Global Farms Race: Implications of Food Security, Poverty, and Foreign Investment
Posted on August 1, 2013.
By Emma McKay
On Tuesday, July 30th, GlobalWA hosted Gregory Myers, Division Chief for the Land Tenure and Property Rights Division at USAID and Tim Hanstad, President and CEO of Landesa at The Hub Seattle for a discussion on global property rights’ affect on food security, the environment and poverty levels. Hanstad moderated the discussion, asking questions about Myers’ experience working in the land tenure division at USAID, and why land tenure is an issue worth paying attention to.
The discussion began with a question about Myers’ hefty title as Chief of Land Tenure, and what it really means. Myers explained that he approaches the issue of property rights as an issue of power, and described it as a “very multilayered fabric.” According to Myers, often times, land is effectively owned by a variety of different people. On a cocoa farm for instance, there can be the person who actually owns the land, and the one who’s allowed to lease it out. All the while the actual cocoa trees are individually owned by different people. It can get tricky when it comes to who actually reaps the benefits from the cocoa.
“That’s why it’s so important when I fight for property rights,” Myers explained. “I want to protect everyone in that fabric.” Continue Reading
July 2013 Newsletter
Welcome to the July 2013 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
Greetings!
Hope you are taking time out to enjoy the lovely summer days. We, at GlobalWA, have been very busy with preparation for the 5th annual conference. We are excited to open registration this week and look forward to working with our membership on the details of the agenda. There are several opportunities for you to participate in our conference: you can participate in the fast pitch presentations by submitting a proposal here, you can propose panels by submitting a proposal here, you can nominate a global hero, or you can participate in the conference planning committee by writing to me at Bookda@globalwa.org.
This year’s conference theme will continue to highlight the work of GlobalWA and the collective impact framework we use to bring our members together. You can find a list of member working groups and their focus areas here. Let me know if you are interested in joining one of these groups.
Thanks for all of your continued support. We look forward to seeing you at some of our upcoming fall events.
In unity,
Bookda Gheisar, Executive Director
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Global Washington Announcements
Join us for an opportunity to meet Chief Land Tenure and Property Rights Division at USAID
Join us on Tuesday July 30 for a conversation between Dr. Gregory Myers and Tim Hanstad (President & CEO, Landesa). This event will explore the relationship between food security, local land tenure, and poverty. For those not familiar, the global farms race is the practice of wealthy countries or investors leasing or buying outright huge swaths of arable land in low-income countries, often displacing local populations without consultation or compensation.
Using real world examples of land right acquisition from Benin to Tajikistan, Dr. Myers will demonstrate the importance of inclusive land use policy in ensuring proper nutrition, mitigating conflict, gender equality, environmental conservation, and ending the cycle of poverty in many low-income countries. Dr. Myers will highlight how developing countries, investors, international organizations such as USAID and DFID, and non-profits like Landesa, are addressing the opportunities and challenges presented by the Global Farms Race. And will discuss how with strong land tenure policies and transparency, the Global Farms Race can benefit both investors and locals alike.”
RSVP: Click here!
Update from U.S. Global Leadership Coalition: The Heat is on for Foreign Aid
the House Appropriations Subcommittee responsible for foreign assistance slashed the International Affairs Budget this morning by 19 percent compared to current funding, even with sequestration. This represents a nearly 30 percent cut in funding just in the past three years. Our National Security Advisory Council co-chairs sent a strong statement of concern stating that this bill puts both our national and economic security at risk at a time when the challenges we face around the world only continue to grow.
The good news is that next Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee will mark up their version of the same bill, which is $10 billion higher than the House level for international programs. For a more detailed analysis, you can view USGLC’s budget center here.
Send us your success stories!
We at GlobalWA are on a mission to promote the global development sector in Washington State. As an organization, we know that you, our members and supporters, do amazing work on a daily basis that impacts thousands around the world. However, we want everyone else in Washington to know!
In an effort to raise awareness among the general public, policy makers, and businesses, we are collecting short member success stories so that we can better advocate for you among our networks.
Don’t miss the opportunity to get your story out there!
If you have a story that you want us to share, please email Sara Veltkamp at SaraV@globalwa.org to request the easy-to-fill-out form. We look forward to hearing from you and sharing your story!
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Featured Organization
SE Asia Children’s Foundation
By Emma McKay
Bill and Pat with girls at the orphanage in Bali.
For Bill and Pat Taylor, founders of the SE Asia Children’s Foundation, giving back doesn’t just mean pulling out the checkbook. What started as a pleasure vacation to Bali in 2005, quickly changed into an effort to sponsor the education of 140 Indonesian girls, and has now become a full fledged ambition to create sustainable change for children’s organizations throughout SE Asia. The couple, who are both mostly retired, fell in love with the girls they visited at an orphanage in Indonesia, but were heartbroken by how little the girls had. They wanted to do more than their original plan to sponsor two of them through high school. Eight years later, their work has changed the lives of hundreds of children in SE Asia and helps numerous organizations in the region function in a more efficient, impactful way.
Meeting with Theany, director of Future of Khmer Children.
Global Washington featured Bill Taylor as our “Changemaker” in the March, 2012 Newsletter, when the SE Asia Children’s Foundation was just getting off the ground. The couple had already created The Bill and Pat Bali Fund, which financially supports the seven orphanages in the Widhya Asih Foundation system, including the one they visited on their first trip to Bali. Through the SE Asia Children’s Foundation, they have expanded their work to organizations in Thailand, and now Cambodia and Myanmar. Their work has moved far beyond just financial assistance. Bill is now using his years of experience as a management consultant, focused specifically on organization development, human resources management, strategic planning and training to work directly with organizations in the region to help them better manage their resources. Bill is doing what we all aspire to do in this field, using his own resources to help the children in the best way he knows how.
“[The girls’ situation is] not something you can change by writing a check,” he said. “It’s about bringing some new skills and working patiently with the organizations to combine our efforts to make a bigger impact.”
Anjali House.
Bill now travels to SE Asia four times a year He just returned last Saturday the 13th from his most recent trip to Indonesia, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar. Though the trip was a month long, he didn’t waste any time, taking only one day off, and staying at most, only four consecutive nights in one place.
He stayed the longest in Siem Reap Cambodia where he met with several organizations including Future of Khmer Children, which provides supplemental education in English, computer skills, sewing, and Khmer arts, music and culture.
“Kids come from local villages, go to government schools for half the day and go there for additional education,” said Bill. “So they’re really getting ahead.”
Along with Together We Can Change The World, a nonprofit also focused on helping children in Southeast Asia, the foundation is funding a technology center there that will provide the 322 children at the school with access to education enhancing technology such as DVDs, computers and satellite links to educational programs.
Bill with three monks.
In Siem Reap, he visited Anjali House as well, an organization that also provides supplemental education specifically in the arts, as well as healthcare, meals and safe drinking water for disadvantaged children in the area. He was more than impressed and is considering supporting the program in the future.
Another favorite visit was with a project with the monks of Dama Haywon in Myanmar, where over 70 monks live on a 70-acre property in the jungle along with 400 children who are provided shelter, food and education. In addition, these monks are also working in 20 nearby villages, providing 1,600 addition children with an education.
“Some monks are really dedicated to introspection and meditation,” said Bill. “Others are dedicated to community service. These monks are exceptionally dedicated to community service.”
Bill visited the monks along with his friend Treasure Shine who is the Thailand Project Manager for Partners Asia, a fellow Global Washington member. They were able to fund a small project to create a shelter to cover drying clothes outside so they don’t get wet in the rain. The two plan to return next January or February with a bigger group to show more people the phenomenal work the monks are doing.
Throughout the month, Bill visited many more new organizations, and spent a total of eight days coaching the organizations he and Pat already partner with. He was impressed with most of the organizations he visited, but some he found disappointing. The foundation is extremely careful in who it decides to support. It seeks out leaders to support who are committed, inspired, dedicated and ambitious, because that’s who can take their support the furthest in helping the children.Poor planning and potential corruption led Bill to lament, “there are so many kids in need, I can’t possibly help them all, The key for me is really looking for reputable confident leaders.”
Drying rack where a shelter will soon be built.
Bill is looking to expand to 6-8 people.He says that other consultants will have different skills to teach providing leaders the requisite skills and resources to implement big change.
When asked about success stories, Bill had plenty to list. He cited his Bali “daughter” Siska and several other girls with sponsorships who recently graduated from university with a four year degree, as well as the loads of text messages from thankful children he receives whenever he first arrives back in Asia. He constantly has organizations asking him to come back and do more work because they have had so much success.
The SE Asia Children’s Foundation welcomes any contact, conversation and support from the public and would love to hear from anyone interested further in their projects and how to get involved.
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Changemaker
Kentaro Toyama : Valuing quality over quantity of impact
By Sara Veltkamp
Do you believe that nurturing people and communities is the best way to have an impact in international development? Do you think that technology is only “an amplifier of human intent and capacity” rather than a standalone solution?
Global Washington individual member, Kentaro Toyama, does too and he is writing a book about these topics.
With the tentative title Heart, Mind, and Will Toyama’s book, which he describes as being “ambitious and (possibly) foolhardy”, tackles the problematic emphasis on “packaged interventions”– easily replicable interventions that are meant to be widely scaled for use in many diverse areas, but which fail to include elements of human or institutional growth that are critical to meaningful development.
“The most important things for the international development community to focus on are the maturation of individuals and societies so that they can better achieve their own aspirations” and according to Toyama this focus is in opposition to programs that universally apply a cookie-cutter treatment to development challenges.
A PhD in computer science and a former Microsoft employee, Toyama began focusing on technology in development when he went to India to help build a new research lab in Bangalore. He dedicated the next six years to the use of technology in development programs such as computers in classrooms, mobile phones for communicating with sugarcane farmers, text-free user interfaces for non-literate users, etc.
After nearly six years of that work, Toyama quit the technology industry and became a researcher at UC Berkeley but is living in Washington. He believes that many development practitioners who work closely with poor communities would agree with his premise, but his book is also aimed at philanthropists and policy makers who tend to be removed from ground realities and overly focused on quantity of impact over quality.
In addition to writing, he volunteers at several different international non-profits. At Global Washington, he helped organize the 2012 Annual Conference, and is currently using his research expertise to gauge the total impact of Global Washington members.
Toyama is also a Global WA member. This year, Global Washington introduced individual memberships at $100 per year. Through this program, Toyama feels that he is able to connect with a community here that shares his interests in international development. Most recently he taught a ‘Dr Is In’ session on evaluation of program impact at Global Washington’s offices (follow the link to our blog for a recap).
If you’re interested in becoming an individual member so that you can interact with Toyama and our other amazing individual and organizational members; get access to our career center; and get discounted rates on our numerous workshops, educational, and networking events, email us at info@globalwa.org, or sign up at https://globalwa.org/get-involved/membership/.
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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!
US Fund for UNICEF
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) works in 190 countries and territories to save and improve children’s lives by providing health care and immunizations, clean water and sanitation, nutrition, education,emergency relief and more. The U.S. Fund for UNICEF supports UNICEF’s work through fundraising, advocacy, and education in the United States. www.unicefusa.org
Linksbridge
Provides experienced teams and individuals to support executives in businesses and non-profit organizations. http://www.linksbridge.com/
New Individual Members
Leslie Stroud-Romero
Lynly Beard
Jack Purdie
Kentaro Toyama
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Member Events
Facing the Future and Global Visionaries in partnership with OSPI, the World Affairs Council, and Global Washington present: Exploring Global Issues and Building a Democratic Classroom
Join Facing the Future and Global Visionaries on August 30 for a FREE day long workshop to learn effective strategies to engage students in being active global citizens.
You will walk away with free resources, new approaches, and a community of support to begin integrating global issues and sustainable solutions into your classroom.
During a lunchtime keynote, Rick Steves will share with us his thoughts on using the classroom as a springboard for building global awareness and global citizens. Steves has authored over 50 European travel guidebooks, hosts a weekly national public radio show, writes a weekly column for the Chicago Tribune, and hosts a popular travel series on public television. He will give away free copies of his book “Travel As a Political Act” to workshop attendees.
Workshops are geared toward high school teachers, but all are welcome to join. Free clock hours provided! Click here for a workshop flyer.
Date
Friday, August 30, 2013
8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Location
Seattle, WA (specific location TBD)
Please mark your calendar and click here to RSVP.
Questions? Please contact Noah Zeichner: nzeichner@gmail.com
Love Parks Day with EarthCorps and Seattle Parks Foundation
Looking for a way to start your weekend green? Love Parks Day is an opportunity to roll up your sleeves and spend a summer Friday working with other rock star volunteers at one of Seattle’s well loved parks. The event is being organized by Seattle Parks Foundation in partnership with REI, EarthCorps, the Green Seattle Partnership, and Seattle Parks and Recreation. An inspiring group lunch will be provided to all volunteers. We are grateful to REI, The Seneca Group,and Wells Fargo for their generous support of this event.
Date
Fri Jul 26, 2013 10am – 2pm Pacific Time
Facing the Future’s Sustainability Education Summer Institute
The 3-day experience, held on the beautiful and sustainably-bui lt IslandWood campus on Bainbridge Island, is the perfect setting for collaborative and reflective learning.
For more information, click here.
Date
Mon Jul 29 – Wed Jul 31, 2013
Location
IslandWood
4450 Blakely Ave NE,
Bainbridge Island, WA
Lift Up Africa Golf Tournament 2013
Sign up today to play in Lift Up Africa’s 2nd Annual Golf Tournament in Cle Elum, WA. We expect to host over 70 golfers and have at least 12 sponsors who are making this day possible.
For more information, click here.
Date
August 1, 2013
Location
Tumble Creek Golf Course,
3600 Suncadia Trail,
Cle Elum, WA 98922
Register: https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/LiftUpAfrica/2013Golf.html
AEI Fall Event 2013: Afghanistan 2014: Sustaining Girls’ Education
The Topic: How will a diminished Western presence impact girls’ education in Afghanistan?
After twelve years of war in Afghanistan, the United States and its Western allies are withdrawing troops from the nation. During those twelve years, significant progress has been made on the education front for girls and women with school construction projects and literacy program development. The rates for girls entering school skyrocketed in some regions of the country. And while there is still significant work to be done, the foundation has been laid in many regions of Afghanistan to continue building a better future for girls and women.
However, donors are cautious now about giving their resources to causes in Afghanistan.Why give to a nation where headlines of top newspapers report increasingly volatile security conditions?
We’ve designed the breakfast so that you’ll hear from seasoned foreign affairs experts–a military veteran now devoted to humanitarian work in Afghanistan and a woman who served under 3 administrations representing the U.S. working for women’s rights in Afghanistan, Iraq and other nations. You’ll also hear from our own non profit organization’s leader about building and repairing over 20 schools during the past decade in Balkh Province, Northern Afghanistan.
Why should donors care now, more than ever, about sustaining programs that support and foster girls’ empowerment in Afghanistan? Join us for a conversation about the ways that philanthropists’ dollars have made a difference in opening the doors to education for millions of girls in Afghanistan. And help us celebrate the work of a Northwest donor who has pioneered innovative giving projects in Afghanistan in architecture, the environment,and girls’ empowerment.
Speakers
Charlotte M. Ponticelli
Lieutenant General John A. Bradley
Date
September 26, 2013
Registration & Coffee: 7:00 -7:30 am
Breakfast & Program: 7:30 – 8:45am
Location
Center for Urban Horticulture
3501 NE 41st St, Seattle
* Special Afghan pastries will be served
Reserve seats by e-mail or call 206-331-3786
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Announcements
Empowering Women Exhibit
Artisan cooperatives that transform communities
June 12 – October 27
From Africa to Asia to the Americas, female artisans are creating grassroots cooperatives to reach new markets, raise living standards, and transform lives.
Empowering Women provides an intimate view of the work of ten artisan enterprises in ten countries. This exhibition illustrates the power of grassroots collaborations to transform women’s lives, through inspiring personal stories, stellar photographs and stunning examples of the cooperatives’ handmade traditional arts. Learn more: http://www.burkemuseum.org/empowering
The Burke is offering up five special opportunities to see Empowering Women with your favorite group of 5 to 20 people on select dates July through October. These are perfect opportunities for your board, a group of colleagues, your book club, or a special group of friends or neighbors to get together to see the show.
Learn more here: http://www.burkemuseum.org/empowering/hour
To reserve a date, email useburke@uw.edu
Date
June 12 – October 27
Location
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
WCIT Summer Trade Luncheon: The Trade Policy View from DC
An opportunity for high-level business leaders from across Washington state to gather for an update on Federal trade policy achievements in the first six months of the year, and to look ahead to the next six months. Close to 150 attendees gather to hear a keynote speech by high-level trade experts, followed by discussion and analysis.
For more information, click here.
Date
Thu Aug 8, 2013 12pm – 1:30pm Pacific Time
Location
Chamber’s office (in Microsoft Conference Center),
1301 5th Ave,
15th Floor, Seattle 98101
To register, follow the link below: http://www.seattlechamber.com/Events/EventDetails.aspx?articleID=2832
Members, pre-paid is $45, $55 after 8/6. Non-members is $65.
Fitz & The Tantrums
Oxfam supporters Fitz & The Tantrums will be touring this summer, and have invited Oxfam to reach out to their fans at concerts around the country. If you are headed to this show, please look for the Oxfam table and join us and the band in taking action against hunger and poverty!
Event contact person: Bob Ferguson
concerts@oxfamamerica.org
Date
Fri Aug 9, 2013 8pm – 11:45pm Pacific Time
Location
Showbox Sodo,
1700 1st Ave South,
Seattle, WA 98134
Update on Charity Navigator Results Reporting Dimension from InterAction
As most of you know, Charity Navigator has been making several changes to its rating system. In 2011, it launched CN 2.0, which consisted of the introduction of a new Accountability and Transparency dimension. Earlier this year, Charity Navigator introduced the third dimension of its rating system (CN 3.0), which is focused on results reporting. You can see their announcement on CN 3.0 here, and find an explanation of how they plan to evaluate results reporting here. Additional information is available in a Results Reporting Concept Note.
Charity Navigator is currently piloting the new methodology in one cause area at a time, and have stressed that, while organizations’ scores on this dimension will be posted online, star ratings will not be affected until they have had an opportunity to test this methodology in many, if not most, of their cause areas. We have been told that they will not get to the cause areas under the international category for at least six months.
First comprehensive regulatory map is a blueprint for how to defeat tuberculosis
Despite decades of research on the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB), scientists have not had a comprehensive understanding of how the bacterium is wired to adapt to changing conditions in the host. Now, researchers at Stanford University, Seattle BioMed, Boston University and the Broad Institute, Max Planck Institute of Biology in Berlin, Germany, Caprion Proteomics Inc. in Montreal, Canada, Brigham and Woman’s Hospital (Harvard University), and Colorado State University have taken the first steps toward a complete representation of the regulatory network for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Read more In The News.
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Career Center
Highlighted Paid Position
Senior Business Development Officer, Program Development; PATH
PATH seeks a Senior Business Development Officer to support PATH’s program development efforts with multiple donors, including the United States government (USAID, NIH, etc.), other governments, foundations and the private sector. This position will focus on developing new business intelligence, new business response strategy and proposal implementation, requiring both strategic and tactical levels of support. This position is pivotal in the development of sound, responsive and compelling bids. Partnering with program leaders and others across the organization, the successful candidate will be in the center of the work, able to affect the direction of key bids. S/he will work both internally across the organization as well as externally with donors and partners. Opportunities to lead both time and a flexible work schedule to permit for either early morning or late evening teleconference calls or assignments. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/senior-business-development-officer-program-development/
Office and Accounting Manager, Vittana
This position is critical to the core business functions of Vittana and touches a wide range of responsibilities with a primary focus on accounting. Successful candidates for this position will have a strong, mid-level accounting background and willingness to do what it takes to make a medium-sized office run. Tasks for this position could include everything from helping to set up accounting systems for the newly forming debt fund, ordering office supplies, project managing an audit, trouble-shooting tech problems and helping to plan staff events. Willingness to stretch both up and down are essential for this role. Given the growth stage Vittana is entering, this promises to be an exciting, interesting and challenging position for the right person. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/office-and-accounting-manager/
Development Director, buildOn
buildOn seeks a dynamic Development Director to strategically execute on a variety of fundraising initiatives, including: major gifts, corporate partnerships, foundation/grant research & individual giving. The Development Director must have marketing and communication experience which will translate to an increase in annual revenues through running local campaigns & event fundraising. In addition to developing and implementing strategies for prospecting and bringing in new donors, the Development Director will manage an existing pool of donors. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in fundraising and sales as well as be an exceptional writer. The director will also be an excellent communicator, with the ability to listen and create a tailored pitch, both in writing and verbally, and will be excited by the responsibility of being accountable for significantly increasing financial support for buildOn. Reporting to the Vice President of Development, West Coast, you will be an integral part in engaging strategic partnerships that will help achieve buildOn’s aggressive fundraising goals. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/development-director-3/
Highlighted Volunteer Opportunity
Citizen Ambassador; PeaceTrees Vietnam
PeaceTrees Vietname’s Citizen Diplomacy trips reach beyond simplistic views and provide an opportunity for travelers to volunteer and experience Vietnam from a unique and rewarding perspective. PeaceTrees’ ambassadors make personal connections with our Vietnamese sponsors by working alongside them, sharing meals, and planting trees. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/citizen-ambassador/
Bankers without Borders, Grameen Foundation
Bankers without Borders® is a program of the Grameen Foundation that engages individuals and companies to help break the cycle of global poverty. It is a global reserve of business professionals with experience in a variety of fields – from finance and technology to human resources and marketing. By contributing their time and knowledge, Bankers without Borders volunteers support social enterprise, microfinance, and technology-sector initiatives throughout the developing world. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/bankers-without-borders-volunteer/
Highlighted Internship Opportunity
Graduate-level Internship Rotavirus Vaccine Advocacy and Communications, PATH
This internship requires a 15-20 hour/week commitment and is expected to last for approximately three months. A stipend of 900 USD per month will be offered. In addition to a cover letter and CV, please submit a writing sample of approximately 300-400 words (e.g., newsletter article, blog post, webpage content, fact sheet) that demonstrates your ability to effectively translate scientific findings into a communications piece for a non-technical audience. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/graduate-level-internship-rotavirus-vaccine-advocacy-and-communications/
Osborn Youth Engagement Zone Intern, buildOn
buildOn is breaking the cycle of poverty, illiteracy and low expectations through service and education. For the past two decades buildOn has mobilized urban youth to lift up their communities and change the world through volunteer service. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/osborn-youth-engagement-zone-intern/
For more jobs and resources, visit https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/
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GlobalWA Events
July 30
The Global Farms Race: Implications for Food Security, Poverty, and Foreign Investment
September 11
Global Social : Sub-Saharan Africa
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Contributors: Emma McKay, Sara Veltkamp, Minyu Zhang
Washington development community welcomed at Oxfam reception
By Winona Rennick
Raymond Offenheiser, President and CEO of Oxfam America, as well as other senior Oxfam leaders, met in Seattle at The Great Nabob on Monday, July 8th to speak about Oxfam America and Oxfam International’s policy and advocacy work. The reception was hosted by Jonathan Scanlon, Lead Organizer, Economic Justice, of Oxfam America, and attracted a bustling crowd of business, government, and non-profit professionals. One couple in attendance have been supporters of Oxfam since 1974—as Oxfam America was founded in 1970, they are easily some of the earliest supporters, and demonstrate the engagement and dedication of Oxfam’s network of donors and volunteers.
A short presentation and overview of ongoing and planned development work by Oxfam staff highlighted important efforts, including the recent G8 Summit in Northern Ireland, the upcoming G20 Summit in Russia, Oxfam’s campaign to make U.S. foreign aid more effective, Oxfam’s work on food security, and their community outreach programs across the country. Barbara Durr, Oxfam America’s Deputy to the Vice President of Policy and Campaigns, oversees the Oxfam International Confederation Grant, which contributes to Oxfam’s advocacy work around the world. Her office additionally works to measure the impact of Oxfam’s work, evaluate it, and learn from the experience and data analysis. Durr expressed pride at the success of Oxfam’s programs as assessed by their evaluations, stating, “We are probably the best in the business”—though some campaigns are more challenging in terms of measuring effectiveness, Oxfam strives to be a leader in impact measurement. Continue Reading
First comprehensive regulatory map is a blueprint for how to defeat tuberculosis
SEATTLE, WA – Despite decades of research on the bacterium that causes tuberculosis (TB), scientists have not had a comprehensive understanding of how the bacterium is wired to adapt to changing conditions in the host. Now, researchers at Stanford University, Seattle BioMed, Boston University and the Broad Institute, Max Planck Institute of Biology in Berlin, Germany, Caprion Proteomics Inc. in Montreal, Canada, Brigham and Woman’s Hospital (Harvard University), and Colorado State University have taken the first steps toward a complete representation of the regulatory network for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This map of the network of genes that control the TB bacterium will yield unique insights into how the bacteria survive in the host, and how they can be tackled with new drug interventions. The landmark results are published this week in the journal Nature. Continue Reading
Op-Ed: Planned Parenthood in the Dominican Republic
Anna Jensen-Clem and Sara Veltkamp are Communications Fellows with Global Washington, a membership association that promotes and supports the global development sector in the state of Washington.
A young woman in the Dominican Republic has worked in a peer-counseling group for two years, and has become a resource for other youth who struggle with sexual health questions. “After two years in MAMI’s peer education group, I know where I am, who I am, and where I am going.” This young woman is one of thousands whose lives have been changed by Planned Parenthood of the Great Northwest’s compassionate and comprehensive international programs.
While the benefits to family planning are numerous, particularly in areas where access to reliable healthcare is limited, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 222 million women who would like to prevent or delay childbirth have no access to family planning tools. According to the WHO, family planning prevents pregnancy-related health risks, reduces infant mortality, prevents the spread of HIV, empowers people, particularly women and young girls, enhances education, reduces adolescent pregnancies, and slows population growth which lessens the demand on resources. Planned Parenthood, an international nonprofit with affiliates across the globe, is one of the largest providers of reproductive and sexual healthcare and works to provide the necessary family planning tools to increase the number of people who are able to make informed decisions about their own reproductive health and meet Planned Parenthood’s mission of fostering a community where every child is wanted. Continue Reading
June 2013 Newsletter
Welcome to the June 2013 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
Greetings and happy first week of summer!
Last month was a busy month for us at GlobalWA! We hosted a series of Dr. Is In training sessions on Impact Evaluation & Strategic Planning as well as our first monthly Change-Up happy hour event with Humanosphere. We would like to thank all of our amazing Dr. Is In session facilitators for making these sessions such a success.
On June 13th, we had the honor of hosting a conversation with Dr. Helen Gayle, CEO of CARE, and Steve Davis, CEO of PATH. The two panelists engaged in a wide-ranging discussion of global health challenges, solutions, and new resources for aid and nonprofits. We look forward to bringing more premier thinkers and leaders to Seattle 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 our dedicated group of volunteers: Anna Jensen-Clem, Eaden Andu, Elise Pietro, Emma McKay, Giang Nguyen, Minyu Zhang, Michael Corsano-Leopizzi, Rana Amini, Robin Klein, Sara Veltkamp, Stephanie Tam, Winona Rennick & Zahra Emrani.
Also, save the date of November 13th for Global Washington’s 5th Annual Conference. More details about our conference will be announced soon!
In unity,
Bookda Gheisar, Executive Director
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Call your representative today: Vote YES for food aid reform
Today the House of Representatives will vote an amendment to the Farm Bill that would radically improve the way the US provides food aid.
We need your voice one more time. Do you have a few minutes to call your Representative today or tomorrow?
Representatives Ed Royce and Eliot Engel have proposed an amendment to the Farm Bill that would feed 4 million more people a year at no additional cost to taxpayers. Together we have been working on fixing our government’s broken food aid policies for years, and we’ve never had a chance like this.
To read more about the amendment, go to http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/press-release/chairman-royce-and-ranking-member-engel-offer-farm-bill-amendment-reform-food-aid-feed
But for this amendment to pass, we need your Representative’s support. Can you make a call today or tomorrow?
To make your call, just dial 1-888-404-5166 and follow the prompts to connect to your Representative. Then, tell the staffer:
“My name is [Your Name], and I’m calling from [City] to ask that Representative [Name] vote YES on the Royce-Engel Food Aid Reform Amendment to the Farm Bill.
It’s bipartisan, and the amendment will save lives and money – it will ensure that the US government has the flexibility it needs to provide lifesaving emergency food assistance where it’s needed most, in the fastest and most cost effective way.
Will Representative [Name] be supporting this amendment?”
If your call doesn’t go through on the first try, that just means momentum is building and so many people are calling that the line is busy – wait two minutes and then try again.
This is our chance to fix a huge problem with US government food aid – and help it reach millions more people. Thanks in advance for your time – your words will make a big difference in this fight.
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GlobalWA will ask you a question every month and synthesize the responses and make available to our member organizations. Please take a moment to respond to the question for this month:
What consultant would you recommend to other GlobalWA members?
Please click here to respond.
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Featured Organization
Institute for Self Reliant Agriculture: Growing a life without hunger
By Eaden Andu and Sara Veltkamp
We’ve all heard the old adage about giving someone a fish. While the giving of a fish temporarily solves the pressing need, the next time hunger strikes, this same person is left with nothing. However, teaching a person to fish has vastly different outcomes. Around the world today, 925 million people suffer from hunger. 925 million people go to sleep hungry on a regular basis. 925 million people have to watch their families suffer with them. Fortunately, organizations like The Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture (SRA), a non-profit based in Enumclaw, is not just giving food, it is teaching people how to grow a life without hunger.
SRA strives towards “eliminating the starvation, malnutrition, and poverty that impacts rural farmers, creating dignity and hope for generations.” They work to improve the situation of entire families through building a system of sustainable, nutritious farming.SRA works towards this mission through different methods: Education on nutrition, food storage, farming best practices, etc. Additionally, they identify vulnerable families and help them to set up gardens on which to grow the food necessary for them to live. Instead of growing just one ‘cash crop’, selling it and hoping to make enough profit to buy food, these families cultivate multi-crop, rotational gardens which work to provide all of their nutritional needs at home, limit their need to purchase food, and increase their health and economic stability.
SRA uses a small-scale agricultural model to focus on a family’s specific needs, taking into account family size, nutritional requirements, and abilities. Once the family’s nutritional needs are fulfilled, many program participants are able to sell additional produce or animal products for profit.
Backed by 30 years of research and practice, SRA’s model for small scale agriculture is a version of the program set up by The Ezra Taft Benson Agriculture & Food Institute at Brigham Young University. Currently SRA has projects in Peru, Ecuador, and Kenya and are hoping to expand to Bolivia, The Congo, Uganda, Guatemala, Somalia, Sierra Leone, Gabon, and Ghana.
A telling example of the power of SRA’s work is Fabiola from Cochas City in Ecuador. She used to be in the 925 million (of which 60 per cent are women). However, after learning how to grow fresh nutritious food, she was able to sustainably provide for her parents and siblings, setting an example for the rest of her community. She also grows more than enough for her family and is able to sell the rest at a decent profit. Because of her new ability to support herself and provide for others, she believes in the program and has shared SRA’s agricultural methods. Fabiola is currently the treasurer of her community and is helping to start a locally-owned bank. As a leader that fellow community members can look up to, she is a powerful spokesperson for SRA in Ecuador.
If you feel like we do, that SRA’s programs are an important part of eliminating hunger and are interested in donating or finding out how your organization can partner with SRA in your target area, head to their informative and interactive website at www.feedtheworld.org.
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Changemaker
Global education interview questions: Alan Braun
By Winona Rennick
Alan Braun, the Assistant Head of School at The Northwest School, spoke to GlobalWA about the importance of global education in Washington State. Braun was born in Ghana and spent the first third of his life there; he attended an international high school where he was one of three American students in his graduating class—the largest single nationality represented at his grade. That background “set [him] on the path” to wanting to be in education “in such a way that [he] was helping Americans learn about the rest of the world.” Put simply, Braun hopes students will learn that their way of approaching life is one of thousands of ways of approaching life.
Braun defines global education as simply a part of any curriculum. In essence, global education is education. One of the challenges, he says, is that “the conversation has to be about what is good education in the 21st century? It has to have a global dimension to be effective, current, and relevant.” There is a particular danger in isolating any kind of education—whether it’s the arts, STEM, or writing—“when it really needs to be about a whole.” In our schools, we need a global articulation about what global education means.
In Washington State in particular, global education plays an important role in determining qualified candidates for the myriad internationally-focused jobs. The business sector, Braun says, is “already very globally interconnected,” so hiring managers and companies “put a very high premium on having a citizenship here in Washington that is globally-conscious.” Both public and private schools must focus on preparing all students for an “engagement with the world that allows them to lead fulfilling and successful lives,” both in the present and in the future. A global education will give them the 21st century skills to be successful in the workplace and in their own lives. “As an educator, there’s a constant dynamic between engaging students in the present, in the moment, and preparing students for the skills and activities they will face later in their lives.”
Acquiring skills in communication, critical thinking, resilience, collaboration, and adaptability are crucial to success in the 21st century, and fortunately for our students, they do not require extra funds or international travel—often seen as stumbling blocks in implementing a global curriculum in an already resource-strapped environment. Braun argues that although international travel is a great learning experience for many students, it is not the only way to learn about the world. The perception, Braun says, is that global education will cost more and that it is reserved for the elite, wealthy, and privileged student. In reality, global education is for everyone, regardless of income level. Although there will likely always be “roadblocks of perception,” Braun hopes that we can institute a curriculum that applies to all students across all income and educational levels, to ensure that students receive a quality, thorough global education without having to leave their home school.
The Northwest School is working to develop a global curriculum that can fulfill each of these goals through a core commitment to each of the key traits listed above. Even in math classes, teachers are working on “facets of the curriculum that are informed by a global perspective.” Since 25% of the upper school students come to study from abroad, NWS fosters a rich and diverse student body, which helps students of all backgrounds come to understand one another more fully. Northwest School students can interact and have cross-cultural experiences even when learning chemistry or mathematics.
The Northwest School does offer opportunities for students to travel abroad, after extensive language training, to one of five countries with partner schools: China, Taiwan, France, Spain, and El Salvador. These exchanges are mutual; NWS students travel abroad and students from these schools come and stay in Seattle the next year. Braun emphasizes the importance of language learning in these exchanges: “as Americans in other countries, we should engage in a respectful way, one of those ways is through language fluency.”
“International education defines the point of reference as the United States versus the rest of the world.Global education puts any part of the world as equal partners in the whole, [it’s a] subtle shift in perspective.” This change in perspective is key to training a cohort of young graduates with the knowledge, skill, and desire to take on the still-emerging challenges of the 21st century. As employers look for employees with a wide variety of so-called “soft skills,” and as schools focus more on creativity, adaptability, and comfort with complexity and ambiguity, global education takes an irreplaceable role in our new environment. Seeing an issue or a group holistically and focusing on elements that unite us—key issues in global education—also help form a more powerful workforce, student body, and society.
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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!
CRISTA Ministries
CRISTA Ministries is a family of ministries loving God by serving people worldwide in the areas of education, international relief & development, senior living, and media. Its seven Christian ministries serve all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. www.crista.org
East-West Management Institute
East-West Management Institute works to strengthen democratic societies by bringing together government, civil society, and the private sector – to build accountable, capable and transparent institutions. http://ewmi.org
The Post Harvest Project
The Post Harvest Project helps provide more food and jobs by reducing post harvest food waste through a holistic supply chain approach. www.thepostharvestproject.org
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Member events
Washington Women’s Foundation Basics and Coffee
Please join us for a casual information session about the Foundation and membership. We welcome all women who want to make an impact through focused, collective grantmaking!
Date
June 20th (9:30am – 10:30am)
Location
2100 24th Avenue S
Seattle, WA 98144
More information can be found here.
EarthCorps Green Teen Camp Magnuson Park
EarthCorps’ mission is to create a global community of leaders through local environmental service and we are looking for youth (ages 13-16) to join us this summer in our mission. At Green Teen Camp, our goals will be to learn and explore urban forests, develop as young leaders, and engage our community by leading our own forest restoration project on Friday, June 28! Gloves, tools, and instruction provided by EarthCorps. Participants will receive 30 service learning hours upon completion.
Date
June 24th-28th (9am-3pm)
Location
Magnuson Park
Seattle
For more information or to register on-line, visit our Green Teen Camp page.
Love Parks Day with EarthCorps and Seattle Parks Foundation
Looking for a way to start your weekend green? Love Parks Day is an opportunity to roll up your sleeves and spend a summer Friday working with other rock star volunteers at one of Seattle’s well loved parks. The event is being organized by Seattle Parks Foundation in partnership with REI, EarthCorps, the Green Seattle Partnership, and Seattle Parks and Recreation. An inspiring group lunch will be provided to all volunteers. We are grateful to REI, The Seneca Group,and Wells Fargo for their generous support of this event.
Date
July 26th (10am-2pm)
Location
Fauntleroy Way SW & SW Cloverdale Street
More information
Symposium on Disability, Technology and Rehabilitation in Low and Middle Income Countries
The University of Washington is hosting the Symposium on Disability, Technology and Rehabilitation in Low and Middle Income Countries on June 27th and 28th at the UW campus. This Symposium will bring together international experts who are working to improve and increase access to technology and rehabilitation products and services with the goal of ensuring full inclusion and participation for people with disabilities in low and middle income countries.
Date
Friday, Jun 28, 2013
Location
University of Washington 1400 NE Campus Parkway Seattle WA 98195, Lyceum Room, HUB
More information can be found here.
The World Bicycle Relief Red-Bell 100
The World Bicycle Relief Red-Bell 100 is a breath-taking charity ride from Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington to Boundary Bay Brewery in downtown Bellingham to benefit the global work of World Bicycle Relief and the local work of Cascade Bicycle Club Education Foundation.
Date
June 29, 2013 – 7:00 a.m.
Location
Start: Marymoor Park in Redmond End: Boundary Bay Brewery in Bellingham
More information can be found here.
Facing the Future and Global Visionaries in partnership with OSPI, the World Affairs Council, and Global Washington present: Exploring Global Issues and Building a Democratic Classroom
Join Facing the Future and Global Visionaries on August 30 for a FREE day long workshop to learn effective strategies to engage students in being active global citizens.
You will walk away with free resources, new approaches, and a community of support to begin integrating global issues and sustainable solutions into your classroom.
During a lunchtime keynote, Rick Steves will share with us his thoughts on using the classroom as a springboard for building global awareness and global citizens. Steves has authored over 50 European travel guidebooks, hosts a weekly national public radio show, writes a weekly column for the Chicago Tribune, and hosts a popular travel series on public television. He will give away free copies of his book “Travel As a Political Act” to workshop attendees.
Workshops are geared toward high school teachers, but all are welcome to join. Free clock hours provided! Click here for a workshop flyer.
Date
Friday, August 30, 2013
8:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Location
Seattle, WA (specific location TBD)
Please mark your calendar and click here to RSVP.
Questions? Please contact Noah Zeichner: nzeichner@gmail.com
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Announcements
Empowering Women Exhibit
Artisan cooperatives that transform communities
June 12 – October 27
Empowering Women: Artisan Cooperatives that Transform Communities, a traveling exhibit coming to the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, provides an intimate view of the work of ten women-run artisan cooperatives from across the world. The exhibit features the artists’ personal stories and stunning examples of the cooperatives’ handmade traditional arts. Each object represents the power of women working together to transform their lives—and the lives of their families, their children, and their communities.
Date
June 12 – October 27
Location
Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture
ED Forum – 501 Commons
Want an easy way to connect with your fellow leaders and share ideas on board recruitment, program impact, and more? Join us for this last ED Forum of the season before we take a short break for summer. Here are this month’s discussion topics:
- “Fresh perspectives: Recruiting under-40 board members” – Liz Vivian, Women’s Funding Alliance Executive Director
- “Shared leadership: How to flatten your organizational chart” – Josh Powell, The VERA Project Managing Director
- “But does it work? Measuring impact” – Mark Putnam, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Building Changes
Date
June 21, 8:30 am to 10:30 am
Location
2100 Building, Seattle
Registration
$18 Members; $25 Non-Members
Register Here
USAID – Sharing Best Practices in Inclusive Education
This webinar brings together a panel of experts on inclusive education who will provide information about the hallmarks of good projects in this sector. Panel members from USAID and other organizations will provide definitions of key terms, will place inclusive education within a context of human rights and international agreements, and will provide strong examples of best practices in inclusive education programming both domestically and internationally, including case studies from a number of USAID Missions. This webinar is expected to stimulate timely and critical dialogue and to ultimately to lead to stronger programs that address the educational needs of these especially vulnerable children.
Charlotte McClain-Nhlapo (USAID) as moderator of the webinar will discuss the international legal framework for inclusive education, related USAID policies, and generally introduce the webinar. Luba Fajfer (USAID) will provide background and basic definitions.
Margaret McLaughlin (University of Maryland) will discuss key lessons learned from the US experience with inclusive education, and the remaining gaps and challenges going forward. She will frame the long-term trajectory and milestones of US work in this area.
Panelists from USAID/Ethiopia, USAID/Macedonia and UNICEF will discuss key programming lessons learned, while speakers from USAID/Macedonia and USAID/Ethiopia will present on good practices in integrating inclusive development into Missions structures and programs. Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions following the panelists.
Date
June 25, 2013 – 9:00am – 11:00am
Location
Online Webinar
Register, or read more about the presenters.
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Career Center
Paid Positions
Senior Program and Operations Manager, PeaceTrees Vietnam
As a Seattle-based humanitarian organization working in Central Vietnam to assist those whose lives and livelihoods are threatened by the explosive remnants of war, we sponsor demining and mine risk education, victim assistance, and community building projects such as kindergartens and libraries. This position is responsible for management of Demining, Citizen Diplomacy and Community Building programs of the organization. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/senior-program-and-operations-manager/
Founding teacher – 9th Grade Math, Science, English, International Leadership Academy of Ethiopia
International Leadership Academy of Ethiopia (ILAE) is a college preparatory day school for students in grades 9-12, located on the campus Hope University College in Addis Ababa. Opening in September, 2013 with a ninth grade class comprised of 50% selected, underserved local students and 50% fee-paying students, it is modeled and closely aligned with the distinguished Northwest School in Seattle, Washington, USA. This position supports the School’s mission by teaching the content identified in the Ethiopian National Curriculum in a challenging and engaging manner. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/job-title-founding-teacher-9th-grade-math-science-english/
Assistant Office Manager in Ometepe, Nicaragua – BOSIA
We work with communities on Ometepe to identify and provide funding for the following types of projects on Ometepe: health, education, special needs, library, general community projects, and student scholarships. One of the ways we obtain funding is by purchasing coffee from growers on Ometepe, shipping it to Washington and selling it locally in Washington and online. The BOSIA assistant office manager is a one-year position that typically begins in late August/early September and is based in our office on Ometepe, Nicaragua. The assistant office manager is responsible for helping BOSIA’s Nicaraguan employees, the office manager and scholarship coordinator, administer BOSIA’s operations on Ometepe. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/assistant-office-manager/
Volunteer Opportunities
Various Volunteer Opportunities with Prosthetics Outreach Foundation
Energetic volunteers are needed to help with events, mailings, marketing, administrative duties, and much more. We could use assistance during normal business hours, as well as for special events. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/various-volunteer-opportunities-3/
Data Entry Volunteer with Facing the Future
Facing the Future is looking for a reliable and detail-oriented volunteer to update our Salesforce database of educator contacts to support our Partnerships & Professional Development and Development departments. Volunteers will have the opportunity to learn about many aspects of our organization, gaining exposure to non-profit operations, Education for Sustainability (EfS), and K-12 curriculum development. Volunteers will also gain experience supporting office administration and data management under the mentorship of our staff. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/data-entry-volunteer/
Internships
Project Interns with Tandon Institute™
Tandon Institute™ equips social enterprises and non-profits with strategy, solutions & staffing to help them accelerate their impact, revenues, brand and organizational capacity. Work assigned will involve research, analysis, project management & tracking, monitoring and reporting, document & presentation development, calendar management, etc. It’s a paid part-time internship with the compensation range from $10 to 20 per hour. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/project-interns/
Operations Intern with RESULTS
RESULTS Educational Fund is seeking an operations intern to support the Office Manager in daily functioning of the RESULTS office. Major responsibilities are organizing monthly mailings to RESULTS/REF volunteers, assisting in planning national conference calls with RESULTS/REF volunteers, managing ordering and tracking of office supplies, maintaining various logs for internal business use, and so on. https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/jobs/view/multiple-internships-with-results/
For more jobs and resources, visit https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/
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GlobalWA Events
June 20
Change-Up with friends of GlobalWA & Humanosphere
June 26
Strategic Planning for Nonprofits // Featuring Angela Powell, Imago, LLC
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Contributors: Eaden Andu, Sara Veltkamp, Winona Rennick
Jozlyn Pelk selected as first Seattle Ambassador
Summer guide for Washington’s global kids
Help your kid grow up global with this list of summer opportunities for global engagement.
Meet Leo. He just turned 19 and is about to begin his first year at the University of Washington.
Just like his dad, Leo loves mathematical problem solving and analyzing the world through a scientific lens.
Unlike his dad, Leo speaks fluent Spanish as well as some Mandarin which he hopes to improve through university study. Under his belt, he has a full year of international travel in China during his gap year between high school and college, as well as certifications from several leadership and cross-cultural communication courses integrated into his elementary and secondary instruction. Continue Reading
Dr.’s In: Impact Evaluation for International Development
By Sara Veltkamp
Today’s Dr.’s in session was led by Kentaro Toyama, UC Berkeley researcher, on “Impact Evaluation for International Development”. Having recently done some data collection for a Global Washington members’ collective impact report, I attended the event as both a Global WA volunteer and as an interested party looking to get more information on the everyday strengths and weaknesses of current methods of evaluation used by global development organizations.
The session, which was the first part of a two-part series, used anonymized real-life examples to demonstrate the strengths and weaknesses of the average impact statement. Toyama used these examples to generate ideas from attendees about the criteria for impact evaluation to produce a credible, concrete assessment of development outcomes attributable to a particular intervention. Many of these criteria highlighted the importance of the current “Gold Standard” of impact evaluation tools, the randomized controlled trial (RCT). Toyama emphasized the importance of this method and its limitations as well as common misconceptions held about it. Continue Reading
The International Leadership Academy of Ethiopia: Q & A with Haddis Tadesse
New York (TADIAS) – The International Leadership Academy of Ethiopia (ILAE), which opens in September 2013 on the campus of Hope University in Addis Ababa, began as a vision of Ethiopian American social entrepreneurs living in the Seattle, Washington area, including Haddis Desta Tadesse, the Country Representative for the Gates Foundation in Ethiopia. “We had found success in the U.S. and like many Ethiopians, we still have strong ties with and care deeply about the future of Ethiopia,” Haddis said in a recent interview with Tadias Magazine. “We admire how developed countries harness their land, labor, capital and infrastructure.” Continue Reading