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Sustainable Economic Development:
Jatropha Project
Jatropha is a non-edible plant naturally found in Haiti that produces oil-rich seeds. Oil extracted from jatropha seeds is so pure that after filtering it can run generators or be blended to run diesel engines without further refinement. This oil either can be used locally, or sold on a regional, national, or international level thus creating a sustainable economic base for farmers in rural Haiti. All profits from the sale of the jatropha oil are then reinvested in the source communities. The by-products of the oil-extracting process are a charcoal substitute and/or a nitrogen-rich fertilizer. Haiti is more than 92% deforested, and critical topsoil flows off of the island with each rain. Planting the jatropha on hillsides slows down or eliminates erosion. Access to an alternative fuel source prevents rural Haitians from having to cut down trees, which also limits deforestation in an already-taxed landscape. Get involved by buying trees! For every dollar donated we can plant 10 jatropha trees. Each tree, in a few years, will produce a gallon of jatropha oil. We have over a thousand farmers enrolled, and will reach our goal of planting a million trees.
Please donate now to buy trees!
Sirona Haiti/IEEE Rural Electricity Project
Members of the Institute for Electric and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) have been working on responses to the United Nations’ Humanitarian Technology Challenge for some time. The United Nations identified 10 critical Millennium Goals to address the needs of the world’s poorest people and strive to raise their standard of living. A subset of the IEEE, the Community Solutions Initiative (CSI Group) has developed a model that will use solar power to recharge batteries for households and small businesses in Haiti. Due to our experience and strong in-country partners, The Sirona Cares Foundation was selected as the partner for implementation of this project.
In 1988 almost all of Haiti had electricity and now, due to a complete collapse of infrastructure, there is very little electricity in the country. This project creates businesses and jobs relating to the sale of power for recharging cellular phones as well as battery recharging stations for use in homes in rural areas where there is currently no access to power at all. In January of 2011 we will deploy the initial six units that will supply electricity to 240 rural homes and six small businesses. Full-scale implementation of this project will bring electricity to the homes of 1 million people in rural Haiti.
Sirona Haiti Executive Summary 091610 R9
Humanitarian Work
In addition to our economic-development work, the Sirona Cares Foundation partners with school and orphanage directors (most orphanages also run schools, often open to non-residents), assisting in addressing issues relating to the childrens’ care. Our metrics are: establishing an abundant and sanitary drinking-water source; providing adequate and appropriate food; enhancing health-care services; improving education for the children. We partner with individuals, local and international organizations that focus in these areas and share our goals, often advocating for assistance and services that otherwise would not have been provided.
Connect by donating to our efforts to support and educate children. The needs are tremendous, and we cannot travel to Haiti without spotting a situation in which a donor could make a difference. Sometimes we purchase locally produced food for orphanages, sometimes we help kids get school uniforms from the local seamstress, there are always significant needs for children in Haiti.
Moringa-education Program Moringa
an exceptionally nutritious tree grown in Haiti that flowers year-round, has been used by the U.S. Peace Corps for years to reverse symptoms of malnutrition in poverty-stricken countries around the world. By adding moringa to daily food intake in Haiti, we have seen incredible results, including the reversal of malnutrition symptoms in 2000+ children over the past two years, including children living with HIV/AIDS. Farming moringa where jatropha is grown keeps bees in the fields, increasing the jatropha yields by as much as 30%.
This little girl was photographed before and after having Moringa added to her diet. The improvement is notable. Of the fourteen original children who had Moringa added to their diet, each gained 2 lbs. in one month. The progam has successfully been expanded to many orphanages improving the health of many children throughout Haiti. We use the materials created by Trees for Life to educate our Haitian partners on the nutritional value of Moringa.
http://www.treesforlife.org
Mission of Hope School Rebuild
Nothing says Sustainability like Education. The Mission of Hope School has been in Grand Goave, Haiti for ten years. The student body is comprised of some of the poorest children in the area. This cornerstone of the community was destroyed on January 12, 2010 by the devastating earthquake. Classes are now held under plastic tarps. Every year, including 2010, the graduates of Mission of Hope place well in the National Exams, and the school has won numerous awards for academic excellence as well as regional awards for starting on time (many Haitian schools open after the school year has technically begun).
Sirona Cares believes that the future of Haiti lies in its children, and we support the education, health and nutrition of children in the communities where we work. Rebuilding this school is critical to this community, and creating a sense of normalcy following the devastation of January’s earthquake is critical for these young people.
Students in Haiti attended school this past year well into August making up time lost during the spring. We are partnering with Extollo International to rebuild the school and waiting for the Haitian Government to release the final requirements for new schools in Haiti. Extollo will use the Mission of Hope School as a trade school project in its endeavor to teach Haitians safe building procedures. The new school will be built to California earthquake standards and will be hurricane safe as well. Get involved by donating, or make a bid difference by running a “Buy a Brick” campaign. At your office, church or school you will find people interested in helping the children of Haiti. We are rebuilding lost schools, churches and orphanages. Bricks are “sold” for $10, and every group/individual who purchases a brick will be notified as to what facility they have made possible. All donors receive photos and contact information for the facility that they help build.
Extollo International
Mission of Hope
Sirona Cares for Schools Program:
We are located in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we see public schools in Northern California suffering in this difficult economy. The Sirona Cares Foundation and The Sirona Fuels Company have joined forces to support public schools. Any public school or group that works to educate or care for children can sign up for a free program that provides a sustainable income for their program. For more information please go to the Sirona Cares for Schools website.
http://www.sironacaresforschools.com