Green Empowerment
If we are going out into the world, then we must move beyond our own small haunt. The sages taught, “If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am [only] for myself, what am I? And if not now, when?” (Avoth 1:14)
Through our Global Poverty (Mahsh’pi’a) Campaign, Havurah Shalom is committed to working to ameliorate global poverty. One key part of our campaign is to raise money to fund a solar-powered water system in a village in Nicaragua. Havurah’s goal is to raise the remaining $6,500 needed to complete funding for this project.
Green Empowerment is a Portland-based non-profit that has developed special expertise in developing in-country partnerships to provide sustainable energy and potable water to communities in Southeast Asia and Latin America. Green Empowerment understands community building and works with local non-governmental organizations to organize and manage their projects in local communities. Their projects are small and sustainable. They work quietly and produce concrete results.
• social justice
• sustainability
• local leadership
In addition to the fundraising campaign, there will be educational activities and engagement with our b’nai mitzvah. We want this initiative to serve as a focal point for who we are as a congregation. As a spiritual community steeped in Jewish values, we define ourselves as a community dedicated to tikun olam. If we are to take our identity seriously, we must undertake efforts to repair this broken world in community.
Through the dedicated work over the past year of many Havurah members and donations from over one-third of the membership, Havurah Shalom has helped Green Empowerment and its Nicaraguan partner, AsoFenix, raise the funds needed to begin work on the solar-powered water system for El Jocote. Not only has Havurah Shalom raised nearly the full $40,000 we committed to for the project, our success has helped Green Empowerment leverage the additional $40,000 needed to implement the project through several foundations, and a promise of solar panels from Solar World. Work on the project began in June with the initiation of a hydrological study.
Our fund-raising is drawing to a close but Green Empowerment offers us many opportunities beyond simply raising money. This spring, a group of Havurah members worked with a PSU Master of Public Health student to develop a health assessment to evaluate the public health benefits of the water system and related activities for El Jocote. The health assessment is now under review by AsoFenix. In 2008, several Havurah members traveled to El Jocote and other villages in Nicaragua with Green Empowerment to learn about sustainable water and micro-electric projects. Other possible activities include learning opportunities for families about water and energy conservation at home, and a possible December 2010 trip to El Jocote by additional Havurah members.
For information about how you can help, please contact Lee Gordon, Linda Boise or the Havurah Office.
You can also follow this link for more information about the organization: http://www.greenempowerment.org/
