Green Empowerment

We appreciate the following organizations for supporting the work of Green Empowerment:

The Ben Linder Memorial Fund, represented by Elisabeth Linder, a member of our Advisory Board, has had a long history of supporting renewable energy projects in northern Nicaragua. This organization was founded by David and Elisabeth Linder, in memory of their son Ben Linder, who was killed along with two of his Nicaraguan co-workers by Contras, armed anti-government guerrilla forces, on April 28, 1987, while doing preliminary work on a second hydro project in that country. Overcoming incredible odds, Ben, other international volunteers, and numerous Nicaraguans built the first hydroelectric plant at El Cuá, which came on line in 1986. Ben's dream continued, in large part because of the indefatigable commitment of Ben's family, and the hydroelectric project at San José de Bocay was completed in 1994. Green Empowerment now manages The Ben Linder Memorial Fund that continues to fund projects in Nicaragua such as the El Bote Forest Reserve and the El Bote hydro-electric plant that serves 10,000 people in 2007.

The Body Shop Foundation is committed to supporting innovative global projects working in the areas of human & civil rights and environmental & animal protection. It was started in 1990 as a way of consolidating all the charitable donations made by the company and its extended family. The Body Shop Foundation helped fund the 2007 Solar/Water Pump Project in Bramadero, Nicaragua.

The Borneo Project was created in 1991 to assist Borneo's indigenous peoples in their struggle to regain control of their ancestral lands. Its initiatives are all built on a common foundation of direct personal contact, local control, and long term commitment. It works with a growing network of communities and non-profits assisting with craft sales, micro hydro electrification, reforestation, mapping, eco-friendly income generation, reforestation, and the like.  The Borneo Project partnered with Green Empowerment on the 2002 Long Lawen project.

The Burmese Medical Association of North America helped fund the Burma emergency clinic project in 2007.

The Geiss Foundation is supporting a solar water pump project in Sumzapote, Nicaragua in 2008.

The Giving Greenhouse is supporting a hydraulic ram pump project in the village of Herminal, the Philippines, which will bring water to 330 people in 2008.

The Greenville Foundation helped fund the Saloy Micro Hydro Project in the Phillipines in 2004. This support will help YAMOG bring electricity to 750 people. The Greenville Foundation has been involved in family philanthropy for almost 50 years. The Greenville Foundation seeks to encourage and fund unique, innovative and other needed non-profit programs in an effort to address problems facing the local and global human community. In many cases, the Foundation attempts to emphasize programs aimed at those parts of this community least able, for whatever reasons, to act on their own behalf.

The International Foundation exists to help people of the developing world in their endeavors to solve some of their problems, to attain a better standard of living and to obtain a reasonable degree of self-sufficiency. The foundation, which focuses on agriculture, health, education, social development and the environment was a contributor to the Solar Water Pump Project in Candelaria, Nicaragua that brought potable water to 240 villagers in 2005, and is a funder of the 2008 Sumzapote solar water pump in Nicaragua.

IUCN World Conservation Union-Netherlands The mission of IUCN, The World Conservation Union, is to promote nature conservation in a just world. The World Conservation Union, founded in 1948, is the largest global nature conservation network. It is unique in bringing together states, government agencies and a diverse range of non-governmental organizations. IUCN is supported by six international commissions made up of some 10.000 technical and scientific experts.  The El Bote Forest Reserve is a project of Green Empowerment, ATDER-BL and IUCN NL/SPN, sponsored by the Netherlands Postcode Lottery. As of 2007, the community-managed El Bote Forest Reserve comprises over 1200 acres and protect the watershed surrounding the El Bote micro-hydro plant that provides electricity to 10,000 people.

Knightsbridge International is a nonprofit group dedicated to providing humanitarian medical relief programs and disaster relief worldwide without regard to race, religion or national origin.  Knightsbridge International has worked to collect and aggregate individual donations for the Burma emergency clinic project. from the start through 2007.

The McCargar Foundation is a family foundation from Portland, Oregon, which supported the  Burma emergency clinic project. in 2006 and again in 2007.

The New Earth Foundation offers educational support and grants to projects that bring transforming energy and new life to communities and the world. They particularly seek to fund efforts which combine high purpose, intelligence, and inclusive love with a practical approach to implementation. The New Earth Foundation supported the Solar Water Pump Project in Candelaria, Nicaragua, and part of Green Empowerment's operations in 2005.

The New England Biolabs Foundation is an independent private foundation founded in 1982 by the president of New England Biolabs, Inc to support grassroots organizations working with the environment, social change, the arts, elementary education and science. NEBL is supporting the Watershed Education Project in El Bote, Nicaragua that teaches the community Forest Reserve Management, Environmental Health, Sustainable Agriculture and other issues in integrated watershed management.

The Open Society Institute (OSI) is a private operating and grantmaking foundation, founded by George Soros, that serves as the hub of the Soros foundations network, a group of autonomous foundations and organizations in more than 50 countries. OSI and the network implement a range of initiatives that aim to promote open societies by shaping government policy and supporting education, media, public health, and human and women's rights, as well as social, legal, and economic reform. The Open Society Institute is supporting Green Empowerment's work to train medics and equip Burmese refugee clinics with solar power.

Seacology is a nonprofit environmental organization whose sole and unique purpose is to preserve the environments and cultures of islands throughout the world. From the South Pacific to the coast of Africa, from islands in the Artic Circle to the Pribilofs, Seacology launches and funds projects to help preserve island ecosystems and cultures. The Seacology Foundation helped fund the Long Lawen micro hydro project in Borneo in 2002, and several water distribution projects using AIDFI's ram pump technology on Negros Island, the Philippines in 2008.

SunEnergy Power International (SEPI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit public benefit orgainzation.  It develops and implements humanitarian renewable energy projects in remote parts of the world.  SEPI provided funding for the  Burma emergency clinic project and hospital project from the start through 2007.

Switzer Foundation has the mission of identifying and nurturing those individuals who have the ability and determination to make a significant environmental impact and to support projects which will have direct, early, and measurable results in improving the quality of our natural environment. The Switzer Foundation has supported the work of Chris Greacen, a co-founder of two Green Empowerment partners -- the Border Green Energy Team and Palang Thai -- both in Thailand.  In 2007, the Switzer Foundation began supporting Jason Selwitz's role with the Service Learning Department.

Tides Foundation actively promotes change toward a healthy society, one which is founded on principles of social justice, broadly shared economic opportunity, a robust democratic process, and sustainable environmental practices. Tides believes that healthy societies rely fundamentally on respect for human rights, the vitality of communities, and a celebration of diversity. Contributions received through Tides Foundation supported the Burma emergency clinic project. 

Threshold Foundation is a progressive foundation mobilizing money, people and power to create a more just, joyful, and sustainable world.  In 2007-2008, the Threshold Foundation has funded regional development projects with Green Empowerment partners FEDETA in Ecuador, Soluciones Practicas in Peru, Asofenix in Nicaragua, and AIDFI and YAMOG in The Philippines.

Winrock International is a nonprofit organization that works with people around the world to increase economic opportunity, sustain natural resources, and protect the environment. By linking local individuals and communities with new ideas and technology, Winrock is increasing long-term productivity, equity, and responsible resource management to benefit the poor and disadvantaged of the world. WinRock international  supported AIDFI and Yamog in the Bandung micro hydro training program in Bandung, Indonesia, and the micro hydro project in Saloy, Philippines in 2004.

WISIONS is an initiative of the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, organised with the support of the Swiss-based foundation ProEvolution, to foster practical sustainable energy projects. WISIONS supports visions of renewable energy and energy efficiency through its Sustainable Energy Project Support. WISIONS supported the community-based renewable energy projects that Green Empowerment and Practical Action implemented in Chirinos, Peru.  In 2008, WISIONS also supports projects from Green Empowerment partners AIDFI and SIBAT (The Philippines) and Asofenix (Nicaragua).

Click here for more information on our International Partner Organizations.