DEVELOPING TIMES: Chapin Living Waters-Featured Ministry

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.

Friday, May 29, 2009

Chapin Living Waters-Featured Ministry

Recently, I met a represenative for Chapin Living Waters. I had heard about this simple drip irrigation from Echo and Equip International.
They sent me atrial bucket kit at no charge. I set it up in my own garden to see how this works. I was very pleased at the simplicity and the final result . I'm watering a row of beans and some tomato plants. I will test it out all summer. Now, i have communicated to them that I would like to take two kits with me to Senegal and try to implement them in a small community garden in a rural village.
On their website they say:

"Chapin Living Waters exists to help poor people in third world countries grow vegetables when there is insufficient rain. We offer simple, sustainable technologies like drip irrigation with the use of "Bucket Kits" for subsistence farming, bringing hope to the poorest people in over 150 countries and the opportunity to solve their own problems."

I hope to post a few pics of the bucket kit installed in Senegal. But,
I am going to introduce it to my friends in the village and let them determine if they want to try it...if so...i will be glad to share my knowledge of how this works.
Stay tuned...