DEVELOPING TIMES: Echo Visit

Welcome

Mission Statement
Rural Empowerment Initiatives (REI) mission is to collaborate in the reduction of poverty through investment in rural areas and training of local people.

Vision Statement
REI's vision is to treat every created being with dignity, respect and love. We strive to work with those most in need by empowering people to recognize their God given talents, enabling them to make the world a better place and providing them hope for the future.

Our Principles
REI believes that all people are created equal.
REI will develop small to medium businesses (SMEs) as one approach to reach those most in need by creating jobs that build the economy in rural areas.
REI's partner businesses will be led, managed and majority owned by local people.
REI will always seek a triple bottom line of economic, spiritual and social transformation.
REI seeks to build sustainable community-oriented business models.
REI's focus of support is to the economically disadvantaged.
REI will seek attractive market and growth opportunities.
REI will incubate pilot projects with capable management.
REI believes in collaboration. We seek partners whose strengths complement our own in an effort to build well-rounded projects of lasting economic value for the communities in which we work.
REI is inspired by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and is therefore rooted in the Christian faith.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Echo Visit

Last week was a good time to travel out of Wisconsin. When I left my house last Monday morning, it was a balmy -35 degrees with the wind chill. When I arrived in Orlando (after our first flight was cancelled to a frozen plane) it was 70 degrees. The woman on the bus taking us to our rental car, said "It is cold here"...I said ..."I don't think so".
On my visit to Echo. I have anticipated this visit for a couple of years. I love the concept of agricultural training and better methods of farming in rural Senegal.
This place is worth the visit. I was greeted with a meeting with Robert (Bob) Hargrave who is a Technical Research Specialist, has a background of agricultural missions in Kenya, Africa, with expertise in drought resistant crops and famine relief distribution. Bob works with ECHO's Technical Response Unit answering requests from missionaries and development workers overseas. His interests include dry land and tropical agriculture. (taken from Echo website http://www.echonet.org and Bob's bio)
I also had the chance to meet an intern with Echo. His name is Andy Cotarelo. Andy just finished his one year internship and will be going to Senegal to full fill his internship with Mission Inter Senegal (MIS) for one year. (this is the NGO I am closely working with) Andy will be looking at helping MIS with a piece of land that was leased to MIS for agricultural training. The vision is for Andy to scope out the land, come up with a plan, and implement that plan.
Andy gave me a tour of the facility and I was amazed on what I was seeing. Having a love for plants and farming...this was truly exciting.
Andy is the right person for this vision and he has already spent two years teaching at Dakar Academy with his wife. He is anxious to return to the people of Senegal.
My hope is to work closely with Andy and MIS to implement community gardens and better agricultural practices in the villages of Senegal.
Large task...prayers and action are needed.