Changing the World, 1 Village at a Time...
 |
The people of Indian Creek Village want electricity for their homes and school because they wish to enhance educational opportunities for their children and improve the quality of life in the village. Toward providing clean electricity for the Village requires an energy plan to include ECOnomic development (to keep the lights lit). |
While sitting on a beach in Placenzia on a hot dry day in April 2005, I watched from a distance as 2 young women walked toward me, both carrying heavy packs filled with crafts. As the sun cast haloes around their moving figures, I was reminded of the harmonic images from the film, "Powaqqatsi". Then, I sensed another familiarity as Katharina and Carmella came closer. But it wasn't until they sat beside me that I realized I had painted a primitive likeness of 16 year old Katharina 25 years ago, and that her portrait had been hanging in my living room since.
During our conversation on the beach, Katharina and Carmella told me they were from a very poor but beautiful village. They talked about their new school -- though it had no pencils or books -- and about their families, who want what most people want for their children - a good education. A few minutes later we were joined by Jose, an uncle and respected council member of the village. He explained milpa farming to me, and then we talked about the possibilities of solar and wind as being the perfect energy choices for Belize.
Since then, we have been working with Indian Creek Villagers in three areas -- to help them acquire clean electricity, provide books and pencils for their schools, and in creating an ECOnomic development program toward sustainability involving a unique system of caves behind the village that have cultural, archeological, and ecological significance as well as ECOtourism potential (Indian Creek Conservation Group).
Solar Energy
Lorenzo Pop, the village Alcalde, has made energy
a priority, as Indian Creek Village has no electricity. Indian Creek is
exploring the possibilities of renewable energy alternatives toward maintaining
a safe clean environment and sustainability. During our first meeting with
the villagers it was decided that someone from the village needed to learn
the technical aspects of solar energy. Solar
Energy International generously provided a scholarship for Esteven
Ack, a young man from the village, to attend a Photovoltaic Design &
Installation workshop in New Jersey Sep. 9-16, 2006. Estevan has
gained technical knowledge and can contribute his knowledge and skills
to his village. See workshop photos. Estevan
also spent several days working with Julio Lugo-Burgos of JLB Systems who
taught him how to make LED homework lights. Once the materials are available,
Estevan can teach the villagers how to make their own lights and perhaps
establish a business to manufacture the lights for others.
We submitted a grant to the World Bank requesting support for acquiring solar energy to be used with the LED lights (info on LEDs at www.leds4all.org). The proposal was prepared jointly with the Alcalde, Village Council, Cave Committee and some of the secondary students who are very interested and involved in both the energy and ecotourism cave projects. Though the proposal did not win the award (competition was extremely high), we are looking to submit the application to other sources, this time focusing on acquiring inexpensive solar LEDs (home/work lamps) that can be made by the villagers and used instead of the kerosene lanterns now being used for reading and studying.
Needs:
- Donations of new and used solar panels and
related materials
- Inverters
- Batteries
- Volunteers with expertise to share information,
serve as mentors/advisors, and/or provide hands-on help.
- Funds to support further training and development
opportunities for the village
- Materials to construct homework lights including.
- Donations of white LEDs
- Donations of rechargeable
double A batteries
- Solar laminate material
Cave Project
On our visit to Indian Creek Village during the rainy season in 2005,
a few of us were able to make the arduous trek through the wet jungle in
order to see the caves. Returning exhausted, Dennis, Grant and Julio were
totally inspired by what they had seen. The photos, linked below, tell
only a small part of the story of these remarkable caves.
In August 2005, we submitted a grant proposal to the Ford Promios Foundation to develop the cave ECOtourism/ECOnomic development project, and Indian Creek Villagers were most grateful to the Foundation for awarding a $10,000 grant in December. See Photos of Award ceremony. These funds have been used to clear trails, build staircases and bridges on the trail and in the caves, plant seedlings to replace trees that had to be removed, and to build a traditional thatched visitors' shelter near the entrance to the caves. The grant also provided the tuition and opportunity for two young men and a young woman from the village to receive accredited tour guide training. See Photos of work that has been done.
The Indian Creek Conservation Group has formed a partnership with The Ya’axché Conservation Trust (YCT), a local community-based NGO whose mission is to promote biodiversity and conservation, and enhance sustainable development opportunities in the rural indigenous communities of the area.
The Village will also be working with the Toledo Ecotorism Association in developing a guest house program to accomodate ecotourists visiting the village and caves. Until the Village has its own guest house, cave enthusiasts can stay in the nearby San Miguel Village or another village participating in the program.
During our most recent trip to Belize, On September 5th, 2006 a summary and review meeting was held at the village community center. Guest speaker Chris Panados, one of Belize's most respected and accomplished cavers, emphasized the importance of safety in caving and discussed his own experiences as a cave tour guide over many years throughout Belize's vast systems of caves.
It was determined that the current needs of the project are:
- LED head lamps
- Battery Charger
- Safety helmets
- Printed material about the caves
- Advertising
- A volunteer archeologist to view artifacts in caves and provide information
about them.
- 3 marine plywood signs, paint, urethane
- Composting toilets
- Money to pay for required certifications, applications, and trainings
- First Aid Kit
See Photos of Indian Creek Village and Caves... http://www.indiancreekvillage.org
School Books/Education
We have been working with the wonderful people
of Book Aid in Darien Connecticut who have sent 2 boxes of books for Indian
Creek Village school, and donated three additional boxes -- two of which
have been delivered on our most recent trip, and another that left with
Esteven Ack on his return to Belize We also brought 3 microscopes,
a few dozen inflatable globes as well as notebooks, pencils, pens,
and magifying study scopes. Donations of $35, or any part thereof, will
help send enough desperately needed science or math text books for 2 classrooms
to Indian Creek School.
Miss Myrtle Willaims, principal of the Indian Creek School showed us another great need of the school on our visit in September 2006. The children desperately need sanitary toilet facilities. The current system consists of outhouses that frequently overflow as they are located in a wet area. We have proposed to the cave committee to build composting toilet comfort stations for cave tourists near the school that could serve both purposes.
To help with school book project, please send
donations to:
DARIEN BOOK AID PLAN Inc.
1926 Post Road
Darien, Connecticut 06820
Be sure to include a note that you want the school
books to be sent to:
Principal Myrtle Williams
Indian Creek School
Indian Creek Village
Toledo, Belize
Books Abroad has also recently sent books to the school. Much Appreciation.
Needs:
- Volunteer to send out information to classrooms
in US and Canada about the Pencil Pals Project
- Volunteers to contact their local schools to
ask if old school books could be made available.
- Establish scholarship program, so more students can attend secondary
school.
Karin
Westdyk, Webmother
ListNLook.com
To receive occassional updates on Indian Creek Village projects, send an email to mail@listnlook.com with "Indian Creek Updates" in subject box.
Back