and many have a special emphasis on supporting women. In the upcoming months, we hope you will visit our campaign website and find your opportunity to make a difference for women and girls globally–by giving our suggested $12 donation, by attending our GlobalFest community event on September 22^nd, or by mobilizing your own community on October 11^th to learn more about these issues and organizations. In doing so, you not only support ten effective organizations, but you also show your dedication to the collaborative spirit that is changing lives around the world.

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Global Washington Conference 2012

Redefining Development: From Silos to Collective Impact

This year’s conference will focus on a new way of looking at development work that is inherently collaborative and comprehensive. Organizations from across sectors and issue areas can work together to address global problems holistically. Our conference will explore this emerging paradigm and give attendees opportunities to see it firsthand as they network with others in the field to share ideas and generate opportunities for collaboration.

Speakers will include:

• Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, Executive Director and Founder of the Afghan Institute of Learning, which has served over 9 million Afghans by providing education and health services to women and children
• Amir  A. Dossal, Founder and Chairman of the Global Partnerships Forum, an international platform to address economic and social challenges through innovative partnerships.
• Raymond C. Offenheiser, President of Oxfam America.

Date:Thursday, December 6^th, 2012
Location:Port Facilities/Cruise Terminal
Bell Harbor Conference Center
Seattle, WA

Price:$100 for members. $125 for nonmembers.

Register now to reserve your spot at the early bird price

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Welcome New Members

Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and consider opportunities for support and collaboration!

Vittana
We envision a world of opportunity, where educated minds and skillful hands work together to uplift the next generation, breaking the cycle of poverty. www.vittana.org

Individual Members

Monika Aring

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Career Center

Highlighted career

Name and Profile: Elise Ricci – Special Events Officer at Global Partnerships

How would you describe your job? Fun and dynamic! I have several different projects that I work on at one time, most of them focused on Global Partnerships’ events. My job involves a variety of projects– like meeting with corporate partners to talk about sponsorships, coordinating logistics for an event, working on communications and print pieces, and meeting with  my team to plan and set strategic direction for community engagement and fundraising. More.

Highlighted positions

Director of International Visitor Program – World Affairs Council

The Director of IVP oversees all program operations and leads a staff of three to successfully execute high-quality, high impact programming for visitors from all corners of the world in a wide array of fields. More.

Development Manager – Global Visionaries

Implement strategic annual fundraising plan in coordination with the Executive Director and Board Development Committee. Secure resources to support Global Visionaries’ general operating fund. Work with the ED to develop Global Visionaries’ fundraising strategy and the fund development program budget and implement successfully. More.

Youth Leadership Manager – One World Now

The Youth Leadership Manager (YLM) ensures the effective and efficient delivery of student support services, including recruitment and retention, while serving as main liaison between OWN, our students and their schools. The YLM will also co-facilitate leadership weekly leadership workshops using OWN’s unique leadership curriculum. More.

Highlighted Internships

Communications and Programs Intern  – Seattle International Foundation

Primary Responsibilities: Communications and Events
– Assist in implementing SIF’s social media and communication strategy by identifying opportunities for greater outreach and public support of partners in the philanthropic and development sectors. More.

Marketing Intern – InterConnection

InterConnection is looking for a motivated and talented intern to work with the Marketing Lead to carry out external marketing, PR and donor related activities. The primary focus of this internship position is to make businesses aware of InterConnection’s surplus computer recycling and asset disposition service and increase computer donations to InterConnection. More.

Highlighted Volunteering Opportunity:

Marketing / Graphics Arts Committee – Literacy Bridge

For people who enjoy graphics arts and have design skills and the software tools to create and edit design documents. Activities will include: 1) developing and overseeing branding standards for Literacy Bridge; 2) designing print-ready collateral materials (such brochures, case studies), and; 3) developing design changes for the Talking Book’s interface and form.  More.

For more jobs and resources, visit www.globalwa.org/resources/careers-in-development/

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Announcements

Technology for the benefit of humanity: IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference

IEEE GHTC is proud to announce that they are having their 2nd annual premier conference. This conference will provide an opportunity for locals involved in humanitarian projects to share their work.  Come to meet other technologists;  humanitarians; funders; and representatives from NGOs, government, academia who are involved in humanitarian technology.

The conference will feature a number of sessions that will address a vast array of topics. It will also feature companies in the medical and biotech industry as well as many other software companies.

Preliminary Conference Program:  http://www.ieeeghtc.org/files/2012/01/Program-Table-072012.pdf

Keynote Speaker includes:  http://www.ieeeghtc.org/event/keynote-speakers

When: October 21-24 2012
Where: Renaissance Seattle Hotel
515 Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98401

Registration is now open! Early Registration Discount by September 7, 2012 at www.ieeeghtc.org

Opportunities in Vietnam: A trade and investment discussion panel

The World Trade Center Tacoma’s speaker series announces a joint event with the Seattle Vietnamese Chamber of Commerce discussing Vietnam, one of Asia’s most dynamic economies.  This event will feature an experienced panel of four diverse professionals as they discuss trade and investment opportunities in Vietnam. The panel will include former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam and consultant to international trade Michael W. Michalak; Associate Professor of Economics at Seattle University Dr. Quan Vu Le; founder of Healing the Children and Co-founder to Education Exchange Dr. Rob Gertler; and Son Michael Pham who is principal of U.S – Asia Gateways, director for the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation (based in Viet Nam) and founding director of Kids Without Borders. Participants in the event will also enjoy an authentic Vietnamese meal at Thao’s Restaurant, free with admission.

When:  August 24, 2012 from 11:30am-1:30 pm.
Cost: Admissions (including lunch) $25.00.
Where: Thao’s Restaurant
96 Union Street
Seattle, WA 98101
www.thoaseattle.com

To register for this event or find out more information regarding WTC Tacoma’s speaker series events please visit http://www.wtcta.org/connect/upcoming-events

Congressman Adam Smith hosts NGO roundtable meeting

Come join U.S. Representative Adam Smith at the Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce in Tukwila, WA as hosts a NGO Roundtable Meeting discussing the current developments in Congress.

When:  Friday, August 31, 2012
11:00am-12:00 pm
Where: Southwest King County Chamber of Commerce Board Room
14220 Interurban Ave. South#134
Tukwila, WA 98168

For more information on this even or to RSVP, please contact Linh Thai:
Linh.Thai@mail.house.gov or (253)272-1488.

Upcoming workshops for small and medium-sized 501(c)(3) organizations

Come join the Internal Revenue Service(IRS) as they host a one-day workshop for small and medium- sized 501(c)(3) organizations. This workshop will feature an experienced panel of IRS Exempt Organization (EO) specialists that will explain the responsibilities of registered 501(c)(3) and what they must do in order to maintain their tax-exempt status and comply with tax obligations.

This workshop is perfect for administrators or volunteers who are responsible for tax compliance and represent 501(c)(3) organizations.

• Seattle, WA- September 12, 2012

Hosted by the University of Washington

The registration link is http://www.washingtonnonprofits.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Calendar.eventDetail&eventID=60

• Spokane, WA- September 14, 2012

Hosted by Gonzaga University

The registration link is http://www.washingtonnonprofits.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=Calendar.eventDetail&eventID=58

Volunteer at Bumbershoot with Oxfam America

Oxfam America Action Corps Seattle is recruiting volunteers to staff a table at Bumbershoot over Labor Day weekend.  The shifts are about 7 hours each and the rest of the time volunteers will be able to experience Bumbershoot free for the day they volunteer. The Oxfam Action Corps lead organizers will plan a short training session before the weekend begins to support and provide all of the necessary tools to be a successful volunteer and represent Oxfam at this outreach opportunity. When you sign up, please provide your phone number and email address to ensure that you know of the training session date and time and to receive the vendor admissions pass to Bumbershoot. If you would like to volunteer with a friend and the times do not coordinate exactly, please indicate also what times you would like to partner at the outreach table. Sign up to volunteer HERE.

IDRI

The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) and Medicago were recently authorized by the FDA to begin a clinical trial for an H5N1 Avian Influenza VLP vaccine candidate (“H5N1 vaccine”). This marks a significant milestone in developing flu vaccine that could be used rapidly should we experience a pandemic flu outbreak. The trial will test the safety and immunogenicity of the H5N1 vaccine, combined with IDRI’s Glucopyranosyl Lipid A (“GLA”) adjuvant. This is considered the first human test of an intradermal adjuvant, a technology that could have widespread vaccination benefits worldwide even beyond this particular trial.  The resulting vaccine could potentially be self-administered in case of a pandemic. Congratulations to IDRI for this achievement!

OneWorld Now! is turning ten!

Join OneWorld Now for a birthday celebration on September 21^st! This fun event will celebrate OneWorld Now’s 10 years of innovative global leadership programming for underserved youth and will take place at the Space Needle at 6:30pm. Tickets are $75 and will include, food, drinks, and a trip to the top of the Space Needle. Register or email events@oneworldnow.org for more information.

Security frameworks workshop

In the last several years we have seen an increase in insecurity in the field. Correspondingly, organizations have had to increasingly curtail their programs due to that insecurity. Many have responded by acknowledging the need to develop a risk management system to manage risk to staff and programs. This event, spearheaded by PATH, will bring InterAction and its members on the West Coast together to discuss a systematic approach to risk management,  Minimum Operating Security Standards (MOSS) and developing an agency wide Security Framework.   

This workshop will be held at PATH on September 25^th starting at 8:30am. Registration is by invitation, but if you are interested in someone from your organization attending, please contact Dan Bryant (dbryant@path.org, 206-285-3500) for further information.

Clark Nuber presents board governance workshop

Please join Clark Nuber for an annual governance conference which is organized into three tracks – Board Governance (Track A), Executive Leadership (Track B), and New Directors (Track C) – to specifically address the issues of interest to those groups. Following the Keynote Speech to open the conference, there will be concurrent breakout sessions throughout the day facilitated by Clark Nuber professionals along with experienced not-for-profit and business professionals from well respected organizations in our community, including:  Jurassic Parliament, Institute for Systems Biology, World Vision, Housing Hope, Pioneer Human Services, Davis Wright Tremaine, Cornerstone Advisors, and The Rainier Club.

Location: The Meydenbauer Center
11100 NE 6th Street
Bellevue, WA 98004
Time: 7:30 am to 3:30 pm
Date: October 16, 2012
Cost: $125

Register: http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/Default.aspx?EventID=1130544

Support Lumana by attending fundraising dinner and auction

Lumana’s fall benefit dinner and silent auction will take place on September 27th! Lumana has been serving the poor in rural Ghana since 2007 and recently expanded its program to include a total of 700 clients. Support Lumana by attending this inspiring event, or giving a donation if you cannot attend. For more details, visit: http://www.lumana.org/get-involved/donate

Seattle International Foundation announces call for applications under 2012 Global Program

The Seattle International Foundation (SIF) is accepting applications under its Global Program beginning September 1^st. The Global Program (small grants for local organizations) supports and fosters local organizations working internationally. SIF is interested in development projects in all regions of the world.

This round of the Global Program will give preference to organizations based in the greater Puget Sound region working with women and girls in the developing world. Grant recipients will be announced at SIF’s third annual Women in the World breakfast event in mid-November. Please stay tuned for details about this event. Learn about the 2011 breakfast.

The Global Program is open to 501(c)3 organizations, or those with fiscal sponsorship, with an annual organizational or project budget of less than $2 million (USD). Preference will be given to organizations based in the greater Puget Sound region; organizations based outside of Washington State are not eligible. The program seeks to support organizations launching new projects, or working to establish or expand an international project or program.

For more information on how to apply, please visit www.seaif.org, or contact Michele Frix (Program Officer) at mfrix@seaif.org.

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Global Washington Events

Saturday, September 22
GlobalFest 2012: Stand for Girls

December 6, 2012
GlobalWA Conference 2012

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Other Events

Wednesday, August 22
Next 50 Film Series & Discussion on Education Finding Joe followed by post-film discussion on education policy

Thursday, September 6
Dave Valle Charity Golf Classic

Tuesday, September 11
Everett Roundtable: Washington State International Competitiveness Strategy

Wednesday, September 19
Proposal Writing 201: Advanced tools for getting your project funded

Friday, September 21
Own It! Celebrating Youth in Global Leadership
Celebrate Ten Years of OWN’s Innovative Leadership!

Saturday, September 22
Women in Innovation Summit 2012

Thursday, September 27
Lumana’s 4th Annual Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction

Tuesday, October 2
Diverse Landscapes of Iceland: Photography by Bill Stafford

Thursday, October 4
Announcing the Center for Impact & Innovation!

Tuesday, October 16
Financial Management: Best practices for managing your organization`s finances
Global Partnerships: Business of Hope Luncheon

Sunday, October 21
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Monday, October 22
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Tuesday, October 23
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Wednesday, October 24
IEEE Global Humanitarian Technology Conference (GHTC)

Saturday, October 27
14th Annual Africa Day Business Forum

Sunday, October 28
SAVE THE DATE: Smiles Forever 12th Annual Live-Auction Fundraiser

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Phase I study in Lenexa, KS, of novel vaccine targeting TB virulence and latency

Seattle, WA | August 22, 2012

Aeras and the Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI) announce today the start of the first clinical trial of IDRI’s novel tuberculosis vaccine candidate, ID93 + GLA-SE. The Phase I clinical trial will assess the safety, tolerability and immunogenicity of the vaccine candidate in 60 healthy adult volunteers. The study will be conducted by Johnson County Clin-Trials in Lenexa, Kansas, in close collaboration with Aeras and IDRI.

Tuberculosis (TB), which kills more people than any other infectious disease except HIV, has orphaned 10 million children, and costs the global economy an estimated $1 billion every day. An increasing number of diagnosed multidrug-resistant TB cases are making the disease more difficult to control and multiplying the cost and time it takes to treat patients, which can take two years or longer for multidrug-resistant TB.

The vaccine candidate targets both active tuberculosis, which makes nearly 9 million people sick each year, and latent TB, which lies dormant in one-third of the world’s population and reactivates when their immune systems are compromised.

“An effective TB vaccine for adolescents and adults would be the single most cost-effective intervention against tuberculosis,” said Tom Evans, Aeras Chief Scientific Officer. “With cases of drug-resistant TB on the rise, it is urgent to deliver an effective TB vaccine regimen to those who need it as soon as possible.”

The vaccine candidate, ID93 + GLA-SE, is composed of a recombinant fusion-protein antigen designed by IDRI to recognize both active and latent TB, plus IDRI’s proprietary adjuvant, GLA-SE, which has been previously tested in humans. In pre-clinical studies, the vaccine candidate had an acceptable safety profile in animals and demonstrated substantial protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis – the bacterium that causes TB.

“With NIH support enabling our TB program, IDRI has designed and tested the safety and efficacy of this vaccine candidate in several pre-clinical models,” said Steven Reed, Ph.D., IDRI president, founder and Chief Scientific Officer. “The start of the first clinical trial is a significant milestone following nearly seven years of work on this vaccine candidate, which is designed to produce a robust immune response to prevent, and possibly to treat, TB.”

The currently available TB vaccine, Bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG), developed 90 years ago, reduces the risk of severe forms of TB in early childhood but has been ineffective in controlling the global TB epidemic despite widespread use. Aeras and IDRI, two non-profit product development partnerships, are committed to making new TB vaccines available to those who need them most in TB endemic countries.

Contacts:

IDRI: Lee Schoentrup | 206.518.6290 | lee.schoentrup@idri.org

The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), a Seattle-based non-profit research organization that is a leading developer of adjuvants used in vaccines combating infectious disease, and Medicago Inc. (TSX: MDG; OTCQX: MDCGF), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing highly effective and competitive vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles (VLPs), announce that they have been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial for an H5N1 Avian Influenza VLP vaccine candidate (“H5N1 vaccine”). This is an important step toward development of an influenza vaccine that could be rapidly and widely administered in case of a pandemic flu outbreak. The trial is focused on evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of the H5N1 vaccine, combined with IDRI’s Glucopyranosyl Lipid A (“GLA”) adjuvant, which will be administered intramuscularly or intradermally. Each study participant in the trial will receive two doses of a given formulation in order to collect and compare data.

The trial is believed to be the first human test of an intradermal adjuvant – a technology platform that could potentially benefit a number of worldwide vaccination programs – and could result in a vaccine that could be self-administered in case of a pandemic. “A massive flu outbreak would cause a strain on health care centers as people rush to get a vaccination,” said Darrick Carter, Ph.D., Vice President of IDRI’s Adjuvant Technology program and co-principal investigator for the project. “Our idea is to ultimately produce a one-dose vaccine that you could give yourself – imagine a flu vaccine that you can easily administer using a simple, painless microneedle device arriving in your mailbox.”

“This research collaboration may provide for expedited vaccination and greater ease of use in the event of an influenza pandemic,” said Andy Sheldon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Medicago. “We view our collaboration with IDRI on this important initiative as a testament to the quality and efficacy of our H5N1 Influenza VLP vaccine. We look forward to now combining our vaccine candidate with IDRI’s adjuvant and the microneedle technology. Together, these three technologies could enhance protection, reduce the amount of product required, and simplify vaccine distribution and administration.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus is a deadly virus that occurs mainly in birds including domestic poultry. Though relatively rare, sporadic human infections with this virus have occurred and caused serious illness and death. Because of the unpredictability of pandemic flu, efforts are being made to create and stockpile a vaccine to combat H5N1 that reduces the amount of vaccine needed per person and can be easily administered.

“The predicted efficacy of a pandemic influenza vaccine is directly related to three key components: the nature of the vaccine, the way the vaccine is administered, and the presence or absence of a given adjuvant,” said Steven Reed, Ph.D., IDRI’s President, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, and co-principal investigator for the project. “IDRI’s adjuvants can be used to increase the number of available vaccine doses by reducing the amount of vaccine needed per individual – this is called ‘dose sparing.’ Combining our adjuvant technology with Medicago’s rapid VLP technology is key to the next generation of flu vaccines, as well as an innovative delivery method from NanoPass. This gives us a great platform to test.”

The H5N1 vaccine candidate includes IDRI’s GLA adjuvant and is produced in Medicago’s plant-based expression system, which is speedier than the traditional route of producing flu vaccines in eggs. The adjuvant system has been successfully combined with Medicago’s vaccine candidate and other recombinant protein antigens to elicit both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses associated with protection in pathogenic animal challenge models. In animal studies, GLA has also been shown to expand the cross reactivity of antibodies induced by the H5N1 vaccine to other potential pandemic influenza strains such as H2N2.

The Phase 1 clinical trial is expected to start in September 2012, and will enroll 100 healthy adult volunteers, ages 18-49 years, at three locations in the U.S., testing for safety and immune response. The trial is anticipated to take 15 months to complete, and initial safety and immunology data are expected in the first quarter of 2013. It is funded by a multi-million dollar grant IDRI received from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a division of the United States Department of Defense, to develop an influenza vaccine for pandemic flu.

While the trial will include testing of the traditional intramuscular route of delivery for comparison purposes, NanoPass’ proprietary MicronJet600™ microneedle device will test the intradermal route that could further improve immunogenicity. “Intradermal injection may have advantages over the intramuscular route in that the injection is painless, needle-free, and potentially more immunogenic as it provides targeted delivery of the vaccine to specialized cells of the immune system,” said Yotam Levin, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of NanoPass. “We have demonstrated in a recent Phase 2 study that we actually improve the immune response of seasonal flu vaccines in the elderly, despite using only 20% of the dose. This is an enabling technology that allows reducing the dose of antigens and/or adjuvants, improving the vaccination effect and at the same time improving patient comfort and compliance, making it an attractive proposition for pandemic preparedness.”

In June 2011, Medicago reported positive final results from its Phase 2 human clinical trial with its H5N1 vaccine with an alum adjuvant. Healthy volunteers in the Phase 2 trial received two doses 21 days apart, and data were analyzed 21 days after the last dose. The vaccine induced a solid immune response and was found to be safe and well-tolerated. The H5N1 vaccine has been tested in over 200 healthy volunteers to date, none of whom experienced any serious adverse reactions.

Contacts:

IDRI: Lee Schoentrup | 206.518.6290 | lee.schoentrup@idri.org

On Thursday July 26^th, Global Washington hosted a Global Worker Series event on Global Health at iLeap. Speakers from PATH and I-TECH came to discuss hiring processes in the field and gave advice to those looking to go into global health work.

PATH is an international organization based in Seattle that, “transforms global health through innovation.” With more than 1,000 employees worldwide, they have diverse opportunities for employees within their organization. They have a very human as well as global impact as, for example, they bring vaccines more quickly and more cheaply to the developing world, partner with similar organizations to work toward common goals, and cross-cut solutions between health and socio-economic conditions to create lasting change.

Richard Wilkinson, HR Director for the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), shared with us his personal experience getting a position in the Global Health field when he transitioned to a new career in his fifties. He encouraged those looking into careers in global health to aim for the “sweet spot” of what you love, what you’re great at, and what needs doing before looking for a unique position in the field. He shared that global health needs workers that have two-fold skills: they have technical understanding of the socio-environmental determinacy of health as well as the interpersonal skills to work in a field where you cannot accomplish your goals on your own.

Jenna Herron, Recruiting Director for HR at PATH, and SaraBeth Ross, Global Recruiting Coordinator at PATH, both shared their personal experience of finding a position at PATH and gave insights on how PATH finds their employees. They look for applicants with easily transferrable skills, and those who have field experience along with skilled experience.

All of the speakers encouraged those seeking careers in global health to make connections and network as much as possible. As Jenna advised, the path to a career in global health can be a “hop, skip, and a jump” away through other positions and fields as you make connections. PATH hosts a Community Coffee Quarterly that all recruiters attend, which could be a great place to network and learn more about the field of global health. (The next event is on August 30^th at 8am.)

Global Washington’s Careers in Global Development Center on our website offers opportunities for job seekers to find the best position in the global development sector, available from Washington State. Whether it’s a paid position, internship, or training opportunity that you’re looking for, the Careers in Global Development Center is an open resource to help you find it. Please visit us at: https://globalwa.org/resources/careers-in-development/

Welcome to the July 2012 issue of the Global Washington newsletter. If you would like to contact us directly, please email us.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Note from our Executive Director
• Featured Organization: A Child’s Right: Providing kids with clean water and proving it daily
• Changemaker: Dr. Michael J. Free: Where Bliss Meets Global Needs
• Feature: Global Washington members explore opportunities for collaborative development work in Vietnam
• Welcome New Members
• Career Center
• Announcements
• Global Washington Events
• Other Events

Note from our Executive Director

Greetings, July is Global Health Month in Seattle and I hope you have had a chance to visit the Global Health Experience Exhibit at the Seattle Center. Many Global Washington members have taken part in creating and promoting the exhibit and the other exciting events this month that celebrate and inform you about the contributions of this sector. This month’s newsletter profiles focus on an organization and an individual who are making important health-related contributions around the world. The first, A Child’s Right, is a relatively new organization keeping children healthy in urban areas in Asia by taking a new and innovative approach to clean water systems. The second profile features Dr. Michael Free, who has worked at PATH since its formation and been instrumental in the development of over 80 global health technologies.

As many of you are vacationing or enjoying the summer weather, we’re still glad that some of you haven’t been too busy for our summer events! This month we had a wonderful discussion with Oxfam America about their Equitable Food Initiative and how this domestic program is linked to their international work. We also recently welcomed Poonam Ahluwalia, founder of YES, who talked about her new venture, YouthTrade, which empowers young entrepreneurs to access the markets that will help them succeed. We also recently hosted a delegation of officials from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee, who are looking to form partnerships with organizations based in Washington State to do development work in Vietnam. Many of our members met with these officials at the Microsoft Conference center to learn about Vietnam and explore opportunities for collaboration. If your organization works in Vietnam and you want to be a part of this ongoing work, please let us know!

At Global Washington, we are enjoying summer, but we are also eagerly planning our fall programming. We are especially excited for Global Action Day 2012, which we will lead up to with an awareness campaign focusing on education, economic opportunity, and education for women and girls. We will celebrate with a community event called “GlobalFest” at the Seattle Center on September 22^nd. We will be there along with many of our members and we hope to see you there as well! Finally, I am excited to announce that one of the speakers for our 2012 Annual Conference will be Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, founder and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning. This premier leader and award-winner has provided education and health services to more than 9 million Afghan women and children and we are looking forward to hearing her thoughts on December 6th. You can register for the conference on our website. Remember—early bird prices end in August! In unity,

Bookda Gheisar, Executive Director

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Featured Organization

Member Profile: A Child’s Right: Providing kids with clean water and proving it daily

By Megan Boucher

A Child’s Right

“Kids. Urban. Water. That’s what we do,” Eric Stowe, Founder and Director of A Child’s Right, told me as we sat in the organization’s hip new office on Capital Hill in Seattle. One word that aptly describes Stowe and his team is “focused”: on the long-term results they want to see, on transparency with their donors, and on what they do best. Kids-Urban-Water is a simple three-word formula that is already creating a big impact. According to the organization’s website, over 200,000 children currently have reliable, safe drinking water thanks to A Child’s Right, and the plan is for that number to increase.

The idea for A Child’s Right came from the innovative combination of two unlikely concepts: orphanages and fast food. Stowe spent many years in the field of international adoption, mostly in China. He walked families through the adoption process, including traveling with them to the orphanages. They would go out for comfort food like Burger King or Starbucks, and he noted that these restaurants had consistent access to potable water, while orphanages in the same communities did not. He eventually started working directly with orphanages trying to help them function better. “What are your most critical needs?” he asked them, aiming for solutions that would have both immediate and long-term impact. The two most consistent responses were “clean water” and “better training for caregivers.” “I didn’t have a clue how to take on the latter!” Stowe recalled. “But the first sounded doable. If McDonald’s is using the technology, then it must be available.”

A Child’s Right

He started shamelessly “pilfering” filtration ideas from fast food chains. Restaurants rely on consistent, efficient, high-volume filtration technology that Stowe began implementing in Chinese orphanages in 2003 with positive results. Stowe founded A Child’s Right in 2006, and the organization has expanded to Cambodia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Nepal. One early success in Kathmandu confirmed for Stowe the effectiveness and scalability of the system. “My first water system in Nepal was put in an orphanage in Kathmandu. The caregivers at the site mentioned that a year later they went from 12-13 bouts of dysentery in a year down to one. A dozen down to one was pretty awesome!” He eventually started using the same technology in other institutions where children need clean water: schools, hospitals, feeding centers, street shelters, and rescue homes for trafficked women and children.

To date, A Child’s Right has operated under what Stowe calls a “traditional charity model,” with an eye toward long-term sustainability. For the first ten years of involvement A Child’s Right funds the majority of the project, which includes installation, oversight, training, water quality testing, maintenance, and spare parts. “What happens beyond ten years is the true sustainability question,” said Stowe. “Our guiding vision is to fully transfer ownership to local sites during the eleventh year of operation.” They are looking at some innovative ways to get there that make the most sense for the countries where they work.

One of the non-traditional models they’re testing involves creating local markets for filtration systems, which can continue long after A Child’s Right strategically exits the community. In Kathmandu, for example, the organization is currently building the market capacity through systems and staff with technical skills. “We’re leaving in our wake a vibrant social enterprise that is focused on filtration for the base-of-pyramid. But they are doing it for-profit,” Stowe explained. The idea is that this budding enterprise—not the nonprofit organization A Child’s Right—will ultimately bring filtration to schools and orphanages in other parts of Nepal.

A Child’s Right

In yet another sustainability model, A Child’s Right is reaching out to local for-profit filtration companies, offering to help them add water projects for children to their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. Many countries already have robust markets for filtration, but they are currently only servicing places like fast food chains and hotels. A Child’s Right hopes that, with a little coaching, these companies will start serving base-of-the-pyramid populations in their own communities. “It is a win-win,” Stowe insisted. “It’s their own kids. Their workers can be involved in something far more meaningful than just putting in filtration in a McDonald’s or a Hyatt. They can use existing revenue streams that they are currently allocating to CSR anyway.”

In addition to providing kids in urban settings with clean water, another essential focus for the organization is transparency. “We are insanely open and honest with our deficiencies and failures,” said Stowe. A Child’s Right uses a database called Proving It  to track and quickly publish data about the successes and failures of its projects. They operate on three key principles: “be honest with the numbers,” “everything goes live,” and “donors know when we know.” These principles reflect the organization’s commitment to providing current and accurate information—whether good or bad.

Publishing failures seems risky, but so far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. When I mentioned that many organizations want to be similarly transparent but don’t have the capacity to do so, Stowe laughed and said, “Wedon’t have the capacity. We have had to divert staff time and attention to it. But we do it because it is such a core ethical driver.” A Child’s Right believes so strongly in this concept that they hope to be a model for others. They are working to enhance Proving It and plan to eventually make it available as open source software to other organizations.

They are clearly doing something right. The organization has drastically expanded in the last two years, going from a domestic staff of one (just Stowe) to a staff of twelve. They have also secured the funding to take their operations to ten more countries by 2020. Amidst expansion and success, the organization is clear and deliberate about their strategic goals. “Sixteen countries is our stop,” said Stowe emphatically. “We’re focused on Asia because that is where there is the greatest need and where we can make the biggest impact.”

A Child’s Right

Going along with this, A Child’s Right is committed to local ownership and a deliberate exit strategy. In some countries, they need only be active for a few years to build out local filtration markets, which can then function on their own. In others, A Child’s Right may need to be present for many years. However, in every country, Stowe and his staff hope to eventually work themselves out of their jobs. This goal is a deliberate part of their strategic plan. “We very sincerely mean it,” said Stowe. “I really like this job and we all love working here. But we don’t need to be needed in 30 years.” In time, these countries will have the capability of doing this work for themselves without the help of an outside NGO.

The growing organization recently moved its offices from Tacoma to Seattle, and the team is thrilled to be a part of Seattle’s vibrant community. They welcome visitors to their new office and collaborators who will help them do what they do even better. “We have aggressive growth plans and all of them require us to learn from others who are doing really solid work,” said Stowe. In turn, those who want to learn more about transparency and practical solutions with significant impact can explore the exemplary work of A Child’s Right in providing clean water to thousands of children. And you don’t have to take my word for it because the organization is currently “proving it” publically on their website—one child at a time.

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Changemaker

Dr. Michael J. Free: Where bliss meets global needs

By Megan Boucher

Dr. Michael Free leading an international delegation
on a visit to PATH’s Seattle HQ
PATH/Patrick McKern

Flu-like symptoms are not usually cause for alarm—unless you live in or have recently travelled to a malaria-prone area. “Because you’ve been in Africa, we’ll need to test you,” my doctor told me recently, when I complained of an unexplained fever. “It will take a vial of blood and 48 hours to find out if you have malaria.” I didn’t, but I couldn’t help recalling another malaria test administered in a children’s home in Mozambique for a visitor who was feeling ill. His whole team huddled around a wooden dining table, curiously awaiting the results of a finger prick strip test administered by one of the resident nurses. It took less than 15 minutes to yield a negative result. I, on the other hand, spent two days in Seattle waiting for test results and half-wishing to be back in Mozambique where they came more quickly.

I was a firsthand witness to Seattle’s global health sector in action. “Yes, PATH actually developed the first of those,” confirmed Dr. Michael J. Free when I told him about the rapid strip test. Malaria can be dangerous if left untreated; the traditional tests are more accurate but take time, expense, and a high level of expertise. In contrast, rapid strip tests are simple and inexpensive—perfect for healthcare workers, clinics, and low-resource hospitals in malaria-prone areas. Dr. Free is Vice President and Senior Advisor for Technologies and Global Program Leader for Technology Solutions at PATH and he and his team work to develop health solutions like the strip test to improve the lives of people in the developing world.

Malaria testing
PATH/ Gena Morgan

July 2012 is Global Health Month in Seattle. It would be impossible to celebrate the accomplishments of this sector without recognizing the work of pioneers like Dr. Free, who started contributing to the global health sector before most of us recognized its existence. “He is a bit of a legend around here,” laughed the PATH staff member who greeted me when I arrived to interview Dr. Free. “He has been around since the beginning of the organization.” In fact, Dr. Free’s deep involvement in Washington State’s global health sector includes seven years at Battelle Northwest; involvement in the formation and board of directors of VillageReach, a Seattle-based community health nonprofit; and of course, an extensive and prolific career at PATH. After 35 years at PATH, Dr. Free will be retiring from official duties but intends to continue consulting and advising on global health technologies.

Dr. Free is a British citizen who received his undergraduate degree in physiology from the University of Nottingham, England. “It looked like there were more possibilities for my particular brand of individualism in the United States,” he recalled of his decision to come to the U.S. in 1965. He finished his master’s degree and doctorate in physiology at Ohio State University and then headed further west to the Bay Area of California.  That part of the country epitomized the free-spirited culture of 1960s, of which Dr. Free spoke nostalgically. “The chaos, the summer of love, the disruption of classes, and the war protests were a great introduction to the cauldron that is America,” he recalled.

His work through that time was mostly research in reproductive health and physiology, but he had always had an interest in health solutions for the developing world. He grew up in a little village in the country in England and left home at age 15. He cannot pinpoint exactly when his interest in global development began, but during his younger years, he worked at various jobs and met immigrants who told him their stories. “They talked about their home countries and what conditions were like there; what their families had to endure. I think it left a mark on me,” he said.

Early on in his career, there were fewer opportunities to work directly with solutions for the developing world, but the interest was still there. “One of my basic philosophies,” he explained, “is that when faced with different paths in the road, I always try to pick the branch that retains the most opportunities and look at how they fit into what my bliss might be. I’m a great believer in bliss.”

A disposable syringe jet injector
PATH/Patrick McKern

Dr. Free was able to do more work connected to his bliss when he was recruited to Battelle Northwest by Gordon Duncan. Dr. Free called himself a “tinkerer” who feels at home developing technology. His years at Battelle were spent mostly on technologies related reproductive health such as IUDs, sterilization, and other forms of contraception. In the mid-1970s, Gordon Duncan and two other researchers began discussing a new type of health organization that would forge partnerships between the public sector and the for-profit sector to increase access to contraception in the developing world. “It was very exciting and futuristic,” recalled Dr. Free. Government entities and organizations were developing contraceptive technology, but no one was looking to the private sector to effectively bring these technologies to the developing world. “The whole idea of public/private partnerships was born in these discussions,” Dr. Free said.

The proposed organization was formed in 1977 under the umbrella of Battelle and Dr. Free was one of its earliest employees, initially staying on at Battelle and working with the new organization as a consultant. The venture eventually became independent and is now known as PATH, which stands for Program for Appropriate Technology in Health. “I eventually left Battelle because it looked like my destiny was with this new organization,” Dr. Free said of his decision 31 years ago to work at PATH fulltime.

PATH’s early work involved transferring manufacturing technology for contraceptives to China and Vietnam, creating modern factories in populous countries to increase access. Early on, PATH widened its scope from reproductive health to health in general. In the 1970s and 1980s, with support from USAID, PATH began creating a design engineering facility and a biotechnology laboratory and started using them to tackle numerous health problems faced around the world.

Fast dissolving tablet technology
PATH/Patrick McKern

In addition to advances in reproductive health, Dr. Free’s team at PATH boasts other innovative solutions over the years. They have increased the quality and safety of immunizations, for example, by creating a syringe that cannot be used twice to prevent the reuse of needles. They have worked on advances in maternal and neonatal care like technology to help newborns breathe at birth or to protect mothers from blood loss. They have also improved diagnostics at the point-of-care, like the rapid strip malaria test. Other work includes household water purification technology and better health and information systems.

Coming up with effective new technology requires creative people who have an intimate understanding of the problems that need to be solved. Each solution team at PATH is balanced with technology specialists, business professionals, and public health experts who work together to develop holistic solutions. Another key concept is to bring in the user as a co-designer. “The idea that there isn’t innovation in these countries is just the wrong idea,” explained Dr. Free. “They just don’t yet have the means to express those innovations and to manifest them into tools. Tapping their experience is not only critical; it is crazy if you don’t!”

Dr. Free has thus spent a great deal of time throughout his career in the field, observing problems and solutions firsthand and talking to users about the technologies. When he sees the solutions that he developed in use, he often finds the experience more intriguing than gratifying. “You’re usually thinking more about whether there are furtherimprovements that can be made,” he laughed.  He also mentioned the need to go back and observe the consequences of a new technology. For example, the one-time-use syringes solved one problem, but led to seven times as many dirty needles in the trash. “But we did develop a solution,” he said. “A simple needle destroyer.”

Under Dr. Free’s leadership, PATH has advanced more than 80 technologies to improve health in the developing world. However, choosing any one that he is particularly proud of is to him like “asking someone to choose a favorite child.” In fact, excitement about and investment in every technology is an important component to success, as they can take years of work before implementation. “You have to be incredibly patient and tenacious,” he said. “You may go through long periods of drought.”

Malaria testing
PATH/Gena Morgan

Dr. Free attributes much of his success to the strength of his team, who “have the right stuff” to weather the droughts and push forward to success. “My secret sauce is being able to hire people that are smarter than me,” he insisted. His direct team currently includes 105 people, many of whom are long-time, loyal PATH employees. He works to cultivate a culture of mutual support and collaboration–something that reflects the community spirit of PATH as a whole. “It’s remarkable that PATH has been able to keep that original fire through many, many stages of growth, even now with almost 1,200 employees scattered around 40 countries,” he reflected. “It’s one of the great achievements of PATH.”

Current projects for Dr. Free’s team include new delivery methods for vaccines (rapid dissolving tablets under the tongue), new diagnostics for point-of-care including DNA tests, and the simple application of a well-known antiseptic to umbilical cords to decrease early infant mortality. Such solutions—from simple to complex—will improve the quality of life for people all over the world. Dr. Free was recently named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth for his work in health technologies, a high honor reserved for those who have demonstrated exemplary service and innovation. As our community celebrates global health achievements during the month of July, we are pleased to recognize the innovative contributions of Dr. Free and PATH and hope the work continues to make our world a safer and healthier place.

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Feature

Global Washington members explore opportunities for collaborative development work in Vietnam

By Sean O’Keefe

Global Washington

On June 27, Global Washington was honored to welcome five distinguished leaders of Vietnam’s efforts to promote sustainable, equitable development for the Vietnamese people. The delegates represented the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and its People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM), an interdepartmental body that reports directly to the prime minister of Vietnam. PACCOM surveys all development efforts within Vietnam, facilitates and coordinates these activities, and promotes lasting partnerships between international NGOs and Vietnamese institutions and community associations.

Delegates included:

• Mr. Don Tuan Phong, Vice President of Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and Director General of the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee;
• Mr. Le Van Hoang, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Public Security;
• Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Van, Program Coordinator, the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (North American desk)
• Mr. Tran Quang Trung, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
• Mr. Bui Hong Nhat, the Central Commission of External Relations under the Central Committee of Vietnam;

Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen addresses
the crowd at Microsoft
Photo Credit: Global Washington

Microsoft graciously invited the Vietnamese delegation and about 60 friends of Global Washington to a reception at its Redmond campus. Akhtar Badshah, the Senior Director of Global Community Affairs at Microsoft, started the conversation with a presentation about the development, capacity building, and youth empowerment programsthat Microsoft does in communities across the world. Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen spoke about what Washington’s organizations can offer the world of global development. Bill Clapp, the founder of Global Washington, then gave a short history of the organization and the idea behind its Vietnam Working Group.

The Vietnam Working Group brings together Washington State nonprofits, businesses, and academic institutions that are engaged in education, global health, environmental sustainability, and poverty alleviation work in Vietnam. Global Washington is surveying and mapping this engagement to help discover exactly where efforts and programs are needed most.  The vision is for a forum where members strengthen each others’ efforts by sharing their ideas, contacts, best practices, institutional memory, and on-the-ground experiences. The roll out of the Vietnam Working Group map, which uses Microsoft’s Local Impact Map software, will happen soon.

Mr. Phong painted a vivid picture of the challenges that Vietnam faced when it began the Doi Moi reforms. In 1990, Vietnam had seen only six years of peace in the previous century. The country faced a food deficit, a 60% poverty rate, a per capita GDP of $200, near total diplomatic isolation, and almost no access to outside markets. Today, the poverty rate is now between 12% and 18% and the per capita GDP is $1,168. Now, Vietnam is a major rice exporter, a lower middle-income country, and a politically and economically integrated member of the international community.

Mr. Don Tuan Phong addresses GlobalWA
members and supporters
Photo credit: Global Washington

Yet much remains to be done. Social gaps between rich and poor and between ethnic groups are widening. Vietnam must help the disabled, ethnic minorities, people with AIDS, Agent Orange victims, and other at-risk groups catch up with the nation’s pace of development. Vietnam faces the risks of pandemics, climate change, and an overheating economy that faces global competition. Almost 70% of the population is rural. 80% of labor force has no formal job training at all. “We have to compete with giants from overseas,” which is especially difficult for small-scale Vietnamese producers, said Mr. Phong.

He noted that, “international help has contributed significantly to our successes so far. With international cooperation, we will be able to move faster and reach our development targets.” Vietnam has even begun leveraging its resources and expertise in development projects in Africa and Southeast Asia. To do it on a large scale, Mr. Phong said, “we need to be mighty first. That’s why cooperation with the nonprofit sector, the international communities, and the business sector will always play a huge role in Vietnam.”

The Vietnamese government has relationships with over 900 international non-governmental organizations. All told, INGOs have given Vietnam 3 billion USD in assistance. This funding has contributed greatly to poverty reduction, sustainable development, and expanding international understanding among many different peoples.

Mr. Phong identified three development priority areas that Washington organizations can and should target:

1. Education and health care: “our people are the means to AND end of development at the same time. So we invest in people.”
2. Environment: environmental protection, conservation of wildlife and habitats, climate change. No development could be sustained without this, but climate change natural disasters are a much bigger risk for Vietnam than for most countries.
3. Addressing the consequences of war: this includes de-mining, bomb disposal, Agent Orange victims, and people with disabilities. Vietnam has a national strategy on mine action, but it would last 100-200 years without international assistance. We need to be able to clear mines and make the land safe.

At a smaller working lunch for the Vietnamese delegation and the Vietnam Working Group’s members, Mr. Phong explained the relationship between international NGOs system and Vietnamese institutions in more depth:

“The interdepartmental committee for INGO affairs reports directly to the prime minister. The committee includes nine government departments and it oversees all development work and facilitates the work of all INGOs at the central level. At the local level, the provincial officials can make decisions themselves over cooperation with INGOs. Lots of decisions are made at local levels. We have a strong tradition of decentralization in this area.”

Global Washington

PACCOM is constantly adding to its comprehensive database of the information it collects on international NGOs. Lately, they have been trying to map it as well. The Vietnamese delegation and the other Vietnam Working Group members were enthusiastic about the prototype of the Vietnam Map that Global Washington will be rolling out soon.

Mr. Phong also announced that PACCOM will publish a comprehensive strategy document this coming November, when it hosts 800 to 1,000 people at a major conference in Hanoi (all Global Washington members are invited to attend). Vietnam is one of the only countries with a formal coordinating mechanism for international NGOs, so it has much to learn and much to teach. As for immediate action, Mr. Phong suggested that the Vietnam Working Group take on some geographic region either in central Vietnam or the highlands, selecting one to three key locations with high poverty and high priority. Business exchanges, educational exchanges, and other collaborations between our two countries could make an enormous difference. They hope to see more public-private partnerships in the future, but it’s not possible in every country. There are things the private sector could do, but will not because of low profitability. Thus, there is a gap where voluntary organizations can help. An ideal picture involves much cooperation, which will hopefully occur as this initiative moves forward.

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Welcome New Members

Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and consider opportunities for support and collaboration!

Viva Network North America  Viva is an international Christian development charity based in UK, US, Africa, Asia, & Latin America, with a focus on children at risk.  Viva’s mission is enabling people to work together to keep children at risk safe and healthy, giving them opportunities to learn and allowing them to play an active part in shaping their own futures. Viva’s work strengthens the grassroots response to children at risk by seeking to help them: improve quality, increase action and influence decision makers. www.viva.org

Kids Without Borders Kids Without Borders was launched as a school service projects for students to sort clothes and donated items for children in the community. Today, the organization supports and works with children in more than 30 countries, attracting volunteers worldwide, providing opportunities for youth, benefiting and changing thousands of lives around the world. http://www.kidswithnoborders.org

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Career Center

Highlighted career

Director of Investor Relations, Global Partnerships, Seattle: Jason Henning How would you describe your job? As Director of Investor Relations at Global Partnerships, I manage the full relationship cycle for all of our investors. This begins during prospect research, continues through outreach and engagement, and leads to sourcing capital commitments for our social investment funds. After investors participate in our funds, I am responsible for overseeing the relationship and communication efforts. More.

Highlighted positions

Executive Director, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, Seattle

Working with the Director of Programs, the Executive Director assumes leadership to ensure that all programs are designed and implemented to deliver services effectively and efficiently to each country site. Regular site visits to monitor program implementation and outcomes is required. A key aspect of the position is fundraising and alliance building. More.

Manager or Director of Programming and Events, The HUB Seattle

We’re looking for a Manager/Director of Programming and Events. This person will be responsible for the planning and execution of all HUB Seattle gatherings and events, including revenue and non-revenue producing events. Types of events might include talks, master classes, barcamps, hackathons, launch weekends, pitch nights, flavor fests from local restaurants, HUB Happy Hours, game nights, founder dating events, venture fund booth nights, film screenings, photography showings, and more. More.

Manager or Director of Marketing and Evangelism, The HUB Seattle

We’re looking for a Manager/Director of Marketing and Evangelism. This person will be responsible for the development, planning, and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies and campaigns (both online and offline) to promote the HUB Seattle brand, drive attendance to HUB Seattle events, raise awareness of the extraordinary accomplishments of our members, and build the HUB Seattle community. More.

Highlighted Internship

Grameen Foundation Internships 2012, Grameen Foundation

Grameen Foundation has a relatively small staff despite all the work we do, making volunteers and interns critical to our employees in carrying out their work. Interns, in particular, enable program and operations’ staff to pursue informative research and analysis and more efficiently fulfill ongoing reporting and administrative requirements. More.

Highlighted Volunteer Opportunity

Global Engagement and Tithe Committee Member, Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/South King County

Global Engagement and Tithe Committee members manage the international relations program for the Seattle/South King County affiliate. Service in the international arena is a key element in the mission of our affiliate to provide decent, safe affordable housing for all. Our work includes outreach and advocacy in the greater Seattle area, tithing of our unrestricted funds to 4 partner countries each year, and periodic Global Village trips to build homes for needy families overseas. More.

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Announcements

Hear Dr. Sakeena Yacoobi at GlobalWA’s 4 ^th Annual Conference

We are honored to announce that Dr. Sakeena Yacoobi—founder and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning—will be speaking at our annual conference on Dec. 6, 2012. Since 1996, Dr. Yacoobi has provided education and health services to more than 9 million Afghan women and children. Her organization was the first to offer human rights and leadership training to Afghan women and first to open Women’s Learning Centers in the country.

In 2012, Dr. Yacoobi was presented with the German Media Award, the Lotus Leadership Award from the Asia Foundation, and the World’s Children’s Prize Honorary Award. In 2010, she also received the Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights and the Asia Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Schwab Foundation.  In 2011, she was awarded the National Peace Award by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and was inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame.

Dr. Yacoobi is an Ashoka Fellow and Skoll Social Entrepreneur, and has received the Henry R. Kravis Award for Leadership, the Democracy Award from the National Endowment of Democracy, the Women’s Rights Prize of the Peter Gruber Foundation, and the Americans for UNFPA Board of Advocates Award for the Health and Dignity of Women. We hope you’ll join us and hear Dr. Yacoobi speak at our 2012 Conference! Visit our website for early-bird registration.

PeaceTrees Vietnam seeks new Executive Director

PeaceTrees Vietnamis seeking an Executive Director to start in September 2012. The Executive Director provides overall strategic leadership and management direction to support the healthy functioning of the organization and execution of the mission. Responsibilities:

• Make sure the organizations goals, objectives and work plans are created, updated and executed.
• Regularly assess the needs in Central Vietnam and recommending performance-based adjustments to PeaceTrees’ programs/partnerships to maximize efficiency.
• Create and execute a strategy to raise sustained funding.
• Builds and maintains partnerships which include the U.S. Department of State; foundations; other NGOs working in Vietnam; the national, provincial and local governmental organizations in Vietnam; and many other organizations.
• Oversee cash flow; ensure effective audit trails and internal controls; ensure compliance with grant and regulatory requirements; and distribute accurate and timely monthly financial statements to the Board.
• Hire , set goals for, and coach staff members.
• Assume overall responsibility for all administrative activities. Keeps Board members informed and helps get them involved through committee work.
• Serve as the chief spokesperson before donors, staff, volunteers, Board members, Vietnamese officials, agencies and organizations.

Requirements include 5+ years nonprofit management and grant writing experience; Board development experience; a proven track record as a fundraiser; demonstrated cultural competence; a proven record of running a fiscally sound organization; good communication skills and the ability to travel to Vietnam several times a year.

Full job description and instructions on how to apply. While the position will be open until filled, it is expected that qualified candidates will be interviewed July and August.

Event Planner needed at MEDRIX

A short-term contract has opened up at MEDRIX for an Event Planner to handle fundraising events in the last quarter of 2012. The position is available immediately.

The Event Planner will envision benefit events, and is responsible for planning and implementing, from start to finish, our fundraising event for 2012. Qualified person has the ability to ensure this vision is realized by organizing, managing, and maintaining the progress and productive interaction of various parties, including volunteers, market place vendors and partners.

The position requires three years recent event planning experience and a BA in Marketing or Marketing Communications.

MEDRIX is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which provides medical resources, international health education, child heart surgeries and safe water development in Southeast Asia. If you are interested in finding out more, contact mailto:moffice@medrix.org for a position outline.

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Global Washington Events

Thursday, July 26
Global Workers Series: Launching your career in Global Health

Thursday, December 6
4th Annual Conference

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Other Events

Wednesday, July 25
2012 Mid-year Review and Forecast Update of Asian Economies

Thursday, July 26
Benefit: “Global Health Month ‘Tweet-Up’ for Jolkona” (a Socializing for Social Change event)

Tuesday, July 31
Business Partnerships for Global Health: Successes, Obstacles and Opportunities

Wednesday, August 1
YPIN: French Conversation Group

Tuesday, September 11
Everett Roundtable: Washington State International Competitiveness Strategy

Wednesday, September 19
Proposal Writing 201: Advanced tools for getting your project funded

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Telecommuting, competitive pay, stock options, extended vacation time, a gym, catered lunches and other attractive benefits will get talented recruits to come work for your company. But once they’ve arrived, how do you keep them?

Much of the time, the cause to stay is…cause.

Human resources professionals increasingly recognize that amongst the most important components of any employee retention strategy are diverse corporate volunteer programs that reflect the values of employees. Implementing an internal employee giving and corporate volunteer platform with a variety of non-profit choices allows workers to conveniently support the causes that are near and dear to their heart.

The Best Gift You Can Give Your Employees
Forbes |  Ryan Scott | June 26, 2012

Welcome to the June 2012 issue of the Global Washington newsletter. If you would like to contact us directly, please email us.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Note from our Executive Director
• Member Benefits
• Changemaker: Robert Rose and The Rose International Fund for Children: Hope and opportunity for Nepal’s children with disabilities
• Member Profile: World Trade Center Seattle Shines Bright on the Waterfront
• Special Feature: GlobalWA//Gather Series — 10 Hours with Paul Krugman
• Welcome New Members
• Career Center
• Announcements
• Global Washington Events
• Other Events

Note from our Executive Director

Greetings and happy first week of summer!

Last month, we were excited to host Nobel-prize-winning economist Paul Krugman as part of our GlobalWA//Gather series of events and conversations with thought-leaders on global issues.  An in-depth summary of the GlobalWA events surrounding Mr. Krugman’s visit to Seattle is included in this newsletter. We look forward to bringing more premier thinkers and leaders to Seattle in upcoming Gather events. We also hope you will Save the Date for our 2012 Annual Conference to be held on December 6^th at Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle.  Early-bird registration is now open and an agenda will be announced in the upcoming months.

This time of year is always bittersweet at Global Washington as we say goodbye to many departing interns who are graduating, going home for the summer, or moving on to new ventures. We would like to give a big thank you to Alisa Minkina, Angie Anderson, Tomomi Tanaka, Mingxing Tu, Brianna Breimayer, Yun-Chieh Pai, and Matt McCleary. We are also excited to be working with some new interns, as well as a fantastic group of ongoing volunteers. If you visit our office, make sure to stop and meet some of these dedicated people who help make everything happen: Ismail Mohammad, Bryan Gamble, Sean O’Keefe, Jordan Faires, Raissa Licano-Sanchez, Sarah Baron, Jake Sumibcay, Niny Yang, Nataliya Pistorskaya, Prajwol Shrestha, Daniel Drake, Mollie Diddams, Carolyn Hubbard, and Casey O’Connor. You can view their bios on our website.

Volunteers and interns power much of our work. Make sure you check out some of our resources that are heavily volunteer-supported, including our Careers in Development Center, Policy Resources, Social Media, and many Global Washington events!

Finally, we salute our friends and members who are working tirelessly in the field of global health. July is Global Health Month in Seattle and we hope you will take some time to support this crucial part of Washington’s global development community. The Washington Global Health Alliance is a great resource for more information on events and other components of Global Health Month.

In unity,

Bookda Gheisar, Executive Director

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New member benefits

We are always trying to find new member benefits to add more value to your organization. Please see some of the latest opportunities that are available to Global Washington members in good standing.

Radio advertising:  We recently sent all members an email about discounted radio spots on KPLU, KUOW, Komo Newsradio, and Smart 570 KVI Talk. Let us know if you are interested or would like more information!

For more information or to sign up, please contact Megan Boucher (megan@globalwa.org). To join Global Washington and take advantage of these or other member benefits, please visit our website.

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Changemaker

Robert Rose: Hope and opportunity for Nepal’s children with disabilities

By Megan Boucher

“I look into all of your eyes and see love, joy and hope. I see promise and possibilities, but most of all, I see potential. You must be allowed to achieve your potential, to see that the possibilities are endless.”

-Robert Rose, in a letter to the children with disabilities of Nepal

Rob and Gina Rose with an armful of kids with disability from DNC (Disabled Newlife Center) in Kathmandu, Nepal

Robert Rose excels at making the most of the potential around him. A professional photographer with a love for children, Rob has been able to utilize his own skills and the skills of people he has met along the way to make a difference for countless children. His organization, The Rose International Fund for Children (TRIFC), supports children with disabilities in Nepal by funding organizations and programs that address the needs of this neglected population.

Supported programs include a Braille book library; hearing aids and kitchen equipment for a  deaf school; and “backpacks for the blind” which provides blind children with materials needed to succeed in school such as Braille watches, Braille rulers, and folding canes. Rob is a big fan of simple but effective solutions. “At one school in a rural area they were feeding the kids in two shifts because they didn’t have enough tin plates,” Rob explained. “Sometimes things as simple as that completely make it so much better for them.”

Life for a child with a disability in Nepal can be difficult, both because of the negative social stigma and also because of the lack of resources needed to help the child succeed. Smart, motivated children are easily left behind their peers without intervention, but TRIFC is working to change that. One particular success was at the Disabled New Life Center where, prior to TRIFC’s involvement, the kids went home after their high school graduation to an uncertain future. Now there are eight graduates going to college.

TRIFC volunteer and teacher of the blind- Sita Gyawali on the left with sponsored blind student Sima Tamang on the right

Rob’s interest in this part of the world started when he was sixteen years old. He spent eight months in Calcutta, India as a Rotary exchange student and was struck by the poverty there. “It made me wonder about my place in the world,” he recalled. “Why was I born in Seattle into relative comfort with shelter and adequate food and water, but a lot of people around the world didn’t have those basic necessities? It led me to believe that I had a responsibility to try to help those who were less fortunate.”

The perspective change stuck with him, although he did not return to Asia until many years later. He took over his parents’ Bellevue photography business—Brant Photographers—in 1985, become active in the Bellevue Rotary club, and started a family. Sixteen years ago, Rob read an article in the Seattle Times about a small California nonprofit called the Nepal Youth Foundation that was helping 500 children in the Kathmandu Valley. He felt a tug on his heart to return to that part of the world and thought about calling the organization to see if they needed a volunteer photographer. However, he hesitated, thinking that they would say no. “Well yeah, that’s true,” he thought, reconsidering. “But what if they say yes?’” Rob made the call with a sense that his life might never be quite the same.

TRIFC formed this group to educate and empower deaf women. They embroider greeting cards as a means of learning new skills, earning money and developing a network of friends. The funds raised from the sales of these cards go directly back to the women.

On the other end of the phone was Olga, a 72-year-old woman who, in her younger years, had a penchant for trekking in the mountains of Nepal. She told Rob that they did indeed need a photographer and so Rob made his way to Nepal. “I had a real epiphany moment,” he explained, reminiscing about that first visit in 1997. “I felt that if I just directed some of my time and attention towards helping other people, there was the opportunity to make a pretty big impact.”

Rob quickly began exploring the resources and connections around him. He asked Olga if she knew anyone in Rotary. She introduced him to Rabendra Pandey, a Nepali businessman who was active in his local club. Rob and Rabendra started doing Rotary projects together, raising money from Rob’s local Rotary club and Nepali clubs and utilizing Rotary’s generous matching grants to fund projects for children in Nepal. These projects eventually turned into TRIFC, an independent organization that still has close connections to Rotary and Rotarians in Nepal.

Bharat and Ajay play ping-pong (and get great physiotherapy) on a brand new table donated by TRIFC to DHC’s home for children with disability.

Many of the programs that TRIFC funds–providing school supplies, nutrition, winter coats, and similar—represent short-term solutions. Perceptions need to change to create lasting impact. Recently, the organization partnered with Rotary in a large scale social marketing campaign about people with disabilities. The goal was to reach 15% of Nepal’s population through awareness ads using various forms of media and PR like television, radio, news, sports festivals, street theater, billboards, and wall paintings. The project just wrapped up and the preliminary results are encouraging. Rob’s dream would be to find a partner that can help take the campaign countrywide to reach more people with the message about the value, potential and capabilities of people with disabilities.

Disabled Newlife Children and volunteers on an overnight camping trip in Dhulikhel, Nepal.

Rob believes that TRIFC’s main strengths are its rich people resources and support from Nepalis, including some with disabilities. These volunteers help Rob, as he puts it, “do the right thing” by providing a firsthand perspective, as well as expertise and advice. Additionally, Rabendra and his wife Chandra serve on TRIFC’s board of directors, as does Rob’s wife Gina, whose skills as an international marketing professional have been invaluable during the recent marketing campaign. Rob’s sons have made trips to Nepal and even his mother has hosted Nepali visitors in her home. He has also brought numerous Rotarians and others to Nepal on volunteer trips.

Despite this strong support, Rob is always happy for more collaborators. “Personally, I feel very fortunate to be in a position to provide help, hope, and love to the kids we work with in Nepal,” he said. He would be happy to help others do the same and “work with a marginalized community that is just waiting for an opportunity.”

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Featured Organization

Member Profile: World Trade Center Seattle Shines Bright on the Waterfront

By Carolyn Hubbard

While ferries float past and seagulls catch thermals, company executives hover over fresh cups of coffee, and a young couple samples an entree for their upcoming nuptials. They are enjoying World Trade Center Seattle (WTCSE)’s dining room, more formally known as the Holland America Line Dining Room, where a curved wall of windows, rising some 40 feet from floor to ceiling, affords a sweeping view of Seattle’s waterfront, from the flock of red cargo cranes at the port, north to the touristy hub of Pier 66. Access to this spectacular place – for a lunch meeting or an event – is one of the benefits of being a WTCSE member.

Shelley Tomberg, Vice President of Sales, describes WTCSE as “an intimate place for businesses to come together to discuss business” and explains that “you’re going to see people who have a similar focus as you – people involved in the Port of Seattle, entrepreneurs, people with more of a business focus.” You’re also going to see a healthy mix of members from both trade/commerce and non-government organizations. Some of Seattle’s global development community that have memberships to WTCSE currently include PATH, International Rescue Committee, GAPPS, and Global Washington. Also found on site is the World Affairs Council.

The Port of Seattle owns the WTC building and contracts Seattle-based Columbia Hospitality to manage the WTCSE building and the Bell Harbor International Conference Center across the street. The WTCSE was completed in 1998, receiving the licensing rights to be a part of the international World Trade Center Association, just in time to ride the wave of the strong economy. Businesses and non-profit organizations joined as members, some even renting office space in the building, and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of networking during a time of seemingly endless opportunities. In more recent years, some tenants (mainly the non-profit organizations) left to find reduced rents, but membership has remained steady, even going up this year.

About three times a year, WTCSE holds a members’ reception in the dining room. These are well-attended events at which members have the chance to reconnect, meet new members and talk shop. “Drinks are included,” Tomberg notes with a quick laugh, “and that helps loosen the barriers.”

Along with access to other World Trade Centers around the world, member benefits include use of the boardrooms and other meeting spaces in the building. Tomberg wants smaller organizations to see WTCSE as a home base, a place to conduct business and make those essential connections to forward a goal. WTCSE and the Port of Seattle want to ensure there is representation from many segments of society and the community, says Tomberg. To help promote this, non-government organizations are offered a discounted membership rate.

“This is a connection place,” Tomberg explains. “It’s a place for leaders to come and share what they are thinking about for the future.” For example, member Washington Council on International Trade recently held a “Maritime & Trade Discussion” with Jay Inslee and Rob McKenna. Other events have featured former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Senator Patty Murray, and the president of the Philippines. When visiting TV star-chef Bobby Flay came to town to challenge Matt’s in the Market to a salmon chowder ‘throwdown,’ the producers chose to film at the Holland America Line Dining Room.  (No surprise, Matt’s chowder won.) “Film crews love this place. It gives them a snippet of Seattle,” says Tomberg.

The World Trade Center Association’s website mentions that to get licensing, a World Trade Center building must “be a facility with a purpose. It is a place where special things happen.” Tomberg notes that WTCSE is what it is because of the members from various industries who come together to connect and inspire one another, regardless of background or position. That is a fine purpose to have.

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Special Feature

10 Hours with Paul Krugman

Noble Prize winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman was in Seattle at the end of May to promote his new book End This Depression Now! During his trip, Krugman partnered with Global Washington’s “Gather” series for an intimate salon and conversation with representatives from Seattle’s international development community. Roughly 90 individuals from the nonprofit, business, and philanthropic sectors met on a rare sunny afternoon at the Sorrento Hotel to hear Krugman’s take on how to solve the Global Depression.

Photo by Michele Frix,
Seattle International Foundation

Photo by Michele Frix,
Seattle International Foundation

Bill Clapp, founder of Global Washington, moderated the candid discussion with Krugman and focused the conversation around the importance of history and the power of optimism in resolving our current economic crisis. Krugman spent a fair amount of time criticizing austerity measures and failed economic policies of past administrations. It was not all doom and gloom, however. Krugman repeatedly reiterated that we can, as a country, get ourselves out of this unnecessary and messy depression.  Our political leaders must find the clarity and political will to end this depression through strong political measures. “It’s not a hard concept; it’s actually incredibly simple”, Krugman said. What we need to do, Krugman stated, is implement radical economic policies if both the United States and Europe are to avoid future economic instability. This includes ambitious government spending (you’ve got to spend to stimulate) that goes far beyond proposals the White House has drafted, increasing federal aid to local governments, and looking to history to tell us what to do to get out of the crisis.

Photo by Michele Frix,
Seattle International Foundation

The obstacle, Krugman declared, is not economic but rather a lack of political will. As a parting comment, Krugman encouraged the crowd to question the ever widening income gap and demand sustainable economic policies from Congress and the White House. As the conversation concluded, the audience had the opportunity to meet Krugman and network with others in the international development sector. The program ended just in time for everyone to get out and enjoy the sun…a great end to a thought-provoking conversation with Paul Krugman.

As a part of the Gather series, Global Washington is now hosting dinners with key development stakeholders and Gather guest speakers. After the event at the Sorrento Hotel concluded, representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Landesa, the University of Washington, Microsoft, Seattle University and Vulcan, Inc. had the opportunity to share a meal and intimate conversation with Paul Krugman. Dinner guests were able to participate in a fireside chat with Krugman and consulted his economic expertise on global development and foreign aid issues. All in all, it was a memorable evening full of robust discourse and fantastic food.

Be sure to join Global Washington for our next Gather event–a great opportunity to connect with thought leaders in the field of international development. Past events have included conversations with Geena Davis, actress and activist, and Peter Diamandis, Founder of the X-Prize Foundation. Check out our website to stay posted on upcoming dates and speakers!

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Welcome New Members

Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and think of opportunities for support and collaboration!

Literacy Bridge: At Literacy Bridge, our mission is to empower children and adults with tools for knowledge sharing and literacy learning, as an effective means towards advancing education, health, economic development, democracy, and human rights. www.literacybridge.org

EcoZoom: EcoZoom is a social venture with the mission of bringing ecological products to the world. We are starting with stoves because we see that as one of the biggest needs in the world. Cooking is literally killing people; we want to make it safe. http://www.ecozoomstove.com/

Water 1st: People living in extreme poverty have many needs, but we believe water and toilets come first. There is a powerful and direct link between human development and convenient access to water and toilets. Through the implementation of sustainable, community-managed water supply and sanitation projects, we are addressing the most fundamental issues of poverty, childhood death, and gender equality. www.water1st.org

Individual Members:

Carol Welch

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Career Center

Highlighted career:

Program Officer, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, Seattle: Jessica Dyer

How would you describe your job? “I’m the Program Officer at Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, an International non-profit that seeks to improve the mobility and independence of physically disabled children and adults in developing countries. I manage POF’s Clubfoot treatment programs in Vietnam and Sierra Leone.  More.

Highlighted positions:

Health Systems Group Intern, VillageReach
The HSG Internship is an opportunity for an experienced graduate-level student interested in both research and implementation to contribute his/her knowledge to the design and evaluation of health system interventions at VillageReach. The intern will work closely with VillageReach program staff on a variety of activities to support the work of the Health Systems Group. More.

Grants Administrator – Global Health, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Grants Administrator is responsible for managing technical, legal, financial, and administrative components of the grant-making process in the Global Health Program. This administrator serves as liaison to program, legal and finance staff and works with Grants Management and other foundation staff to contribute to process improvements. More.

Nutrition Research Officer, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition, PATH
The Nutrition Research Officer will provide technical expertise for nutrition and research to multiple MCHN projects, including PATH’s Ultra Rice® project activities to scale up implementation in multiple countries and Sure Start Project in India.  More.

Volunteer, West African Vocational Schools 
Most people don’t really want more stuff for their birthdays, but they would like the opportunity to make a difference. Now Facebook is making that easy to do: People can ask their friends who visit their page to donate to WAVS as a birthday gift. We need people who are willing to help promote this great idea. The job would involve telling your friends and others about this opportunity and explaining to them how it works. More.

For more jobs and resources, visit www.globalwa.org/resources/careers-in-development/

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Announcements

July is Global Health Month in Seattle
July 2012 will be Global Health Month in Seattle as part of the Next Fifty – a celebration of the 50^th anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair. The month, sponsored by the Washington Global Health Alliance, is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and discussion around the region’s role in global health and will “feature our region’s strengths in combating malaria, diabetes and cancer, and in improving mother and child health and access to safe water.”

Events marking Global Health Month include the Global Health Experience Exhibit, held throughout July in the Next 50 Plaza at Seattle Center, which features personal stories from across the globe, regional innovations in health and a Global Health Activity Tent.

Join Melinda French Gates and members of the Seattle health community for Groundswell: A Night for Global Health. This free event on July 14 (7:30-9 pm), will celebrate global successes in preventing maternal mortality while galvanizing strength to prevent the deaths of millions of mothers and children (featuring Christy Turlington Brown, founder of Every Mother Counts, and Dr. Chris Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations).

Following Groundswell will be Agency (formerly Party With a Purpose), an opportunity for 20-and-30-somethings to dance the night away for global health while connecting with other socially-conscious individuals.

On July 15 (1-3 pm), Global Health Nexus invites community members to Perspectives: How Faith-based and Secular Organizations Partner for Better Global Health Event, featuring a keynote panel including Bill Gates Sr., Rich Stearns (CEO of World Vision International) and Caryl Sterns (President & CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF) and honest discussions on the realities and challenges of partnerships for faith-based and secular organizations.

The month wraps up with a discussion on partnerships between non-profit health organizations and for-profit entities entitled Business Partnerships for Global Health: Successes, Obstacles and Opportunities (July 31, 5:30-8:00 pm).

Why is aid transparency important to YOU? Tweet and win!
Tweet about “why you think aid transparency is important” and you could win a grand prize from The Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN). Help create momentum for transparency by participating in MFAN’s Twitter contest! The grand prize winner will receive USAID administrator Raj Shah’s top 5 books on global development.

The fine print:

• You MUST include @ModernizeAid and our designated contest hashtag #Aidtransparency in your response
• Tweets will be judged Monday-Friday from 10am EST – 6pm EST
• Semi-finalists will be chosen on Tuesdays and Thursdays; our grand prize winner will be announced the final day of the contest—June 29
• Prizes will only be mailed within the United States

Global Washington member Landesa expands focus on land rights in China
Over 700 million rural citizens in China rely on land as their primary asset, but this livelihood has been threatened in recent decades by a lack of legal rights and framework for rural land expropriation, resulting in the taking of land for non-agricultural development. As China has announced plans to enact new legislation to help farmers by March 2013, Landesa has announced that it will increase engagement with policy advice for government leaders and think tanks to make new laws equitable and transparent.  Landesa has recently been working in the Henan and Shaanxi provinces to ensure farmers’ right to forestland. A new Chinese law has prohibited all types of logging on the land of farmers- a policy that has brought ecological gain, but has also simultaneously deprived farmers of a significant income source. Landesa is working to ensure proper compensation to affected farmers.

Landesa also announced that the state government of Odisha, India will extend a homestead program to provide land titles to around 500,000 tribal families in the state. This breakthrough policy is based on a Community Resource Person model- an approach developed by Landesa’s Indian partner, the Rural Development Institute.

Intern/Volunteer wanted: Help save valuable coastal wetlands in Asia and Latin America
Mangrove Action Project is seeking a research intern or volunteer to help with their Question Your Shrimp campaign. This project aims to reduce reliance on environmentally destructive shrimp farming in the Global South, while educating consumers about the connection between the shrimp on their plate and the loss of mangrove forests. The U.S. imports over 90% of its shrimp from Latin America and Asia, and this aquaculture industry is the greatest threat to millions of acres of precious mangrove forests.

The intern would contribute to Mangrove Action Project’s survey of Seattle restaurants to determine the effectiveness of the Question Your Shrimp campaign. If interested, please contact Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project at mangroveap@olympus.net or (360) 452-5866.

Clark Nuber P.S. hosts 3-day workshop on not-for-profit accounting 
On July 10-12, Clark Nuber P.S. is hosting a three day workshop on not-for-profit accounting for those new to the trade and those who feel the need for a refresher course. The workshop will feature discussions and group exercises covering “accounting, tax, federal compliance and information that is unique to not-for-profit organizations.”

For more information and to register, please visit: http://www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1090692

• When: July 10-12, 2012, 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
• Where: Clark Nuber P.S., 10900 NE 4^th St. Suite 1700, Bellevue, WA 98004
• Cost: $295 per day, all three days $780 (continental breakfast and lunch included)
• Questions? Contact Teresa Tierman, 425.635.4574, ttieman@clarknuber.com

Seattle Children’s Research Institute receives grant for science program
Children in schools across Washington State have experienced the Science Adventure Lab, a program created by Seattle Children’s Research Institute to give students in schools with low resources an opportunity for a hands-on science education. Seattle Children’s has just received a $1.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand the program to include activities for families, with curriculum modules that focus on cardiovascular health and neuroscience. Families of participating students are invited to “Science Night” at the school and “Science Day” at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Congratulations to Seattle Children’s for their innovative work on this program! Visit http://www.seattlechildrens.org/Press-Releases/2012/Seattle-Children%E2%80%99s-Research-Institute-Lands-$1-1-Million-NIH-Grant-for-Science-Adventure-Lab/ for more information.

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Global Washington Events:

4th Annual Conference

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Other Events:

Wednesday, June 27
Entrepreneurs College: Liquidity & Exits

Saturday, June 30
World Bicycle Relief Red-Bell 100

Tuesday, July 10 – 12
Not-for-Profit “Basics” Workshop

Saturday, July 14
Groundswell: A Night for Global Health

Sunday, July 15
Perspectives: How Faith-Based and Secular Organizations Partner for Better Global Health

Tuesday, July 17
2012 Seattle Social Media Summit

YPIN: Spanish Conversation Group

Thursday, July 19
WCIT Summer Trade Luncheon: U.S. Trade Policy With Asia

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Access to Science Education Increased for Washington State Kids, Families

SEATTLE:  June 25, 2012 — Over the past three years, more than 20,000 students at 135 schools in Washington State have participated in the Science Adventure Lab program, an initiative launched by Seattle Children’s Research Institute in 2009.  The program aims to improve access to high quality, hands-on science education for students.  The Science Adventure Lab serves under-resourced rural and urban schools, and offers authentic laboratory experiences to students where resources and personnel to provide these activities are limited.

Now, thanks to a $1.1 million five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Science Adventure Lab program will be expanded to include structured activities for families.  The NIH grant is a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), which funds innovative educational programs in which scientists work as partners with K-12 teachers and schools.  Drs. Amanda Jones and Mark Ruffo from the Research Institute’s Science Education Department are the principal investigators on this project.

Schools enrolled in the project to date include Wilkeson Elementary in White River, Neah Bay Elementary in Cape Flattery, Evergreen Elementary in Bethel, Skyline Elementary in Lake Stevens, Lakeridge Elementary in Renton and Sunrise Elementary in Puyallup.  As part of the five-year plan, fourth-graders at the participating schools will complete two inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum modules on the Science Adventure Lab, a 45-foot mobile science lab.

Modules will focus on cardiovascular health and neuroscience.  Families of participating students will be invited to attend two events, including a “Science Night” at the school and a “Science Day” at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, where they will extend skills and knowledge already developed, tour the facility, interact with scientists and learn about the importance of scientific research and clinical trials for building a healthy community.

“In addition to inspiring kids to become the next generation of STEM professionals, we hope to help families appreciate the importance of science and provide them with resources to support their child’s interest in science,” said Dr. Jones, director of the Science Education Department at Seattle Children’s Research Institute.  STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.  Increasing STEM literacy among K-12 students has become an important federal initiative.

As part of the five-year project, project staff will measure the impact of school visits and family activities.  “We’ll assess whether this approach can be an effective way to get families and kids interested in science and encourage conversations about science at home,” said Dr. Ruffo, manager, Science Education Department.

The project is intended to not only provide education for kids and families, but to also spur interest in science-related careers.  “We are at a significant disadvantage in today’s society if people don’t understand science and technology,” said Dr. Jones.  “The students that we reach don’t all have to become scientists, but we do see the Science Adventure Lab as one way to make a difference in building the future workforce of Washington State.”

Supporting Materials:

• Video:  Dr. Jones on the importance of science education for students and youngsters in Washington State, Dr. Ruffo provides tips for parents: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tevaduln0I
• Blog Post:  http://pulse.seattlechildrens.org/new-funding-allows-seattle-childrens-science-adventure-lab-to-expand/
• Photos of Science Adventure Lab, students and statistics for the Lab initiative: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adventurelab/sets/72157622279974295/

About Seattle Children’s Research Institute

Located in downtown Seattle’s biotech corridor, Seattle Children’s Research Institute is pushing the boundaries of medical research to find cures for pediatric diseases and improve outcomes for children all over the world. Internationally recognized investigators and staff at the Research Institute are advancing new discoveries in cancer, genetics, immunology, pathology, infectious disease, injury prevention and bioethics, among others. As part of Seattle Children’s Hospital, the Research Institute brings together leading minds in pediatric research to provide patients with the best care possible. Seattle Children’s serves as the primary teaching, clinical and research site for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, which consistently ranks as one of the best pediatric departments in the country. For more information, visit http://www.seattlechildrens.org/research.