The Infectious Disease Research Institute (IDRI), a Seattle-based non-profit research organization that is a leading developer of adjuvants used in vaccines combating infectious disease, and Medicago Inc. (TSX: MDG; OTCQX: MDCGF), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing highly effective and competitive vaccines based on proprietary manufacturing technologies and Virus-Like Particles (VLPs), announce that they have been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial for an H5N1 Avian Influenza VLP vaccine candidate (“H5N1 vaccine”). This is an important step toward development of an influenza vaccine that could be rapidly and widely administered in case of a pandemic flu outbreak. The trial is focused on evaluating the safety and immunogenicity of the H5N1 vaccine, combined with IDRI’s Glucopyranosyl Lipid A (“GLA”) adjuvant, which will be administered intramuscularly or intradermally. Each study participant in the trial will receive two doses of a given formulation in order to collect and compare data.
The trial is believed to be the first human test of an intradermal adjuvant – a technology platform that could potentially benefit a number of worldwide vaccination programs – and could result in a vaccine that could be self-administered in case of a pandemic. “A massive flu outbreak would cause a strain on health care centers as people rush to get a vaccination,” said Darrick Carter, Ph.D., Vice President of IDRI’s Adjuvant Technology program and co-principal investigator for the project. “Our idea is to ultimately produce a one-dose vaccine that you could give yourself – imagine a flu vaccine that you can easily administer using a simple, painless microneedle device arriving in your mailbox.”
“This research collaboration may provide for expedited vaccination and greater ease of use in the event of an influenza pandemic,” said Andy Sheldon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Medicago. “We view our collaboration with IDRI on this important initiative as a testament to the quality and efficacy of our H5N1 Influenza VLP vaccine. We look forward to now combining our vaccine candidate with IDRI’s adjuvant and the microneedle technology. Together, these three technologies could enhance protection, reduce the amount of product required, and simplify vaccine distribution and administration.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the highly pathogenic avian influenza A (H5N1) virus is a deadly virus that occurs mainly in birds including domestic poultry. Though relatively rare, sporadic human infections with this virus have occurred and caused serious illness and death. Because of the unpredictability of pandemic flu, efforts are being made to create and stockpile a vaccine to combat H5N1 that reduces the amount of vaccine needed per person and can be easily administered.
“The predicted efficacy of a pandemic influenza vaccine is directly related to three key components: the nature of the vaccine, the way the vaccine is administered, and the presence or absence of a given adjuvant,” said Steven Reed, Ph.D., IDRI’s President, Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, and co-principal investigator for the project. “IDRI’s adjuvants can be used to increase the number of available vaccine doses by reducing the amount of vaccine needed per individual – this is called ‘dose sparing.’ Combining our adjuvant technology with Medicago’s rapid VLP technology is key to the next generation of flu vaccines, as well as an innovative delivery method from NanoPass. This gives us a great platform to test.”
The H5N1 vaccine candidate includes IDRI’s GLA adjuvant and is produced in Medicago’s plant-based expression system, which is speedier than the traditional route of producing flu vaccines in eggs. The adjuvant system has been successfully combined with Medicago’s vaccine candidate and other recombinant protein antigens to elicit both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses associated with protection in pathogenic animal challenge models. In animal studies, GLA has also been shown to expand the cross reactivity of antibodies induced by the H5N1 vaccine to other potential pandemic influenza strains such as H2N2.
The Phase 1 clinical trial is expected to start in September 2012, and will enroll 100 healthy adult volunteers, ages 18-49 years, at three locations in the U.S., testing for safety and immune response. The trial is anticipated to take 15 months to complete, and initial safety and immunology data are expected in the first quarter of 2013. It is funded by a multi-million dollar grant IDRI received from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), a division of the United States Department of Defense, to develop an influenza vaccine for pandemic flu.
While the trial will include testing of the traditional intramuscular route of delivery for comparison purposes, NanoPass’ proprietary MicronJet600™ microneedle device will test the intradermal route that could further improve immunogenicity. “Intradermal injection may have advantages over the intramuscular route in that the injection is painless, needle-free, and potentially more immunogenic as it provides targeted delivery of the vaccine to specialized cells of the immune system,” said Yotam Levin, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of NanoPass. “We have demonstrated in a recent Phase 2 study that we actually improve the immune response of seasonal flu vaccines in the elderly, despite using only 20% of the dose. This is an enabling technology that allows reducing the dose of antigens and/or adjuvants, improving the vaccination effect and at the same time improving patient comfort and compliance, making it an attractive proposition for pandemic preparedness.”
In June 2011, Medicago reported positive final results from its Phase 2 human clinical trial with its H5N1 vaccine with an alum adjuvant. Healthy volunteers in the Phase 2 trial received two doses 21 days apart, and data were analyzed 21 days after the last dose. The vaccine induced a solid immune response and was found to be safe and well-tolerated. The H5N1 vaccine has been tested in over 200 healthy volunteers to date, none of whom experienced any serious adverse reactions.
On Thursday July 26th, Global Washington hosted a Global Worker Series event on Global Health at iLeap. Speakers from PATH and I-TECH came to discuss hiring processes in the field and gave advice to those looking to go into global health work.
PATH is an international organization based in Seattle that, “transforms global health through innovation.” With more than 1,000 employees worldwide, they have diverse opportunities for employees within their organization. They have a very human as well as global impact as, for example, they bring vaccines more quickly and more cheaply to the developing world, partner with similar organizations to work toward common goals, and cross-cut solutions between health and socio-economic conditions to create lasting change.
Richard Wilkinson, HR Director for the International Training and Education Center for Health (I-TECH), shared with us his personal experience getting a position in the Global Health field when he transitioned to a new career in his fifties. He encouraged those looking into careers in global health to aim for the “sweet spot” of what you love, what you’re great at, and what needs doing before looking for a unique position in the field. He shared that global health needs workers that have two-fold skills: they have technical understanding of the socio-environmental determinacy of health as well as the interpersonal skills to work in a field where you cannot accomplish your goals on your own.
Jenna Herron, Recruiting Director for HR at PATH, and SaraBeth Ross, Global Recruiting Coordinator at PATH, both shared their personal experience of finding a position at PATH and gave insights on how PATH finds their employees. They look for applicants with easily transferrable skills, and those who have field experience along with skilled experience.
All of the speakers encouraged those seeking careers in global health to make connections and network as much as possible. As Jenna advised, the path to a career in global health can be a “hop, skip, and a jump” away through other positions and fields as you make connections. PATH hosts a Community Coffee Quarterly that all recruiters attend, which could be a great place to network and learn more about the field of global health. (The next event is on August 30th at 8am.)
Global Washington’s Careers in Global Development Center on our website offers opportunities for job seekers to find the best position in the global development sector, available from Washington State. Whether it’s a paid position, internship, or training opportunity that you’re looking for, the Careers in Global Development Center is an open resource to help you find it. Please visit us at: https://globalwa.org/resources/careers-in-development/
Greetings, July is Global Health Month in Seattle and I hope you have had a chance to visit the Global Health Experience Exhibit at the Seattle Center. Many Global Washington members have taken part in creating and promoting the exhibit and the other exciting events this month that celebrate and inform you about the contributions of this sector. This month’s newsletter profiles focus on an organization and an individual who are making important health-related contributions around the world. The first, A Child’s Right, is a relatively new organization keeping children healthy in urban areas in Asia by taking a new and innovative approach to clean water systems. The second profile features Dr. Michael Free, who has worked at PATH since its formation and been instrumental in the development of over 80 global health technologies.
As many of you are vacationing or enjoying the summer weather, we’re still glad that some of you haven’t been too busy for our summer events! This month we had a wonderful discussion with Oxfam America about their Equitable Food Initiative and how this domestic program is linked to their international work. We also recently welcomed Poonam Ahluwalia, founder of YES, who talked about her new venture, YouthTrade, which empowers young entrepreneurs to access the markets that will help them succeed. We also recently hosted a delegation of officials from the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee, who are looking to form partnerships with organizations based in Washington State to do development work in Vietnam. Many of our members met with these officials at the Microsoft Conference center to learn about Vietnam and explore opportunities for collaboration. If your organization works in Vietnam and you want to be a part of this ongoing work, please let us know!
At Global Washington, we are enjoying summer, but we are also eagerly planning our fall programming. We are especially excited for Global Action Day 2012, which we will lead up to with an awareness campaign focusing on education, economic opportunity, and education for women and girls. We will celebrate with a community event called “GlobalFest” at the Seattle Center on September 22nd. We will be there along with many of our members and we hope to see you there as well! Finally, I am excited to announce that one of the speakers for our 2012 Annual Conference will be Dr. Sakena Yacoobi, founder and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning. This premier leader and award-winner has provided education and health services to more than 9 million Afghan women and children and we are looking forward to hearing her thoughts on December 6th. You can register for the conference on our website. Remember—early bird prices end in August! In unity,
Member Profile: A Child’s Right: Providing kids with clean water and proving it daily
By Megan Boucher
A Child’s Right
“Kids. Urban. Water. That’s what we do,” Eric Stowe, Founder and Director of A Child’s Right, told me as we sat in the organization’s hip new office on Capital Hill in Seattle. One word that aptly describes Stowe and his team is “focused”: on the long-term results they want to see, on transparency with their donors, and on what they do best. Kids-Urban-Water is a simple three-word formula that is already creating a big impact. According to the organization’s website, over 200,000 children currently have reliable, safe drinking water thanks to A Child’s Right, and the plan is for that number to increase.
The idea for A Child’s Right came from the innovative combination of two unlikely concepts: orphanages and fast food. Stowe spent many years in the field of international adoption, mostly in China. He walked families through the adoption process, including traveling with them to the orphanages. They would go out for comfort food like Burger King or Starbucks, and he noted that these restaurants had consistent access to potable water, while orphanages in the same communities did not. He eventually started working directly with orphanages trying to help them function better. “What are your most critical needs?” he asked them, aiming for solutions that would have both immediate and long-term impact. The two most consistent responses were “clean water” and “better training for caregivers.” “I didn’t have a clue how to take on the latter!” Stowe recalled. “But the first sounded doable. If McDonald’s is using the technology, then it must be available.”
A Child’s Right
He started shamelessly “pilfering” filtration ideas from fast food chains. Restaurants rely on consistent, efficient, high-volume filtration technology that Stowe began implementing in Chinese orphanages in 2003 with positive results. Stowe founded A Child’s Right in 2006, and the organization has expanded to Cambodia, Ethiopia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Nepal. One early success in Kathmandu confirmed for Stowe the effectiveness and scalability of the system. “My first water system in Nepal was put in an orphanage in Kathmandu. The caregivers at the site mentioned that a year later they went from 12-13 bouts of dysentery in a year down to one. A dozen down to one was pretty awesome!” He eventually started using the same technology in other institutions where children need clean water: schools, hospitals, feeding centers, street shelters, and rescue homes for trafficked women and children.
To date, A Child’s Right has operated under what Stowe calls a “traditional charity model,” with an eye toward long-term sustainability. For the first ten years of involvement A Child’s Right funds the majority of the project, which includes installation, oversight, training, water quality testing, maintenance, and spare parts. “What happens beyond ten years is the true sustainability question,” said Stowe. “Our guiding vision is to fully transfer ownership to local sites during the eleventh year of operation.” They are looking at some innovative ways to get there that make the most sense for the countries where they work.
One of the non-traditional models they’re testing involves creating local markets for filtration systems, which can continue long after A Child’s Right strategically exits the community. In Kathmandu, for example, the organization is currently building the market capacity through systems and staff with technical skills. “We’re leaving in our wake a vibrant social enterprise that is focused on filtration for the base-of-pyramid. But they are doing it for-profit,” Stowe explained. The idea is that this budding enterprise—not the nonprofit organization A Child’s Right—will ultimately bring filtration to schools and orphanages in other parts of Nepal.
A Child’s Right
In yet another sustainability model, A Child’s Right is reaching out to local for-profit filtration companies, offering to help them add water projects for children to their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. Many countries already have robust markets for filtration, but they are currently only servicing places like fast food chains and hotels. A Child’s Right hopes that, with a little coaching, these companies will start serving base-of-the-pyramid populations in their own communities. “It is a win-win,” Stowe insisted. “It’s their own kids. Their workers can be involved in something far more meaningful than just putting in filtration in a McDonald’s or a Hyatt. They can use existing revenue streams that they are currently allocating to CSR anyway.”
In addition to providing kids in urban settings with clean water, another essential focus for the organization is transparency. “We are insanely open and honest with our deficiencies and failures,” said Stowe. A Child’s Right uses a database called Proving It to track and quickly publish data about the successes and failures of its projects. They operate on three key principles: “be honest with the numbers,” “everything goes live,” and “donors know when we know.” These principles reflect the organization’s commitment to providing current and accurate information—whether good or bad.
Publishing failures seems risky, but so far the response has been overwhelmingly positive. When I mentioned that many organizations want to be similarly transparent but don’t have the capacity to do so, Stowe laughed and said, “Wedon’t have the capacity. We have had to divert staff time and attention to it. But we do it because it is such a core ethical driver.” A Child’s Right believes so strongly in this concept that they hope to be a model for others. They are working to enhance Proving It and plan to eventually make it available as open source software to other organizations.
They are clearly doing something right. The organization has drastically expanded in the last two years, going from a domestic staff of one (just Stowe) to a staff of twelve. They have also secured the funding to take their operations to ten more countries by 2020. Amidst expansion and success, the organization is clear and deliberate about their strategic goals. “Sixteen countries is our stop,” said Stowe emphatically. “We’re focused on Asia because that is where there is the greatest need and where we can make the biggest impact.”
A Child’s Right
Going along with this, A Child’s Right is committed to local ownership and a deliberate exit strategy. In some countries, they need only be active for a few years to build out local filtration markets, which can then function on their own. In others, A Child’s Right may need to be present for many years. However, in every country, Stowe and his staff hope to eventually work themselves out of their jobs. This goal is a deliberate part of their strategic plan. “We very sincerely mean it,” said Stowe. “I really like this job and we all love working here. But we don’t need to be needed in 30 years.” In time, these countries will have the capability of doing this work for themselves without the help of an outside NGO.
The growing organization recently moved its offices from Tacoma to Seattle, and the team is thrilled to be a part of Seattle’s vibrant community. They welcome visitors to their new office and collaborators who will help them do what they do even better. “We have aggressive growth plans and all of them require us to learn from others who are doing really solid work,” said Stowe. In turn, those who want to learn more about transparency and practical solutions with significant impact can explore the exemplary work of A Child’s Right in providing clean water to thousands of children. And you don’t have to take my word for it because the organization is currently “proving it” publically on their website—one child at a time.
Dr. Michael J. Free: Where bliss meets global needs
By Megan Boucher
Dr. Michael Free leading an international delegation on a visit to PATH’s Seattle HQ PATH/Patrick McKern
Flu-like symptoms are not usually cause for alarm—unless you live in or have recently travelled to a malaria-prone area. “Because you’ve been in Africa, we’ll need to test you,” my doctor told me recently, when I complained of an unexplained fever. “It will take a vial of blood and 48 hours to find out if you have malaria.” I didn’t, but I couldn’t help recalling another malaria test administered in a children’s home in Mozambique for a visitor who was feeling ill. His whole team huddled around a wooden dining table, curiously awaiting the results of a finger prick strip test administered by one of the resident nurses. It took less than 15 minutes to yield a negative result. I, on the other hand, spent two days in Seattle waiting for test results and half-wishing to be back in Mozambique where they came more quickly.
I was a firsthand witness to Seattle’s global health sector in action. “Yes, PATH actually developed the first of those,” confirmed Dr. Michael J. Free when I told him about the rapid strip test. Malaria can be dangerous if left untreated; the traditional tests are more accurate but take time, expense, and a high level of expertise. In contrast, rapid strip tests are simple and inexpensive—perfect for healthcare workers, clinics, and low-resource hospitals in malaria-prone areas. Dr. Free is Vice President and Senior Advisor for Technologies and Global Program Leader for Technology Solutions at PATH and he and his team work to develop health solutions like the strip test to improve the lives of people in the developing world.
Malaria testing PATH/ Gena Morgan
July 2012 is Global Health Month in Seattle. It would be impossible to celebrate the accomplishments of this sector without recognizing the work of pioneers like Dr. Free, who started contributing to the global health sector before most of us recognized its existence. “He is a bit of a legend around here,” laughed the PATH staff member who greeted me when I arrived to interview Dr. Free. “He has been around since the beginning of the organization.” In fact, Dr. Free’s deep involvement in Washington State’s global health sector includes seven years at Battelle Northwest; involvement in the formation and board of directors of VillageReach, a Seattle-based community health nonprofit; and of course, an extensive and prolific career at PATH. After 35 years at PATH, Dr. Free will be retiring from official duties but intends to continue consulting and advising on global health technologies.
Dr. Free is a British citizen who received his undergraduate degree in physiology from the University of Nottingham, England. “It looked like there were more possibilities for my particular brand of individualism in the United States,” he recalled of his decision to come to the U.S. in 1965. He finished his master’s degree and doctorate in physiology at Ohio State University and then headed further west to the Bay Area of California. That part of the country epitomized the free-spirited culture of 1960s, of which Dr. Free spoke nostalgically. “The chaos, the summer of love, the disruption of classes, and the war protests were a great introduction to the cauldron that is America,” he recalled.
His work through that time was mostly research in reproductive health and physiology, but he had always had an interest in health solutions for the developing world. He grew up in a little village in the country in England and left home at age 15. He cannot pinpoint exactly when his interest in global development began, but during his younger years, he worked at various jobs and met immigrants who told him their stories. “They talked about their home countries and what conditions were like there; what their families had to endure. I think it left a mark on me,” he said.
Early on in his career, there were fewer opportunities to work directly with solutions for the developing world, but the interest was still there. “One of my basic philosophies,” he explained, “is that when faced with different paths in the road, I always try to pick the branch that retains the most opportunities and look at how they fit into what my bliss might be. I’m a great believer in bliss.”
A disposable syringe jet injector PATH/Patrick McKern
Dr. Free was able to do more work connected to his bliss when he was recruited to Battelle Northwest by Gordon Duncan. Dr. Free called himself a “tinkerer” who feels at home developing technology. His years at Battelle were spent mostly on technologies related reproductive health such as IUDs, sterilization, and other forms of contraception. In the mid-1970s, Gordon Duncan and two other researchers began discussing a new type of health organization that would forge partnerships between the public sector and the for-profit sector to increase access to contraception in the developing world. “It was very exciting and futuristic,” recalled Dr. Free. Government entities and organizations were developing contraceptive technology, but no one was looking to the private sector to effectively bring these technologies to the developing world. “The whole idea of public/private partnerships was born in these discussions,” Dr. Free said.
The proposed organization was formed in 1977 under the umbrella of Battelle and Dr. Free was one of its earliest employees, initially staying on at Battelle and working with the new organization as a consultant. The venture eventually became independent and is now known as PATH, which stands for Program for Appropriate Technology in Health. “I eventually left Battelle because it looked like my destiny was with this new organization,” Dr. Free said of his decision 31 years ago to work at PATH fulltime.
PATH’s early work involved transferring manufacturing technology for contraceptives to China and Vietnam, creating modern factories in populous countries to increase access. Early on, PATH widened its scope from reproductive health to health in general. In the 1970s and 1980s, with support from USAID, PATH began creating a design engineering facility and a biotechnology laboratory and started using them to tackle numerous health problems faced around the world.
Fast dissolving tablet technology PATH/Patrick McKern
In addition to advances in reproductive health, Dr. Free’s team at PATH boasts other innovative solutions over the years. They have increased the quality and safety of immunizations, for example, by creating a syringe that cannot be used twice to prevent the reuse of needles. They have worked on advances in maternal and neonatal care like technology to help newborns breathe at birth or to protect mothers from blood loss. They have also improved diagnostics at the point-of-care, like the rapid strip malaria test. Other work includes household water purification technology and better health and information systems.
Coming up with effective new technology requires creative people who have an intimate understanding of the problems that need to be solved. Each solution team at PATH is balanced with technology specialists, business professionals, and public health experts who work together to develop holistic solutions. Another key concept is to bring in the user as a co-designer. “The idea that there isn’t innovation in these countries is just the wrong idea,” explained Dr. Free. “They just don’t yet have the means to express those innovations and to manifest them into tools. Tapping their experience is not only critical; it is crazy if you don’t!”
Dr. Free has thus spent a great deal of time throughout his career in the field, observing problems and solutions firsthand and talking to users about the technologies. When he sees the solutions that he developed in use, he often finds the experience more intriguing than gratifying. “You’re usually thinking more about whether there are furtherimprovements that can be made,” he laughed. He also mentioned the need to go back and observe the consequences of a new technology. For example, the one-time-use syringes solved one problem, but led to seven times as many dirty needles in the trash. “But we did develop a solution,” he said. “A simple needle destroyer.”
Under Dr. Free’s leadership, PATH has advanced more than 80 technologies to improve health in the developing world. However, choosing any one that he is particularly proud of is to him like “asking someone to choose a favorite child.” In fact, excitement about and investment in every technology is an important component to success, as they can take years of work before implementation. “You have to be incredibly patient and tenacious,” he said. “You may go through long periods of drought.”
Malaria testing PATH/Gena Morgan
Dr. Free attributes much of his success to the strength of his team, who “have the right stuff” to weather the droughts and push forward to success. “My secret sauce is being able to hire people that are smarter than me,” he insisted. His direct team currently includes 105 people, many of whom are long-time, loyal PATH employees. He works to cultivate a culture of mutual support and collaboration–something that reflects the community spirit of PATH as a whole. “It’s remarkable that PATH has been able to keep that original fire through many, many stages of growth, even now with almost 1,200 employees scattered around 40 countries,” he reflected. “It’s one of the great achievements of PATH.”
Current projects for Dr. Free’s team include new delivery methods for vaccines (rapid dissolving tablets under the tongue), new diagnostics for point-of-care including DNA tests, and the simple application of a well-known antiseptic to umbilical cords to decrease early infant mortality. Such solutions—from simple to complex—will improve the quality of life for people all over the world. Dr. Free was recently named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth for his work in health technologies, a high honor reserved for those who have demonstrated exemplary service and innovation. As our community celebrates global health achievements during the month of July, we are pleased to recognize the innovative contributions of Dr. Free and PATH and hope the work continues to make our world a safer and healthier place.
Global Washington members explore opportunities for collaborative development work in Vietnam
By Sean O’Keefe
Global Washington
On June 27, Global Washington was honored to welcome five distinguished leaders of Vietnam’s efforts to promote sustainable, equitable development for the Vietnamese people. The delegates represented the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations (VUFO) and its People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (PACCOM), an interdepartmental body that reports directly to the prime minister of Vietnam. PACCOM surveys all development efforts within Vietnam, facilitates and coordinates these activities, and promotes lasting partnerships between international NGOs and Vietnamese institutions and community associations.
Delegates included:
Mr. Don Tuan Phong, Vice President of Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations and Director General of the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee;
Mr. Le Van Hoang, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Public Security;
Ms. Tran Thi Khanh Van, Program Coordinator, the People’s Aid Coordinating Committee (North American desk)
Mr. Tran Quang Trung, Department of International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
Mr. Bui Hong Nhat, the Central Commission of External Relations under the Central Committee of Vietnam;
Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen addresses the crowd at Microsoft Photo Credit: Global Washington
Microsoft graciously invited the Vietnamese delegation and about 60 friends of Global Washington to a reception at its Redmond campus. Akhtar Badshah, the Senior Director of Global Community Affairs at Microsoft, started the conversation with a presentation about the development, capacity building, and youth empowerment programsthat Microsoft does in communities across the world. Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen spoke about what Washington’s organizations can offer the world of global development. Bill Clapp, the founder of Global Washington, then gave a short history of the organization and the idea behind its Vietnam Working Group.
The Vietnam Working Group brings together Washington State nonprofits, businesses, and academic institutions that are engaged in education, global health, environmental sustainability, and poverty alleviation work in Vietnam. Global Washington is surveying and mapping this engagement to help discover exactly where efforts and programs are needed most. The vision is for a forum where members strengthen each others’ efforts by sharing their ideas, contacts, best practices, institutional memory, and on-the-ground experiences. The roll out of the Vietnam Working Group map, which uses Microsoft’s Local Impact Map software, will happen soon.
Mr. Phong painted a vivid picture of the challenges that Vietnam faced when it began the Doi Moi reforms. In 1990, Vietnam had seen only six years of peace in the previous century. The country faced a food deficit, a 60% poverty rate, a per capita GDP of $200, near total diplomatic isolation, and almost no access to outside markets. Today, the poverty rate is now between 12% and 18% and the per capita GDP is $1,168. Now, Vietnam is a major rice exporter, a lower middle-income country, and a politically and economically integrated member of the international community.
Mr. Don Tuan Phong addresses GlobalWA members and supporters Photo credit: Global Washington
Yet much remains to be done. Social gaps between rich and poor and between ethnic groups are widening. Vietnam must help the disabled, ethnic minorities, people with AIDS, Agent Orange victims, and other at-risk groups catch up with the nation’s pace of development. Vietnam faces the risks of pandemics, climate change, and an overheating economy that faces global competition. Almost 70% of the population is rural. 80% of labor force has no formal job training at all. “We have to compete with giants from overseas,” which is especially difficult for small-scale Vietnamese producers, said Mr. Phong.
He noted that, “international help has contributed significantly to our successes so far. With international cooperation, we will be able to move faster and reach our development targets.” Vietnam has even begun leveraging its resources and expertise in development projects in Africa and Southeast Asia. To do it on a large scale, Mr. Phong said, “we need to be mighty first. That’s why cooperation with the nonprofit sector, the international communities, and the business sector will always play a huge role in Vietnam.”
The Vietnamese government has relationships with over 900 international non-governmental organizations. All told, INGOs have given Vietnam 3 billion USD in assistance. This funding has contributed greatly to poverty reduction, sustainable development, and expanding international understanding among many different peoples.
Mr. Phong identified three development priority areas that Washington organizations can and should target:
Education and health care: “our people are the means to AND end of development at the same time. So we invest in people.”
Environment: environmental protection, conservation of wildlife and habitats, climate change. No development could be sustained without this, but climate change natural disasters are a much bigger risk for Vietnam than for most countries.
Addressing the consequences of war: this includes de-mining, bomb disposal, Agent Orange victims, and people with disabilities. Vietnam has a national strategy on mine action, but it would last 100-200 years without international assistance. We need to be able to clear mines and make the land safe.
At a smaller working lunch for the Vietnamese delegation and the Vietnam Working Group’s members, Mr. Phong explained the relationship between international NGOs system and Vietnamese institutions in more depth:
“The interdepartmental committee for INGO affairs reports directly to the prime minister. The committee includes nine government departments and it oversees all development work and facilitates the work of all INGOs at the central level. At the local level, the provincial officials can make decisions themselves over cooperation with INGOs. Lots of decisions are made at local levels. We have a strong tradition of decentralization in this area.”
Global Washington
PACCOM is constantly adding to its comprehensive database of the information it collects on international NGOs. Lately, they have been trying to map it as well. The Vietnamese delegation and the other Vietnam Working Group members were enthusiastic about the prototype of the Vietnam Map that Global Washington will be rolling out soon.
Mr. Phong also announced that PACCOM will publish a comprehensive strategy document this coming November, when it hosts 800 to 1,000 people at a major conference in Hanoi (all Global Washington members are invited to attend). Vietnam is one of the only countries with a formal coordinating mechanism for international NGOs, so it has much to learn and much to teach. As for immediate action, Mr. Phong suggested that the Vietnam Working Group take on some geographic region either in central Vietnam or the highlands, selecting one to three key locations with high poverty and high priority. Business exchanges, educational exchanges, and other collaborations between our two countries could make an enormous difference. They hope to see more public-private partnerships in the future, but it’s not possible in every country. There are things the private sector could do, but will not because of low profitability. Thus, there is a gap where voluntary organizations can help. An ideal picture involves much cooperation, which will hopefully occur as this initiative moves forward.
Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and consider opportunities for support and collaboration!
Viva Network North America Viva is an international Christian development charity based in UK, US, Africa, Asia, & Latin America, with a focus on children at risk. Viva’s mission is enabling people to work together to keep children at risk safe and healthy, giving them opportunities to learn and allowing them to play an active part in shaping their own futures. Viva’s work strengthens the grassroots response to children at risk by seeking to help them: improve quality, increase action and influence decision makers. www.viva.org
Kids Without Borders Kids Without Borders was launched as a school service projects for students to sort clothes and donated items for children in the community. Today, the organization supports and works with children in more than 30 countries, attracting volunteers worldwide, providing opportunities for youth, benefiting and changing thousands of lives around the world. http://www.kidswithnoborders.org
Director of Investor Relations, Global Partnerships, Seattle: Jason HenningHow would you describe your job? As Director of Investor Relations at Global Partnerships, I manage the full relationship cycle for all of our investors. This begins during prospect research, continues through outreach and engagement, and leads to sourcing capital commitments for our social investment funds. After investors participate in our funds, I am responsible for overseeing the relationship and communication efforts. More.
Working with the Director of Programs, the Executive Director assumes leadership to ensure that all programs are designed and implemented to deliver services effectively and efficiently to each country site. Regular site visits to monitor program implementation and outcomes is required. A key aspect of the position is fundraising and alliance building. More.
Manager or Director of Programming and Events, The HUB Seattle
We’re looking for a Manager/Director of Programming and Events. This person will be responsible for the planning and execution of all HUB Seattle gatherings and events, including revenue and non-revenue producing events. Types of events might include talks, master classes, barcamps, hackathons, launch weekends, pitch nights, flavor fests from local restaurants, HUB Happy Hours, game nights, founder dating events, venture fund booth nights, film screenings, photography showings, and more. More.
Manager or Director of Marketing and Evangelism, The HUB Seattle
We’re looking for a Manager/Director of Marketing and Evangelism. This person will be responsible for the development, planning, and execution of comprehensive marketing strategies and campaigns (both online and offline) to promote the HUB Seattle brand, drive attendance to HUB Seattle events, raise awareness of the extraordinary accomplishments of our members, and build the HUB Seattle community. More.
Highlighted Internship
Grameen Foundation Internships 2012, Grameen Foundation
Grameen Foundation has a relatively small staff despite all the work we do, making volunteers and interns critical to our employees in carrying out their work. Interns, in particular, enable program and operations’ staff to pursue informative research and analysis and more efficiently fulfill ongoing reporting and administrative requirements. More.
Highlighted Volunteer Opportunity
Global Engagement and Tithe Committee Member, Habitat for Humanity of Seattle/South King County
Global Engagement and Tithe Committee members manage the international relations program for the Seattle/South King County affiliate. Service in the international arena is a key element in the mission of our affiliate to provide decent, safe affordable housing for all. Our work includes outreach and advocacy in the greater Seattle area, tithing of our unrestricted funds to 4 partner countries each year, and periodic Global Village trips to build homes for needy families overseas. More.
Hear Dr. Sakeena Yacoobi at GlobalWA’s 4 th Annual Conference
We are honored to announce that Dr. Sakeena Yacoobi—founder and Executive Director of the Afghan Institute of Learning—will be speaking at our annual conference on Dec. 6, 2012. Since 1996, Dr. Yacoobi has provided education and health services to more than 9 million Afghan women and children. Her organization was the first to offer human rights and leadership training to Afghan women and first to open Women’s Learning Centers in the country.
In 2012, Dr. Yacoobi was presented with the German Media Award, the Lotus Leadership Award from the Asia Foundation, and the World’s Children’s Prize Honorary Award. In 2010, she also received the Jonathan Mann Award for Global Health and Human Rights and the Asia Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Schwab Foundation. In 2011, she was awarded the National Peace Award by Afghan President Hamid Karzai and was inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame.
Dr. Yacoobi is an Ashoka Fellow and Skoll Social Entrepreneur, and has received the Henry R. Kravis Award for Leadership, the Democracy Award from the National Endowment of Democracy, the Women’s Rights Prize of the Peter Gruber Foundation, and the Americans for UNFPA Board of Advocates Award for the Health and Dignity of Women. We hope you’ll join us and hear Dr. Yacoobi speak at our 2012 Conference! Visit our website for early-bird registration.
PeaceTrees Vietnam seeks new Executive Director
PeaceTrees Vietnamis seeking an Executive Director to start in September 2012. The Executive Director provides overall strategic leadership and management direction to support the healthy functioning of the organization and execution of the mission. Responsibilities:
Make sure the organizations goals, objectives and work plans are created, updated and executed.
Regularly assess the needs in Central Vietnam and recommending performance-based adjustments to PeaceTrees’ programs/partnerships to maximize efficiency.
Create and execute a strategy to raise sustained funding.
Builds and maintains partnerships which include the U.S. Department of State; foundations; other NGOs working in Vietnam; the national, provincial and local governmental organizations in Vietnam; and many other organizations.
Oversee cash flow; ensure effective audit trails and internal controls; ensure compliance with grant and regulatory requirements; and distribute accurate and timely monthly financial statements to the Board.
Hire , set goals for, and coach staff members.
Assume overall responsibility for all administrative activities. Keeps Board members informed and helps get them involved through committee work.
Serve as the chief spokesperson before donors, staff, volunteers, Board members, Vietnamese officials, agencies and organizations.
Requirements include 5+ years nonprofit management and grant writing experience; Board development experience; a proven track record as a fundraiser; demonstrated cultural competence; a proven record of running a fiscally sound organization; good communication skills and the ability to travel to Vietnam several times a year.
Full job description and instructions on how to apply. While the position will be open until filled, it is expected that qualified candidates will be interviewed July and August.
Event Planner needed at MEDRIX
A short-term contract has opened up at MEDRIX for an Event Planner to handle fundraising events in the last quarter of 2012. The position is available immediately.
The Event Planner will envision benefit events, and is responsible for planning and implementing, from start to finish, our fundraising event for 2012. Qualified person has the ability to ensure this vision is realized by organizing, managing, and maintaining the progress and productive interaction of various parties, including volunteers, market place vendors and partners.
The position requires three years recent event planning experience and a BA in Marketing or Marketing Communications.
MEDRIX is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization which provides medical resources, international health education, child heart surgeries and safe water development in Southeast Asia. If you are interested in finding out more, contact mailto:moffice@medrix.org for a position outline.
Telecommuting, competitive pay, stock options, extended vacation time, a gym, catered lunches and other attractive benefits will get talented recruits to come work for your company. But once they’ve arrived, how do you keep them?
Much of the time, the cause to stay is…cause.
Human resources professionals increasingly recognize that amongst the most important components of any employee retention strategy are diverse corporate volunteer programs that reflect the values of employees. Implementing an internal employee giving and corporate volunteer platform with a variety of non-profit choices allows workers to conveniently support the causes that are near and dear to their heart.
Last month, we were excited to host Nobel-prize-winning economist Paul Krugman as part of our GlobalWA//Gather series of events and conversations with thought-leaders on global issues. An in-depth summary of the GlobalWA events surrounding Mr. Krugman’s visit to Seattle is included in this newsletter. We look forward to bringing more premier thinkers and leaders to Seattle in upcoming Gather events. We also hope you will Save the Date for our 2012 Annual Conference to be held on December 6th at Bell Harbor Conference Center in Seattle. Early-bird registration is now open and an agenda will be announced in the upcoming months.
This time of year is always bittersweet at Global Washington as we say goodbye to many departing interns who are graduating, going home for the summer, or moving on to new ventures. We would like to give a big thank you to Alisa Minkina, Angie Anderson, Tomomi Tanaka, Mingxing Tu, Brianna Breimayer, Yun-Chieh Pai, and Matt McCleary. We are also excited to be working with some new interns, as well as a fantastic group of ongoing volunteers. If you visit our office, make sure to stop and meet some of these dedicated people who help make everything happen: Ismail Mohammad, Bryan Gamble, Sean O’Keefe, Jordan Faires, Raissa Licano-Sanchez, Sarah Baron, Jake Sumibcay, Niny Yang, Nataliya Pistorskaya, Prajwol Shrestha, Daniel Drake, Mollie Diddams, Carolyn Hubbard, and Casey O’Connor. You can view their bios on our website.
Finally, we salute our friends and members who are working tirelessly in the field of global health. July is Global Health Month in Seattle and we hope you will take some time to support this crucial part of Washington’s global development community. The Washington Global Health Alliance is a great resource for more information on events and other components of Global Health Month.
We are always trying to find new member benefits to add more value to your organization. Please see some of the latest opportunities that are available to Global Washington members in good standing.
Radio advertising: We recently sent all members an email about discounted radio spots on KPLU, KUOW, Komo Newsradio, and Smart 570 KVI Talk. Let us know if you are interested or would like more information!
For more information or to sign up, please contact Megan Boucher (megan@globalwa.org). To join Global Washington and take advantage of these or other member benefits, please visit our website.
Robert Rose: Hope and opportunity for Nepal’s children with disabilities
By Megan Boucher
“I look into all of your eyes and see love, joy and hope. I see promise and possibilities, but most of all, I see potential. You must be allowed to achieve your potential, to see that the possibilities are endless.”
-Robert Rose, in a letter to the children with disabilities of Nepal
Rob and Gina Rose with an armful of kids with disability from DNC (Disabled Newlife Center) in Kathmandu, Nepal
Robert Rose excels at making the most of the potential around him. A professional photographer with a love for children, Rob has been able to utilize his own skills and the skills of people he has met along the way to make a difference for countless children. His organization, The Rose International Fund for Children (TRIFC), supports children with disabilities in Nepal by funding organizations and programs that address the needs of this neglected population.
Supported programs include a Braille book library; hearing aids and kitchen equipment for a deaf school; and “backpacks for the blind” which provides blind children with materials needed to succeed in school such as Braille watches, Braille rulers, and folding canes. Rob is a big fan of simple but effective solutions. “At one school in a rural area they were feeding the kids in two shifts because they didn’t have enough tin plates,” Rob explained. “Sometimes things as simple as that completely make it so much better for them.”
Life for a child with a disability in Nepal can be difficult, both because of the negative social stigma and also because of the lack of resources needed to help the child succeed. Smart, motivated children are easily left behind their peers without intervention, but TRIFC is working to change that. One particular success was at the Disabled New Life Center where, prior to TRIFC’s involvement, the kids went home after their high school graduation to an uncertain future. Now there are eight graduates going to college.
TRIFC volunteer and teacher of the blind- Sita Gyawali on the left with sponsored blind student Sima Tamang on the right
Rob’s interest in this part of the world started when he was sixteen years old. He spent eight months in Calcutta, India as a Rotary exchange student and was struck by the poverty there. “It made me wonder about my place in the world,” he recalled. “Why was I born in Seattle into relative comfort with shelter and adequate food and water, but a lot of people around the world didn’t have those basic necessities? It led me to believe that I had a responsibility to try to help those who were less fortunate.”
The perspective change stuck with him, although he did not return to Asia until many years later. He took over his parents’ Bellevue photography business—Brant Photographers—in 1985, become active in the Bellevue Rotary club, and started a family. Sixteen years ago, Rob read an article in the Seattle Times about a small California nonprofit called the Nepal Youth Foundation that was helping 500 children in the Kathmandu Valley. He felt a tug on his heart to return to that part of the world and thought about calling the organization to see if they needed a volunteer photographer. However, he hesitated, thinking that they would say no. “Well yeah, that’s true,” he thought, reconsidering. “But what if they say yes?’” Rob made the call with a sense that his life might never be quite the same.
TRIFC formed this group to educate and empower deaf women. They embroider greeting cards as a means of learning new skills, earning money and developing a network of friends. The funds raised from the sales of these cards go directly back to the women.
On the other end of the phone was Olga, a 72-year-old woman who, in her younger years, had a penchant for trekking in the mountains of Nepal. She told Rob that they did indeed need a photographer and so Rob made his way to Nepal. “I had a real epiphany moment,” he explained, reminiscing about that first visit in 1997. “I felt that if I just directed some of my time and attention towards helping other people, there was the opportunity to make a pretty big impact.”
Rob quickly began exploring the resources and connections around him. He asked Olga if she knew anyone in Rotary. She introduced him to Rabendra Pandey, a Nepali businessman who was active in his local club. Rob and Rabendra started doing Rotary projects together, raising money from Rob’s local Rotary club and Nepali clubs and utilizing Rotary’s generous matching grants to fund projects for children in Nepal. These projects eventually turned into TRIFC, an independent organization that still has close connections to Rotary and Rotarians in Nepal.
Bharat and Ajay play ping-pong (and get great physiotherapy) on a brand new table donated by TRIFC to DHC’s home for children with disability.
Many of the programs that TRIFC funds–providing school supplies, nutrition, winter coats, and similar—represent short-term solutions. Perceptions need to change to create lasting impact. Recently, the organization partnered with Rotary in a large scale social marketing campaign about people with disabilities. The goal was to reach 15% of Nepal’s population through awareness ads using various forms of media and PR like television, radio, news, sports festivals, street theater, billboards, and wall paintings. The project just wrapped up and the preliminary results are encouraging. Rob’s dream would be to find a partner that can help take the campaign countrywide to reach more people with the message about the value, potential and capabilities of people with disabilities.
Disabled Newlife Children and volunteers on an overnight camping trip in Dhulikhel, Nepal.
Rob believes that TRIFC’s main strengths are its rich people resources and support from Nepalis, including some with disabilities. These volunteers help Rob, as he puts it, “do the right thing” by providing a firsthand perspective, as well as expertise and advice. Additionally, Rabendra and his wife Chandra serve on TRIFC’s board of directors, as does Rob’s wife Gina, whose skills as an international marketing professional have been invaluable during the recent marketing campaign. Rob’s sons have made trips to Nepal and even his mother has hosted Nepali visitors in her home. He has also brought numerous Rotarians and others to Nepal on volunteer trips.
Despite this strong support, Rob is always happy for more collaborators. “Personally, I feel very fortunate to be in a position to provide help, hope, and love to the kids we work with in Nepal,” he said. He would be happy to help others do the same and “work with a marginalized community that is just waiting for an opportunity.”
Member Profile: World Trade Center Seattle Shines Bright on the Waterfront
By Carolyn Hubbard
While ferries float past and seagulls catch thermals, company executives hover over fresh cups of coffee, and a young couple samples an entree for their upcoming nuptials. They are enjoying World Trade Center Seattle (WTCSE)’s dining room, more formally known as the Holland America Line Dining Room, where a curved wall of windows, rising some 40 feet from floor to ceiling, affords a sweeping view of Seattle’s waterfront, from the flock of red cargo cranes at the port, north to the touristy hub of Pier 66. Access to this spectacular place – for a lunch meeting or an event – is one of the benefits of being a WTCSE member.
Shelley Tomberg, Vice President of Sales, describes WTCSE as “an intimate place for businesses to come together to discuss business” and explains that “you’re going to see people who have a similar focus as you – people involved in the Port of Seattle, entrepreneurs, people with more of a business focus.” You’re also going to see a healthy mix of members from both trade/commerce and non-government organizations. Some of Seattle’s global development community that have memberships to WTCSE currently include PATH, International Rescue Committee, GAPPS, and Global Washington. Also found on site is the World Affairs Council.
The Port of Seattle owns the WTC building and contracts Seattle-based Columbia Hospitality to manage the WTCSE building and the Bell Harbor International Conference Center across the street. The WTCSE was completed in 1998, receiving the licensing rights to be a part of the international World Trade Center Association, just in time to ride the wave of the strong economy. Businesses and non-profit organizations joined as members, some even renting office space in the building, and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of networking during a time of seemingly endless opportunities. In more recent years, some tenants (mainly the non-profit organizations) left to find reduced rents, but membership has remained steady, even going up this year.
About three times a year, WTCSE holds a members’ reception in the dining room. These are well-attended events at which members have the chance to reconnect, meet new members and talk shop. “Drinks are included,” Tomberg notes with a quick laugh, “and that helps loosen the barriers.”
Along with access to other World Trade Centers around the world, member benefits include use of the boardrooms and other meeting spaces in the building. Tomberg wants smaller organizations to see WTCSE as a home base, a place to conduct business and make those essential connections to forward a goal. WTCSE and the Port of Seattle want to ensure there is representation from many segments of society and the community, says Tomberg. To help promote this, non-government organizations are offered a discounted membership rate.
“This is a connection place,” Tomberg explains. “It’s a place for leaders to come and share what they are thinking about for the future.” For example, member Washington Council on International Trade recently held a “Maritime & Trade Discussion” with Jay Inslee and Rob McKenna. Other events have featured former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Senator Patty Murray, and the president of the Philippines. When visiting TV star-chef Bobby Flay came to town to challenge Matt’s in the Market to a salmon chowder ‘throwdown,’ the producers chose to film at the Holland America Line Dining Room. (No surprise, Matt’s chowder won.) “Film crews love this place. It gives them a snippet of Seattle,” says Tomberg.
The World Trade Center Association’s website mentions that to get licensing, a World Trade Center building must “be a facility with a purpose. It is a place where special things happen.” Tomberg notes that WTCSE is what it is because of the members from various industries who come together to connect and inspire one another, regardless of background or position. That is a fine purpose to have.
Noble Prize winning economist and New York Times columnist Paul Krugman was in Seattle at the end of May to promote his new book End This Depression Now! During his trip, Krugman partnered with Global Washington’s “Gather” series for an intimate salon and conversation with representatives from Seattle’s international development community. Roughly 90 individuals from the nonprofit, business, and philanthropic sectors met on a rare sunny afternoon at the Sorrento Hotel to hear Krugman’s take on how to solve the Global Depression.
Photo by Michele Frix, Seattle International Foundation
Photo by Michele Frix, Seattle International Foundation
Bill Clapp, founder of Global Washington, moderated the candid discussion with Krugman and focused the conversation around the importance of history and the power of optimism in resolving our current economic crisis. Krugman spent a fair amount of time criticizing austerity measures and failed economic policies of past administrations. It was not all doom and gloom, however. Krugman repeatedly reiterated that we can, as a country, get ourselves out of this unnecessary and messy depression. Our political leaders must find the clarity and political will to end this depression through strong political measures. “It’s not a hard concept; it’s actually incredibly simple”, Krugman said. What we need to do, Krugman stated, is implement radical economic policies if both the United States and Europe are to avoid future economic instability. This includes ambitious government spending (you’ve got to spend to stimulate) that goes far beyond proposals the White House has drafted, increasing federal aid to local governments, and looking to history to tell us what to do to get out of the crisis.
Photo by Michele Frix, Seattle International Foundation
The obstacle, Krugman declared, is not economic but rather a lack of political will. As a parting comment, Krugman encouraged the crowd to question the ever widening income gap and demand sustainable economic policies from Congress and the White House. As the conversation concluded, the audience had the opportunity to meet Krugman and network with others in the international development sector. The program ended just in time for everyone to get out and enjoy the sun…a great end to a thought-provoking conversation with Paul Krugman.
As a part of the Gather series, Global Washington is now hosting dinners with key development stakeholders and Gather guest speakers. After the event at the Sorrento Hotel concluded, representatives from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Landesa, the University of Washington, Microsoft, Seattle University and Vulcan, Inc. had the opportunity to share a meal and intimate conversation with Paul Krugman. Dinner guests were able to participate in a fireside chat with Krugman and consulted his economic expertise on global development and foreign aid issues. All in all, it was a memorable evening full of robust discourse and fantastic food.
Be sure to join Global Washington for our next Gather event–a great opportunity to connect with thought leaders in the field of international development. Past events have included conversations with Geena Davis, actress and activist, and Peter Diamandis, Founder of the X-Prize Foundation. Check out our website to stay posted on upcoming dates and speakers!
Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and think of opportunities for support and collaboration!
Literacy Bridge: At Literacy Bridge, our mission is to empower children and adults with tools for knowledge sharing and literacy learning, as an effective means towards advancing education, health, economic development, democracy, and human rights. www.literacybridge.org
EcoZoom: EcoZoom is a social venture with the mission of bringing ecological products to the world. We are starting with stoves because we see that as one of the biggest needs in the world. Cooking is literally killing people; we want to make it safe. http://www.ecozoomstove.com/
Water 1st: People living in extreme poverty have many needs, but we believe water and toilets come first. There is a powerful and direct link between human development and convenient access to water and toilets. Through the implementation of sustainable, community-managed water supply and sanitation projects, we are addressing the most fundamental issues of poverty, childhood death, and gender equality. www.water1st.org
Program Officer, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, Seattle: Jessica Dyer
How would you describe your job? “I’m the Program Officer at Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, an International non-profit that seeks to improve the mobility and independence of physically disabled children and adults in developing countries. I manage POF’s Clubfoot treatment programs in Vietnam and Sierra Leone. More.
Highlighted positions:
Health Systems Group Intern, VillageReach The HSG Internship is an opportunity for an experienced graduate-level student interested in both research and implementation to contribute his/her knowledge to the design and evaluation of health system interventions at VillageReach. The intern will work closely with VillageReach program staff on a variety of activities to support the work of the Health Systems Group. More.
Grants Administrator – Global Health, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Grants Administrator is responsible for managing technical, legal, financial, and administrative components of the grant-making process in the Global Health Program. This administrator serves as liaison to program, legal and finance staff and works with Grants Management and other foundation staff to contribute to process improvements. More.
Nutrition Research Officer, Maternal and Child Health and Nutrition, PATH
The Nutrition Research Officer will provide technical expertise for nutrition and research to multiple MCHN projects, including PATH’s Ultra Rice® project activities to scale up implementation in multiple countries and Sure Start Project in India. More.
Volunteer, West African Vocational Schools
Most people don’t really want more stuff for their birthdays, but they would like the opportunity to make a difference. Now Facebook is making that easy to do: People can ask their friends who visit their page to donate to WAVS as a birthday gift. We need people who are willing to help promote this great idea. The job would involve telling your friends and others about this opportunity and explaining to them how it works. More.
July is Global Health Month in Seattle
July 2012 will be Global Health Month in Seattle as part of the Next Fifty – a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Seattle World’s Fair. The month, sponsored by the Washington Global Health Alliance, is an exciting opportunity to raise awareness and discussion around the region’s role in global health and will “feature our region’s strengths in combating malaria, diabetes and cancer, and in improving mother and child health and access to safe water.”
Events marking Global Health Month include the Global Health Experience Exhibit, held throughout July in the Next 50 Plaza at Seattle Center, which features personal stories from across the globe, regional innovations in health and a Global Health Activity Tent.
Join Melinda French Gates and members of the Seattle health community for Groundswell: A Night for Global Health. This free event on July 14 (7:30-9 pm), will celebrate global successes in preventing maternal mortality while galvanizing strength to prevent the deaths of millions of mothers and children (featuring Christy Turlington Brown, founder of Every Mother Counts, and Dr. Chris Murray, Director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluations).
Following Groundswell will be Agency (formerly Party With a Purpose), an opportunity for 20-and-30-somethings to dance the night away for global health while connecting with other socially-conscious individuals.
On July 15 (1-3 pm), Global Health Nexus invites community members to Perspectives: How Faith-based and Secular Organizations Partner for Better Global Health Event, featuring a keynote panel including Bill Gates Sr., Rich Stearns (CEO of World Vision International) and Caryl Sterns (President & CEO of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF) and honest discussions on the realities and challenges of partnerships for faith-based and secular organizations.
Why is aid transparency important to YOU? Tweet and win!
Tweet about “why you think aid transparency is important” and you could win a grand prize from The Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network (MFAN). Help create momentum for transparency by participating in MFAN’s Twitter contest! The grand prize winner will receive USAID administrator Raj Shah’s top 5 books on global development.
The fine print:
You MUST include @ModernizeAid and our designated contest hashtag #Aidtransparency in your response
Tweets will be judged Monday-Friday from 10am EST – 6pm EST
Semi-finalists will be chosen on Tuesdays and Thursdays; our grand prize winner will be announced the final day of the contest—June 29
Prizes will only be mailed within the United States
Global Washington member Landesa expands focus on land rights in China
Over 700 million rural citizens in China rely on land as their primary asset, but this livelihood has been threatened in recent decades by a lack of legal rights and framework for rural land expropriation, resulting in the taking of land for non-agricultural development. As China has announced plans to enact new legislation to help farmers by March 2013, Landesa has announced that it will increase engagement with policy advice for government leaders and think tanks to make new laws equitable and transparent. Landesa has recently been working in the Henan and Shaanxi provinces to ensure farmers’ right to forestland. A new Chinese law has prohibited all types of logging on the land of farmers- a policy that has brought ecological gain, but has also simultaneously deprived farmers of a significant income source. Landesa is working to ensure proper compensation to affected farmers.
Landesa also announced that the state government of Odisha, India will extend a homestead program to provide land titles to around 500,000 tribal families in the state. This breakthrough policy is based on a Community Resource Person model- an approach developed by Landesa’s Indian partner, the Rural Development Institute.
Intern/Volunteer wanted: Help save valuable coastal wetlands in Asia and Latin America Mangrove Action Project is seeking a research intern or volunteer to help with their Question Your Shrimp campaign. This project aims to reduce reliance on environmentally destructive shrimp farming in the Global South, while educating consumers about the connection between the shrimp on their plate and the loss of mangrove forests. The U.S. imports over 90% of its shrimp from Latin America and Asia, and this aquaculture industry is the greatest threat to millions of acres of precious mangrove forests.
The intern would contribute to Mangrove Action Project’s survey of Seattle restaurants to determine the effectiveness of the Question Your Shrimp campaign. If interested, please contact Alfredo Quarto, Executive Director of Mangrove Action Project at mangroveap@olympus.net or (360) 452-5866.
Clark Nuber P.S. hosts 3-day workshop on not-for-profit accounting
On July 10-12, Clark Nuber P.S. is hosting a three day workshop on not-for-profit accounting for those new to the trade and those who feel the need for a refresher course. The workshop will feature discussions and group exercises covering “accounting, tax, federal compliance and information that is unique to not-for-profit organizations.”
Seattle Children’s Research Institute receives grant for science program
Children in schools across Washington State have experienced the Science Adventure Lab, a program created by Seattle Children’s Research Institute to give students in schools with low resources an opportunity for a hands-on science education. Seattle Children’s has just received a $1.1 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to expand the program to include activities for families, with curriculum modules that focus on cardiovascular health and neuroscience. Families of participating students are invited to “Science Night” at the school and “Science Day” at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. Congratulations to Seattle Children’s for their innovative work on this program! Visit http://www.seattlechildrens.org/Press-Releases/2012/Seattle-Children%E2%80%99s-Research-Institute-Lands-$1-1-Million-NIH-Grant-for-Science-Adventure-Lab/ for more information.
Access to Science Education Increased for Washington State Kids, Families
SEATTLE: June 25, 2012 — Over the past three years, more than 20,000 students at 135 schools in Washington State have participated in the Science Adventure Lab program, an initiative launched by Seattle Children’s Research Institute in 2009. The program aims to improve access to high quality, hands-on science education for students. The Science Adventure Lab serves under-resourced rural and urban schools, and offers authentic laboratory experiences to students where resources and personnel to provide these activities are limited.
Now, thanks to a $1.1 million five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Science Adventure Lab program will be expanded to include structured activities for families. The NIH grant is a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), which funds innovative educational programs in which scientists work as partners with K-12 teachers and schools. Drs. Amanda Jones and Mark Ruffo from the Research Institute’s Science Education Department are the principal investigators on this project.
Schools enrolled in the project to date include Wilkeson Elementary in White River, Neah Bay Elementary in Cape Flattery, Evergreen Elementary in Bethel, Skyline Elementary in Lake Stevens, Lakeridge Elementary in Renton and Sunrise Elementary in Puyallup. As part of the five-year plan, fourth-graders at the participating schools will complete two inquiry-based, hands-on curriculum modules on the Science Adventure Lab, a 45-foot mobile science lab.
Modules will focus on cardiovascular health and neuroscience. Families of participating students will be invited to attend two events, including a “Science Night” at the school and a “Science Day” at Seattle Children’s Research Institute, where they will extend skills and knowledge already developed, tour the facility, interact with scientists and learn about the importance of scientific research and clinical trials for building a healthy community.
“In addition to inspiring kids to become the next generation of STEM professionals, we hope to help families appreciate the importance of science and provide them with resources to support their child’s interest in science,” said Dr. Jones, director of the Science Education Department at Seattle Children’s Research Institute. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Increasing STEM literacy among K-12 students has become an important federal initiative.
As part of the five-year project, project staff will measure the impact of school visits and family activities. “We’ll assess whether this approach can be an effective way to get families and kids interested in science and encourage conversations about science at home,” said Dr. Ruffo, manager, Science Education Department.
The project is intended to not only provide education for kids and families, but to also spur interest in science-related careers. “We are at a significant disadvantage in today’s society if people don’t understand science and technology,” said Dr. Jones. “The students that we reach don’t all have to become scientists, but we do see the Science Adventure Lab as one way to make a difference in building the future workforce of Washington State.”
Supporting Materials:
Video: Dr. Jones on the importance of science education for students and youngsters in Washington State, Dr. Ruffo provides tips for parents: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Tevaduln0I
Located in downtown Seattle’s biotech corridor, Seattle Children’s Research Institute is pushing the boundaries of medical research to find cures for pediatric diseases and improve outcomes for children all over the world. Internationally recognized investigators and staff at the Research Institute are advancing new discoveries in cancer, genetics, immunology, pathology, infectious disease, injury prevention and bioethics, among others. As part of Seattle Children’s Hospital, the Research Institute brings together leading minds in pediatric research to provide patients with the best care possible. Seattle Children’s serves as the primary teaching, clinical and research site for the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, which consistently ranks as one of the best pediatric departments in the country. For more information, visit http://www.seattlechildrens.org/research.
On May 29, President Obama honored Washington’s own Dr. Bill Foege with the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, for his leadership of the campaign that successfully eliminated smallpox, the first and only human disease ever to be completely eradicated.
Born in 1936, the 6’7″ Dr. Foege (pronounced Fay-ghee) graduated from Pacific Lutheran University, attended the University of Washington Medical School, and interned for Public Health Seattle-King County. When he became a global health expert for the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the 1960s, smallpox was killing 2 million people every year and infecting 50 million more. After earning an MPH from Harvard in 1965, he worked with missionary groups in Nigeria to transform their approach from hospital-based medicine to community-based medicine. Vaccine shortages and mass vaccination’s poor record led Foege and other CDC scientists in Africa to pioneer, largely on their own initiative, the “survey and containment” method of stockpiling vaccine reserves and mass vaccinating only people from areas with recorded smallpox cases. The implementation demanded ingenuity from local people and scientists alike. In one afflicted Nigerian village, Foege vaccinated 2,000 people in a single day. When he asked the chief how he had gotten so many people to come, the chief explained, “I told everyone to come and see the tallest man in the world.” As Foege recounts in his 2011 memoir House on Fire, he would explain to people that “if a house is on fire, no one wastes time putting water on nearby houses just in case the fire spreads. They rush to pour water where it will do the most good: on the burning house.” When it saw the effectiveness of the “survey and containment” strategy, the CDC adopted it as its smallpox strategy with remarkable speed for a bureaucracy. “It shows the value of having young people involved in the project,” says Foege. “Julius Richmond, the former Surgeon General, once said that the reason smallpox eradication worked is that the people involved were so young they didn’t know it couldn’t work.” In 1967, Foege joined the World Health Organization’s newly-launched campaign to eradicate smallpox through mass vaccinations. Under Foege’s leadership, the WHO smallpox program quickly adopted the “survey and containment” strategy. By the mid-1970s, the disease had been effectively eradicated. On May 8, 1980, the WHO formally certified smallpox as the first major epidemic human disease to ever be eradicated.
Dr. Foege served as Director of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta from 1977-1983. He also co-founded the Task Force for Global Health and took up teaching at Emory University. As Executive Director of the Carter Center from 1986-1992, he led the international campaign to eliminate Guinea Worm and other diseases by pioneering new models of partnership between global health groups and pharmaceutical companies. He also served on the board of Pacific Lutheran University and played a crucial role in establishing the Global Health Program of Seattle’s Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which he still serves as a Senior Fellow.
Foege is a passionate teacher who considers the present day to be the most exciting and promising time in the history of global health. A pious man whose uncle’s missionary work inspired him to enter the global health sector, he tells his students, “Love science but don’t worship it. There’s something better than science, and that is serving humanity.” He says global health practicitioners should understand and respect the cultures of those they seek to help and to look for inspiration everywhere. “I tell students they should be generalists and specialists simultaneously. Generalists try to figure out how the world works…and then follow some passion [as a specialist], but then you know how that passion fits into the general picture. And there are so many things to be done that you really can follow your passion and improve the world.”
Nonprofit Mercy Corps found corporate involvement was necessary for it to start a program serving workers on tea plantations in India.
“We could never have gained access to the tea estates without the influence of our partner Tazo,” said Rosy Choudhury, project director for a program called Community Health and Advancement Initiative (CHAI).
For 10 years, Tazo Tea — now owned by Seattle-based Starbucks Corp. — has partnered with Mercy Corps on the CHAI program to provide education, training and other services to families who live and work on the tea estates in Assam and Darjeeling.
We have been busy with events lately! We are always excited to highlight innovative global development work or keep you informed about important trends in the field. Earlier this month, we heard the inspiring story of Ayuba Gufwan and his organization, Wheelchairs for Nigeria. This event was co-hosted by and located at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center. We also recently hosted an event called “What Employers Really Want” for professionals looking to work in the global development sector. Next Tuesday, we are thrilled to welcome back Sam Worthington, CEO of Interaction, for a lunch talk on the changing ecosystem of global development. If you haven’t registered yet, there is still space!
In other exciting news, we are happy to welcome Amanda Bidwell to the staff of Global Washington! Amanda started last week as our new Membership and Development Associate. Amanda came to us last fall as a volunteer, and we were impressed with her work ethic, enthusiasm, and intelligence. We are excited to expand our work with Amanda’s support.
Finally, don’t leave for your summer vacation without putting a few important dates on your calendar! September 22nd, will be our second annual Global Action Day—a day to celebrate the accomplishments of Washington’s global development sector and find ways to get involved in this important work. Also, save the date of December 6th for Global Washington’s 4th Annual Conference. More details about these exciting events will be announced soon!
Global Washington hires Amanda Bidwell as Membership and Development Associate
Greetings! I am so pleased to join the Global Washington team in order to strengthen the global development sector in Washington State and to deepen our connection to all of Global Washington’s members. In the next couple of months I will be focused on fundraising opportunities that highlight the work of Global Washington and our amazing 160+ member organizations. I will be working with Global Washington staff and supporters to identify new opportunities for growth and continual development for our membership programs.
Please contact me at Amanda@globalwa.org if you have any questions. Otherwise I look forward to meeting you soon!
Best,
Amanda Bidwell
Amanda’s Bio
Amanda started her position as the Membership & Development Associate for Global Washington in March of 2012. Prior to joining Global Washington, Amanda worked for the USDA- Agricultural Research Service in St. Paul, MN conducting field research examining the effects of Biochar on soil microbial activity and nutrient cycling. She has extensive experience in research, sustainability and data management.
She has worked with various environmental organizations throughout the Midwest including the USDA- Agricultural Research Service, The University of Minnesota’s Department of Soil, Water & Climate, and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. As a Midwestern transplant in Seattle, Amanda enjoys taking advantage of all the Pacific Northwest has to offer especially all things outdoors.
Amanda graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2011 with a Bachelor of Sciences in Environmental Science, Policy & Management, with minors in Sustainability Studies and Forest Resources.
The Village Pig Project: A Great Vision, Not a Grand Vision
By Bryan Gamble
“I had traveled to Cambodia and seen a lot of need. The first question was what basics do they need [and] what will work in the market. The answer was food, protein. Then it was a process of trial and error, lots of error, to evolve into something that works.”
David Michener
David Michener’s comment was made in response to a question about how he came up with The Village Pig Project’s particular approach to sustainability. Joe King, a current board member of the project, was kind enough to speak to us to further clarify their project’s ambitions.
The Village Pig Project is an initiative working in Cambodia to bring rural families subsistence by helping them set up self-sustaining pig farms. The program’s typical family, after being selected by Cambodian staff and village leaders, spends two and a half years in the program turning one three-month-old piglet into several litters that can be bred and sold. During their time with the Village Pig, families are provided with a $10 a month to feed themselves, feed for the pigs, and veterinarian assistance to assure the animal’s health and fertility.
When asked to describe the Village Pig’s program, King replied that it was “great, but not grand.” The program has no current plan to reach out to 10,000 families, nor is King interested in catapulting his organization to fame. The project makes promises to no more than 35 families at a time, and works alongside them to solve their individual challenges. In this way, the Village Pig helps to create change that lives on after families leave the program.
King’s involvement with The Village Pig has been a learning experience. The non-profit has had to respond to a number of challenges, including learning animal husbandry on the fly (particularly keeping pigs healthy from half a world away), keeping up-to-date with village political structures to ensure the continuation of the project, and familiar financial concerns. The process has been one of trial and error indeed. That said, there is much that gives King inspiration to continue his work.
On a trip to Cambodia, King visited a graduate of the Village Pig’s program and found that he had become something of an entrepreneur. This graduate had a pond behind his home that was created by ordinance from “The American War” (The Cambodian term for our “Vietnam War”). With the proceeds from breeding and selling pigs, he was able to start raising tilapia in the pond and is currently using this money and food to support his extended family. Another graduating, the family used their earned income to send their daughter to a beauty school in the city. She has since moved back to the village and opened her own beauty salon complete with a car battery that powers her hair dryer.
The Village Pig is an exercise in working alongside people. The program maintains relationships with the families to bridge gaps and evaluate the strength of their tactics to produce self-sustaining impact. Visiting board members pay for their own accommodations and airfare, and no staff members in the United States receive paychecks to ensure that every donated penny goes towards efforts in Cambodia. Ultimately, it is cooperative ventures like this that really have the power to change lives, one family—one pig—at a time.
Global Impact Brings Innovative Partner Solutions to Washington
By Alisa Minkina
A local farmer proudly stands in front of his new harvest of wheat in the desert sands of Timbuktu, Mali. Africare-Mali’s Food Security Imitative in Timbuktu is enhancing food security for communities in the region.
According to Giving USA, international giving reached $15.77 billion in 2010, an 11.4 percent increase from 2009, despite an economic downturn. These increases can be partly attributed to one of Global Washington’s members: Global Impact, an organization that raises funds to meet critical humanitarian needs around the world. Since 1956, Global Impact has raised more than 1.4 billion dollars for the world’s most vulnerable people.
Through its innovative partner solutions programs, disaster relief fund, workplace giving programs, and Federal campaign management, Global Impact offers donors a variety of ways to give effectively and efficiently. Today, Global Impact partnerships work in every corner of the world delivering safe drinking water, food, shelter, education, health care, job training and disaster relief. Millions of people have benefited since Global Impact began in 1956, and the work continues.
Sixty-two leading U.S.-based international charities partner with Global Impact and serve on the front lines to meet needs around the world. These funded charities rely on Global Impact for proven practices and continued innovation. In 2011, the Clinton Global Initiative recognized the organization’s vital role by inviting Global Impact to join world leaders committed to providing sustainable solutions to the world’s most pressing challenges.
Clean water provides hope to Africas children and communities.
Romanian neonatal instructors training students in Targu Mures, Romania. Received 5/26/09 – International Relief Teams
This year, Global Impact joins the international development community in Washington State as they open a satellite office here in Seattle. Josie Noah, Director of Partnerships & Strategic Alliances, recently moved to Washington to establish the office.
Why Washington? “Washington is the hub of many like-minded international development organizations” states Ms. Noah. “As a fundraising organization, we saw a need to develop effective relationships between international non-profits and companies working internationally. Global Impact can provide deep expertise and strategic direction.” Ms. Noah works with international development non-profits to advance their work through partnerships with the private and philanthropic sectors and with companies and foundations to increase their strategic philanthropy.
Composed of a team of more than 60 people, Global Impact raised $110.4 million last year alone. Ann Canela, Director of Partner Marketing, attributes this success to good governance and unparalleled financial stewardship. Global Impact remains focused on the key question: “Is this the best use of a dollar spent?”
U.S. Army Maj. Jose Rivera, a doctor with the 94th Combat Support Hospital, left, examines a Haitian schoolgirl during a medical readiness training exercise in Coteaux, Haiti, April 30, 2010. The unit is working alongside Haitian medical care providers to offer free level-one medical care to Haitians in the community during Operation Unified Response. (US Army photo by Kaye Richey/Released)
This attitude has the organization’s award shelf full to the brim. Global Impact received Charity Negotiator’s Four-Star Excellence Rating for exceeding industry standards, outperforming most charities in philanthropy and the Wise Giving Charity Seal from Better Business Bureau, both for six consecutive years. Global Impact received an Honorable Mention for Excellence in Nonprofit Management in the Washington Post; the CFO, Stan Berman, was granted CFO of the Year in the Nonprofit Category in 2011; and the organization received GiveSpot’s “Top 100 Highly Rated Charities” for sound financial management and commitment to financial integrity in 2010.
Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and think of opportunities for support and collaboration!
Pilgrim Africa: Pilgrim Africa was registered as a Ugandan NGO in 2001, and as a US 501c(3) in 2004. Pilgrim’s work reaches more than 500,000 households through a broad spectrum of community programs in north and eastern Uganda. www.pilgrimafrica.org
Upaya Social Ventures: Upaya Social Ventures is building businesses that will create jobs and improve the quality of life for families worldwide living on less than $1.25 a day. We provide early-stage entrepreneurs with the support needed to launch and scale businesses that can create dignified employment. For more information, please visit. www.upayasv.com
Kids4Peace International: Kids4Peace is an interfaith peace education program dedicated to encouraging children of different cultures and faith traditions to explore their differences and similarities, and to learn understanding, tolerance and respect, while fostering sustainable friendships across the lines of conflict. www.k4p.org
Research Associate, williamsworks: Richard Johnson
How would you describe your job? “As a Research Associate, I primarily work to support our team leaders in meeting our broader project goals around a specific development/advocacy issue. This usually means identifying, researching, synthesizing, and presenting the ideas, information, news, and data critical to helping us understand a specific issue and designing an effective strategy to take action on it. More.
Highlighted positions:
Executive Assistant, Clear Path International
The Executive Assistant plays a key role in creating and maintaining internal systems, which promote efficient business practices within the organization. The Executive Assistant must be able to understand the organization at a high level as well as manage basic day-to-day needs of the staff. More.
Administrative Assistant, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation The Prosthetics Outreach Foundation has an immediate opportunity for a part-time Administrative Assistant. The Administrative Assistant will be fundamentally responsible for ensuring the smooth administrative functioning of the Foundation headquarters. More.
Development and Expansion Intern, RESULTS
The Development and Expansion intern will assist Development and Operations staff with a variety of duties, including those listed below. Duties listed are subject to change based on interest and organizational needs:
Working directly with Development and Operations staff to support overall project needs.
Preparing, updating, reviewing, and editing fact sheets, website content, memos, correspondence, reports, or other written materials. More.
Internship Opportunities, OneWorld Now!
OneWorld Now! is seeking responsible and committed young adults with a passion for working with underrepresented youth, international educational opportunities, and a growing non-profit organization. We offer a variety of internship opportunities throughout the year and seek to provide a flexible, challenging and rewarding environment… More.
Social Networking Team Member, Community Empowerment Network
Are you interested in using the latest social tools to help our non-profit fight poverty?
Social networking team members will provide hands-on support for both the Social Networking and Marketing teams by building the Community Empowerment Network’s presence on Facebook, contributing with our blog, and helping to broaden our overall social presence. More.
Global Washington members—don’t forget to post your volunteer and intern positions to Global Washington’s Careers in Development Center. We are constantly reaching out to students and professionals who are eager to gain exposure to the global development sector. Let them help you achieve your mission! Register for a member login at https://globalwa.org/resources/careers-in-development/ and start recruiting today! For questions or more information, contact careercenter@globalwa.org
Fantastic networking opportunity: The Sustainable Industries Economic Forum.
The Sustainable Industries Economic Forums attract and feature impressive groups of business leaders in innovative companies all intent on building sustainable solutions. This 8th annual event in Seattle focuses on the Access Economy and features keynote speaker Van Jones, the inspiring and much lauded co-founder of Rebuild the Dream. The forum provides participants interactive presentations and “high-powered” networking.
The forum takes place June 14th, from 4-7pm at McCaw Hall, Seattle. Fees are $29 for general admission or $79 for VIP admission, which includes a private happy hour reception with keynote speakers and other VIPs. Registration is now open.
Global health hero to be presented medal of freedom
Washington’s own Dr. Bill Foege has been awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama for his unprecedented contributions to improving global health and establishing the global health field. Dr. Foege helped lead the campaign to eliminate small pox; he was director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Executive Director of The Carter Center; and acted as a key counsel to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s global health focus. Dr. Foege earned his bachelor degree at Pacific Lutheran University and medical degree at University of Washington. To learn more about this inspiring and unassuming groundbreaker, take a look at the Humanosphere article and also the White House’s press release.
General Colin Powell discusses his book
On June 2nd, former Secretary of State General Colin Powell will talk about his life, his career, and his memoir, It Worked for Me. KING 5 Anchor, Jean Enersen, will moderate the conversation, organized by CityClub, in partnership with Elliott Bay Book Company. This opportunity to meet General Powell takes place at the Westin Seattle from 8-9pm. $35 buys you one book and one event ticket; $50 two tickets and one book. Registration is open at CityClub website.
Seattle Center’s Next 50 Celebration launches video contest
Do you have a short, inspiring or positive story about the next 50 years? As part of the ongoing anniversary celebration of the Seattle World’s Fair , the Next50 celebration invites you to submit a 2-minute or shorter video that shows how science, creativity, entrepreneurship or business will shape our future lives. Check out www.thenextfifty.org or www.N50Contest.org after June 1st to learn more about the contest guidelines. Videos must be submitted by August 1st. Videos will be judged by a panel of thought-leaders and also by the general public. Top videos receive cash prizes as well as top-notch recognition.
PATH’s launches new website dedicated to Sure Start project in India
Giving birth in India can be deadly. Every year, about 78,000 women die giving birth, and a million babies don’t survive their first month. But thanks to ordinary people called to action by PATH, mothers and babies in rural villages and urban slums are now safer.
So what does it take to save a life? PATH’s new website explains just that. Launched just in time for Mother’s Day, the website introduces you to the people of two small, rural villages who turned simple objects – a piggy bank, childhood games, or personal letters – into tools to get new families off to a healthy start.
Now is the time to speak up about the foreign assistance bill
This autumn, President Obama will sign the House and Senate’s compromise (or “enrolled”) version of the annual appropriations bill into law. Since the appropriations bill decides an entire year’s worth of federal government spending, and the next 4-6 weeks will determine the fate of the foreign assistance bill. The Obama Administration wants $54.839 billion for the FY 2013 State-Foreign Operations Budget. The Senate Appropriations Committee wants a $53.017 billion budget (about the same FY 2012’s). The House Appropriations Committee wants a $48.3 billion budget (9.3% less than FY 2012’s), which would lead to debilitating cuts to USAID, democracy promotion efforts, environmental programs, international organizations, disaster and refugee relief, and many other fields. The full House and Senate Appropriations Committees are formally marking up their subcommittee’s bills as we speak and they will complete the process before the end of May. That means that you must start calling or emailing your U.S. senators and representatives now while the bills are in committee if you want them to fight budget cuts that will hurt your organization or the international development field. For more information, please visit Global Washington’s Legislative Index (especially the Appropriations and Authorizations section) or the U.S. Global Leadership Council’s Budget Center.
Now, more than ever, organizations funded by the government need even more funds in order to continue to help under-developed nations. The success due to Congress’ investment in improving global health is greater than ever imagined, and in order to keep this success growing, more funds will be needed.
However, due to the cuts in foreign assistance funding, many of these programs will have to consider new ways to continue their work with a limited budget. The two types of funding, bilateral and multilateral, have paved the way for helping millions of people with new life-saving treatments. These treatments have helped in the fights against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and maternal and child mortality throughout the world.
The government funding has not only helped fight these diseases and issues, but also has ensured that over time countries will be able to sustain and hopefully take control of these efforts to prevent and treat diseases and maternal and child mortality.
Even though the U.S. government still supports global health programs, the decrease in funding has put a strain on global health organizations as they try to construct a new ways of implementing these programs with a smaller budget.
Greetings, July is Global Health Month in Seattle and I hope you have had a chance to visit the Global Health Experience Exhibit at the Seattle Center. Many Global Washington members have taken part in creating and promoting the exhibit and the other exciting events this month that celebrate and inform you about the contributions of this sector. This month’s newsletter profiles focus on an organization and an individual who are making important health-related contributions around the world. The first, A Child’s Right, is a relatively new organization keeping children healthy in urban areas in Asia by taking a new and innovative approach to clean water systems. The second profile features Dr. Michael Free, who has worked at PATH since its formation and been instrumental in the development of over 80 global health technologies.
Director of Investor Relations, Global Partnerships, Seattle: Jason Henning How would you describe your job? As Director of Investor Relations at Global Partnerships, I manage the full relationship cycle for all of our investors. This begins during prospect research, continues through outreach and engagement, and leads to sourcing capital commitments for our social investment funds. After investors participate in our funds, I am responsible for overseeing the relationship and communication efforts. 
Shelley Tomberg, Vice President of Sales, describes WTCSE as “an intimate place for businesses to come together to discuss business” and explains that “you’re going to see people who have a similar focus as you – people involved in the Port of Seattle, entrepreneurs, people with more of a business focus.” You’re also going to see a healthy mix of members from both trade/commerce and non-government organizations. Some of Seattle’s global development community that have memberships to WTCSE currently include PATH, International Rescue Committee, GAPPS, and Global Washington. Also found on site is the World Affairs Council.
Program Officer, Prosthetics Outreach Foundation, Seattle: Jessica Dyer
Amanda started her position as the Membership & Development Associate for Global Washington in March of 2012. Prior to joining Global Washington, Amanda worked for the USDA- Agricultural Research Service in St. Paul, MN conducting field research examining the effects of Biochar on soil microbial activity and nutrient cycling. She has extensive experience in research, sustainability and data management.
David Michener’s comment was made in response to a question about how he came up with The Village Pig Project’s particular approach to sustainability. Joe King, a current board member of the project, was kind enough to speak to us to further clarify their project’s ambitions.
On a trip to Cambodia, King visited a graduate of the Village Pig’s program and found that he had become something of an entrepreneur. This graduate had a pond behind his home that was created by ordinance from “The American War” (The Cambodian term for our “Vietnam War”). With the proceeds from breeding and selling pigs, he was able to start raising tilapia in the pond and is currently using this money and food to support his extended family. Another graduating, the family used their earned income to send their daughter to a beauty school in the city. She has since moved back to the village and opened her own beauty salon complete with a car battery that powers her hair dryer.
How would you describe your job? “As a Research Associate, I primarily work to support our team leaders in meeting our broader project goals around a specific development/advocacy issue. This usually means identifying, researching, synthesizing, and presenting the ideas, information, news, and data critical to helping us understand a specific issue and designing an effective strategy to take action on it.