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
Back to Top
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.
Back to Top
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.
Back to Top
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.
Back to Top
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.
Back to Top
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
Back to Top
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
Back to Top
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.
Back to Top
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/
Back to Top
GlobalWA Events
June 20
Change-Up with friends of GlobalWA & Humanosphere
June 26
Strategic Planning for Nonprofits // Featuring Angela Powell, Imago, LLC
Back to Top
Contributors: Eaden Andu, Sara Veltkamp, Winona Rennick
Help your kid grow up global with this list of summer opportunities for global engagement.
Welcome to the May 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!
From our member only “Dr. Is In” training sessions to our regional Global Socials, we have been busy with events lately! Do check out our members only series that supports the capacity building needs of your organizations. We hope you are able to attend and contribute to these conversations with experts in the field of Impact, Evaluation, Strategic Planning and Overhead this month!
We are always excited to highlight innovative global development work or keep you informed about important trends in the field. Earlier this spring, the Seattle International Foundation launched the Seattle Ambassador campaign with the Seattle Mayor’s Office. This city-wide campaign will raise awareness about local institutions working to alleviate poverty around the world and ask individuals to lend their support to our community’s vibrant global development sector. We encourage you to check out the campaign and share this opportunity with your networks. For more information, visit www.seattleambassador.com
Finally, don’t leave for your summer vacation without putting a few important dates on your calendar! June 20th will be our 2nd Change-Up event with Humanosphere. These casual happy hour events give those in the Seattle area who are engaged with or interested in international development the chance to discuss trends in the sector and share a pint. We hope to see you there! 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
Back to Top
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 summer activities and opportunities would you recommend for globally engaged kids in Seattle?
Please click here to respond
Back to Top
Featured Organization
Off-grid solar energy for a brighter future
By Sara Veltkamp
If I entered the following keywords on a career website: international travel, off-grid alternative energy, expedition, engineering, and philanthropy, the search engine would probably not produce many positions satisfying all the conditions. But after my interview with Eric Youngren, founder and CEO of Solar Nexus International (SNI), I know one job that does: his.
Founded in 2008, SNI is a small, value-added distribution company based out of Orcas Island that designs off-grid solar energy solutions particularly suited for the developing world due to their relatively easy installation, durability, and standardization of parts. The main component of the off-grid system, called the Solar Nexus, is a pre-wired power center that contains all of the necessary components to convert solar energy into usable power.
Solar energy in the developing world
Why is this type of pre-wired system ideal for the developing world? Ninety per cent of these areas are without safe, reliable power. While solar power is a free, green resource and the necessary technology has been developed to convert it to usable power, Youngren found that this resource was often not being used because poor installation procedures were giving it a reputation for being unreliable. Therefore, to simplify the complicated installation process, Youngren designed the pre-wired Solar Nexus, complete with thorough step-by step instructions that a skilled do-it-yourselfer or general contractor can install with relative ease.
He also offers his installation services, if desired. A former wilderness expedition leader in Washington State, Alaska, Patagonia, and Mexico, he plans for the job of installing solar power systems in Africa the same way he plans for extended wilderness trips, or “expedition-style solar” as he calls it. When hiking in the wilderness, it is important to be completely self-sufficient. Similarly, in remote locations like Chole, a small island off the coast of Tanzania, a missing part means a trip back to the mainland by a small boat, research on a patchy internet system to find available parts, and maybe a special delivery from Europe or the US to receive it. Therefore, he plans installation projects with the assumption that what he brings is what he uses. In practical terms, this means meticulous planning, lots of lists, spare parts, thorough contingency plans, and a sense of adventure.
A former executive manager at Rainshadow Solar, Youngren had “fallen in love” with the off-grid segment of the solar industry and decided that he would begin his own company specializing in off-grid systems in 2008. Because most people live connected to the grid in the US, the market for off-grid solutions is limited to those who live in remote locations such as small islands that are not connected to the main power sources. However, for those living in the developing world, off-grid solar power also provides an alternative to frequent power cuts and expensive diesel-powered generators.
After designing the company’s website with this market in mind, he received a request to design a system for a historic sugar plantation on St. Kitts in the West Indies. Upon successful completion of that project, Youngren was approached by missionaries Herb and Martha Reynolds from West African Vocational Schools (WAVS)—also a Global Washington member. They needed an off-grid solar power system to run computers, sewing machines, lighting, and an auto mechanics shop at their main project site in Canchungo, Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. After a careful study of their plans, Youngren decided that their needs were very similar to the needs of the plantation in St. Kitts, and designed a similar system for WAVS, with one important difference: he volunteered the labor for installation.
Youngren’s trip to West Africa for the installation of WAVS system set things in motion for SNI. Following installation in Guinea-Bissau, Youngren extended his ticket and met with a friend who was managing operations in Tanzania for SolarAid, a UK-based NGO that provides solar solutions to schools and other service centers. Motivated by the need for a simplified installation process, when Youngren returned to Washington, he designed the pre-wired Solar Nexus and sold over 100 systems to SolarAid. This organization used his technology to provide schools, community centers, and medical clinics with the necessary, safe, and reliable power to operate. Because of the quality of his work and the support he received from those who saw his work in action, Youngren’s systems were specified for the USAID-funded 21st Century Basic Education (TZ21) project to build over 1,200 ICT and off-grid power systems in primary schools across two regions of Tanzania, this time working in collaboration with Inveneo, a San Francisco-based NGO.
Now and the future
And that is where Eric Youngren is today: training technicians and installing power systems in Tanzania. Many things have come together in the formation and development of his business; his love for international travel, his socially-minded motivation to do something that helps people beyond making a profit, and his niche expertise in off-grid solar power. The model is an inspiration to anyone with an idea, a unique set of skills, and a desire to improve the situation of those living in the developing world.
As the company creates new connections and grows, Youngren sees opportunities in many different areas of the world. While the Solar Nexus was originally designed for Africa, the use of an easily-installed and high quality solar power system could bring power to remote areas in Southeast Asia, Central America, or the Middle East. This is a very dynamic and exciting business and Youngren, “feel[s] lucky to have found something deeply rewarding on so many different levels.”
For more information on Solar Nexus International and to explore how your organization could use solar power for your developing world projects, please visit the website at: www.solarnexusinternational.com
Back to Top
Changemaker
Education, opportunity, and experience: Vicki Weeks
By Anna Jensen-Clem
“I have chosen to see every potential roadblock as an opportunity, and have usually been fortunate enough to find my way around them.” This philosophy has formed the backbone of the work of Vicki Weeks, this month’s Global Washington Changemaker. Formerly at the Lakeside School, Weeks is currently the founder and manager of Global Weeks, a consulting firm that coordinates with schools on their global education initiatives, including international trips for groups of middle and high school students.
Growing up in the Seattle area, Weeks was always “fascinated by other cultures” and enamored with languages; she used to say that when she grew up, she wanted to “travel the world and talk to people.” Now she does that for a living! After spending 13 years developing global education programs at the Lakeside School in North Seattle, Weeks founded Global Weeks to assist other schools as they develop global programs including service learning, online partnerships, curriculum enhancement and exchange programs. She wants to “help others broaden their perspective globally and locally . . . by having a transformational experience overseas, a person will develop empathy toward others and both agency and desire to work in the local community.” Empathy and community engagement are core pillars of Global Weeks; in 30 years of working with youth, Weeks argues, global education is one of the only curricula “with the power to transform young people so quickly” and it encourages them to foster development and involvement in their own communities. Although she has encountered resistance from some who argue that international experience is not essential or in some cases even desirable, Weeks says that the connection between a meaningful global experience and a relevant local project creates the biggest impact for students who then help effect change in their own communities.
Global education is especially important in Washington State, since more than 40% of jobs here are tied to international trade and the job market is increasingly diverse and complex; employers look for a broad skill set for any open position, and qualified candidates must be able to communicate cross-culturally, adapt to new situations, and develop strategies to work together, in addition to mastering skills specific to their chosen field. In this environment, teaching students to be flexible, open, and empathetic is key to developing a stronger workforce and global citizenry. Weeks notes that Washington State is geographically and politically unique; in addition to the large numbers of international businesses and nonprofits located here, Washington is “divided into two parts with very different politics and cultures, [so] we stand to learn a great deal about the global nature of our own population.”
Although her current work focus is primarily developing international programs, Weeks hopes that global education will someday be a seamless component of everyday curricula across all grade levels. “I look forward to the day ‘global education’ is just called ‘education,’ since all education is global. Global is everything. It is how we see ourselves in relation to the world, its people and its systems. As technology brings us closer together, it is all the more important we learn to understand the ways in which we are different as well as the ways in which we are the same, so that we can all share the planet and work toward peace.”
Back to Top
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!
VenturScale
At VenturScale, we believe business should go beyond making a profit, to be a positive force for social progress. Our services provide value-driven business the tools they need to leverage their potential and achieve their full impact. http://www.mylanderpages.com/venturscale/venturscale
Relief and Education for Afghan Children
REACH is dedicated to educating children, especially girls, in rural Afghanistan. REACH started raising money to help villagers build schools in rural areas of Afghanistan in 2002. Rural areas, in general, have been given a lower priority for school construction by the government due to limited resources. We have provided the funding for five schools in the rural area around Herat, Afghanistan. There are now over 1400 students enrolled in the schools we have financed. We are currently raising funds for a sixth school. http://www.reachafghanschools.org/
Mission Africa
Mission Africa aims to empower children and families in the remote villages of Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya by providing support in three core arrears education, healthcare and poverty alleviation. http://www.missionafrica.us/
Vatheuer Family Foundation
Michele Moore
Back to Top
Announcements
Global Health Metrics and Evaluation Conference:
Data, Debates, Directions
The GHME conference brings together under one roof all the disciplines involved in global health measurement and evaluation to share innovative tools and methods to promote a better understanding of the possible approaches to population health measurement. By recognizing the importance of transparency in research, GHME encourages discussion and debate, with the purpose of improving the latest tools, technology, and methods and their implementation in global health.
Hosted by:
- Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington
The Lancet
- Harvard School of Public Health
- London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
- University of Melbourne School of Population and Global Health
Dates
June 17-19
Location
The Westin Seattle
To register visit the conference website at www.ghme.org
Billions Rising is Hosting a Global Video Contest!
Submit a video of someone in your area – even yourself – who is Empowering Others to Become Self-Reliant! Your video may win and be included in our “Billions Rising” Documentary!
Visit http://billionsrising.com/home/video-contest/# for more information.
Interconnection.org launches online store to connect nonprofits with affordable computer hardware
InterConnection makes technology accessible to nonprofit organizations and underserved communities, regardless of their geographic location or economic resources. InterConnection’s new online store helps accomplish this mission by making quality refurbished laptops and desktops easy to order and purchase. Computer’s start at $99 and nonprofits can choose from a variety of name brand hardware with Windows 7 Pro and Office 2007 pre-installed. The store‘s web address is www.interconnection.org/store.
GlobalWA member organizations receive a %10 discount on purchases.
2013 Global Humanitarian Engineering Awards
The Global Humanitarian Engineering Awards (GHEA) 2013 seeks to celebrate achievements in the field of humanitarian engineering, where humanitarian engineering is defined as the application of engineering expertise for communities in circumstances of need; including disaster relief, poverty alleviation, and disability access.
Nominations close June 2nd 2013.
For more information and to nominate visit:
http://www.ieeeghtc.org/global-humanitarian-engineering-award
Songea Soirée: Safari to Success
2013 Dinner & Silent Auction
Please join us for a festive evening. Give Life and Hope to Songea’s orphans.
Nashon Kikalao, Songea’s Kids special envoy in Tanzania is the keynote speaker.
$100 per person includes drinks, appetizers, dinner, dessert, beverages, museum entrance fee
Date
Thursday, June 6, 2013
7:00-9:00pm
Location
NW African American Museum
2300 South Massachusetts Street
Seattle 98144
Event details: http://www.songeaskids.org/silentauction.html
Back to Top
Career Center
Highlighted Paid Position
Development Director- Landesa
The Development Director (Director) will provide leadership for Landesa by playing a lead role for the organization’s individual donor strategy, with a major emphasis on growing the base of support from major donors and family foundations. The Director of Development will research, identify, cultivate, solicit, and steward major gift donors, and will also direct donor communications strategies. S/He will manage the major gifts staff and program, organize events and write customized proposal and other donor materials as necessary. The Director is expected to manage a portfolio of major gift prospects and maintain their donor records in Landesa’s database (Raiser’s Edge). More
Highlighted Volunteer Opportunity
Summer Volunteer-GlobalWA
Knowledge of and interest in global development issues; experience in research and data collection; high-level professional and interpersonal skills; ability to work independently and as part of a team; strong writing skills. Available volunteer opportunities in: global education initiative, newsletter, data entry, event planning, policy research and career center. More
Highlighted Internship Opportunity
Graduate-level Internship-HPV Vaccine, Vaccine Access & Delivery-PATH
Applications for this internship will be accepted until June 1st, 2013. We encourage students who are interested in this opportunity to submit an application as soon as possible. This internship will be for three months and will offer a monthly stipend of USD 1,250/month. The start date of the internship is anticipated to be in June or July. Additionally, please note internships with PATH are contingent upon the Intern providing documented proof of identity and eligibility to participate in a paid or unpaid practical training program in the United States, in accordance with federal immigration law. Please include a cover letter with your application. More
For more jobs and resources, visit https://globalwa.org/strengthen/careers-in-development/
Back to Top
GlobalWA Events
May 22
Dr. Is In //Everything You Want to Know About Fundraising & Events (members only)
May 29
Dr. Is In // Legal Matters Every International Nonprofit Should be Aware of (members only)
May 29
A Discussion with Engineers Without Borders Founder Dr. Bernard Amadei
June 5
Dr. Is In // Evidence of Impact & Evaluation Part 1 (members only)
June 12
Dr. Is In // Evidence of Impact & Evaluation Part 2 (members only)
June 12
Global Social – Kenya & East Africa
June 13
Dr. Is In // Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Overhead (members only)
June 13
Brownbag for Executive Directors & CEOs (members only)
June 19
Dr. Is In // Strategic Planning for Nonprofits Part 1 (members only)
June 26
Dr. Is In // Strategic Planning for Nonprofits Part 2 (members only)
June 20
Change-Up with friends of GlobalWA & Humanosphere
Back to Top
Contributors: Sara Veltkamp, Amanda Bidwell, Winona Rennick, Anna Jensen-Clem