Partner communities

Some of the ambulances on display

The Okoa Project and the Virtue Foundation exhibited the first prototype of a locally manufactured tricycle ambulance that was designed in consultation with local innovators, artisans and community leaders, as well as members of more than 20 communities in the district. from Sissala Est.

With over 5 years of experience working with communities in Tanzania and Ghana, Okoa Project officials are convinced of the viability of the locally made tricycle ambulance and the impact it will have in their lives. daily.

The Okoa project aims to expand its efforts to all 260 districts in Ghana and more than 5,200 Community Health Planning and Service Centers (CHPS) / health centers.

The organization’s mission is to connect every family to health care when they need it most, with a strong focus on reducing maternal mortality.

Speaking at the launch, a foundation official said, “Today we are delighted to launch 5 of our tricycle ambulances to mark the start of a pilot phase of ambulances in real communities, taking real patients to the hospital. The 5 communities selected by the Health Department of the Sissala East district to receive ambulances are Nabulo, Nabugubelle, Sakai, Kong and Bawiesibelle. highest cases of maternal mortality.

“Our ambulances are designed by the communities we work with, combining in-depth local knowledge with our technology-driven group of experts. Ambulances are designed with custom suspension for comfort on rough roads and custom telemetry sensors That Provide Real-Time GPS Tracking We believe this technology-driven approach will allow us to disrupt the emergency transport space and save lives – one trip at a time.

With the data collected by the ambulance, nearby communities and health facilities can analyze the number of trips per period and be able to calculate time spent versus distances.

The district health directorate can use the same data to advise the ministry of health on efficient resource allocation.

“Over the next few months, as we monitor the performance of the ambulance program, we will work with our team of engineers to further refine the design and move towards a robust Ghana-based manufacturing setup.

Strengthening the resilience of Ghana’s health system to better respond to emergencies ”is the theme of the recent 2021 Health Summit organized by the Ministry of Health. During the 3-day summit, one word underscored all of the statements made by the panelists and participants: “collaboration”.

The Okoa project has been working with communities to collaborate and co-create emergency transport solutions for the past 5 years and is well equipped to contribute to this goal of universal health coverage. We are redefining emergency transport from the ground up and working with passion towards the goal of nationwide access to healthcare alongside the GHS (Ghana Health Service).

WIESBADEN, Germany – Standing in front of what will be a new kindergarten for more than 50 children and staff in the small village of Drugovac, Serbia, U.S. Army Master Sgt. Betsy Weintraub realized her career was over.

Non-commissioned officer (NCO) of the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Europe district, Weintraub grew up in a poor community in Cuba and attended a school located in conditions similar to those of the Serbian school that she and the district will help renovate.

“It reminded me so much of Cuba, how everything was deteriorated and in a poor area,” Weintraub said. “And then knowing the end result of what we’re going to build… what a huge impact! “

USACE recognized Weintraub as its Fiscal 2020 Procurement Excellence Awards Program – NCO of the Year at an online ceremony on December 9.

Contract Specialists bridge the gap between the skills, talents and capabilities of the industry and the range of needs of the U.S. military. These requirements are outlined in a contract that involves advertising, competition, negotiation and award, as well as performance monitoring before completing the job. Depending on the extent of the work, this process can take weeks, months or even years.

“Master Sergeant Weintraub demonstrates everything we look for in an NCO, and she is the epitome of an effective contracts professional,” said Col. Patrick J. Dagon, USACE Europe District Commander. “USACE and our stakeholders around the world have benefited immensely from his talents and passion to serve. “

In fiscal 2019, Weintraub personally conducted over 70 contractual actions worth over $ 75 million in support of European District missions at 45 locations in Europe and Africa. These projects ranged from large-scale humanitarian assistance ventures to austere and functional, including military housing, medical facilities, missile defense, a combatant command operations center, defense ministry schools, barracks, communications facilities, children’s development centers and theater security cooperation projects.

Scheduled to start a new assignment in December 2020, Weintraub considers his time serving the District of Europe as one of the most rewarding and unique opportunities of his entire career due to multiple architect and engineering contracts, of construction and service that she had the opportunity to help. Arts and crafts.

“The opportunity to come to USACE is rare, and we [contract specialists] consider this as something extremely key in our development, ”she said.

USACE’s diversity in contracting opportunities reflects its unique and broad range of global U.S. national defense support, providing contracting specialists with a degree of training not found in other units in the United States. ‘army.

“Once assigned to USACE, [a contract specialist’s] development is taken to a new level where they have the opportunity to master the skills of military construction, architect-engineer and provide support for emergency contracts, ”said Col. Robert J. Miceli, chief USACE Contracts Assistant.

While Weintraub says the award humiliates her, she is quick to point out that it represents the culmination of a career made possible only by volunteering to serve in the U.S. military, a decision she made. after immigrating to the United States from Cuba in December 1997.

“Coming from Cuba at 19 [years old] in a new country with a new language and a new culture … and leaving my family behind … it was one of the toughest decisions of my life. “

But a few months after arriving in the United States, she was drawn to the United States military by an advertisement promising her the chance to “Be All You Can Be.”

In June 1999, Weintraub enlisted in the US military as an automated logistics specialist. Then, in 2010, while serving in Bamberg, Germany, her brigade commander, Lt. Col. Clifford M. Serwe, approached her to become a “51-Charlie (51C)”, which is a code. career for a contract specialist.

“She was the glue that held our command group together,” said Serwe, now a civilian and deputy director of disposition services at the Defense Logistics Agency North East in Richmond, Virginia. “She was incredibly hardworking, loyal and had impeccable integrity.”

Shortly after this encounter with Serwe, she found herself in a contract specialist course at what was then called Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, one of only two Army students in the class. .

To be considered for this military occupational specialty, a soldier in the United States Army must have achieved the rank of sergeant or master sergeant, be selected by competition, and obtain a bachelor’s degree. Weintraub met these requirements, graduated, and entered the US Army Acquisition Corps.

Since becoming a contracting NCO, her trip to the District of Europe has taken her to the 620th Emergency Outsourcing Team in Rock Island, Illinois; a deployment to Afghanistan with the 902nd Contracting Contingency Battalion; USACE’s Huntsville Center in Alabama; and an expanded assignment as a contract career advisor in Fort Knox, Ky.

She also completed a bachelor’s and master’s degree within six years of transitioning to a contract specialist and was recently promoted to Master Sergeant.

Today, she is the NCO of the Year for the USACE Contract Excellence Awards program for FY2020.

“What distinguished Staff Sgt Weintraub in his selection for this year’s USACE 51C NCO of the Year was his unmatched ability to see the strategic picture, to anticipate the challenge with second-hand effects. and third order, and translate all of this into transparent tactical execution for our stakeholders, ”said Miceli.

“Winning something like this is really a testament to the American Dream. You can do whatever you want in the United States,” Weintraub said. “I owe a lot of my accomplishments to the unconditional support of my family and the great mentors and leaders I have had throughout my career.”

As Weintraub reflects on the journey she’s taken, she also looks forward to her next posting to the US Army Contracting Command in Huntsville.

“Joining the military has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in my career,” Weintraub said.

“I love my job. I love contracting. I love changing people’s lives.”

Fifteen communities have been accepted into the inaugural cohort of the Tennessee RiverTowns program as part of the Tennessee RiverLine, the next major regional trail network in North America. This transformational initiative is led by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in conjunction with the Tennessee RiverLine Partnership.

The program is a three-step initiative that cultivates collaboration among river communities around the Tennessee RiverLine, envisioned as a continuous system of paddling, hiking and biking experiences along the 652-mile reach of the Tennessee River. .

Participating communities will benefit from economic development and entrepreneurship opportunities, quality of life amenities, and increased access to riverine experiences that improve public health and natural resource management. In the third phase of the program, communities will obtain the official designation of Tennessee RiverTown as part of the Tennessee RiverLine.

For the inaugural cohort, the partnership received 22 nominations representing more than 936,000 community members. Selection criteria included a demonstrated understanding of the Tennessee RiverLine vision and guiding principles, as well as the local partnerships necessary to maintain an applicant’s participation in the program. Any community in Tennessee River can apply for future cohorts.

The following 15 communities have been selected to continue the process:

• Bridgeport, Alabama
• Decatur, Alabama
• Guntersville, Alabama
• Huntsville, Alabama
• Shoals, Alabama
• Benton County, Tennessee
• Clifton, Tennessee
• Hardin County, Tennessee
• Knoxville, Tennessee
• Loudon County, Tennessee
• South Pittsburg, Tennessee
• Stewart County, Tennessee
• Roane County, Tennessee
• Calvert City, Kentucky
• Paducah – McCracken County, Kentucky

“The communities of Tennessee River are the beating heart of the Tennessee RiverLine,” said Brad Collett, director of the Tennessee RiverLine Partnership, associate professor at Herbert College of Agriculture and UT’s College of Architecture and Design. “We are excited to begin collaborating with such a diverse group of communities through the Tennessee RiverTowns program as we seek to unlock the river’s latent potentials for the benefit of generations of area residents and visitors. “

Communities that were unable to apply this year can apply during future registration periods starting in summer 2021. Those wishing to learn more can visit the program’s web page.

The program follows considerable interest generated in the summer of 2019 through the Tennessee RiverLine pilot community program. Five pilot communities were selected to share feedback and ideas on the Tennessee RiverLine vision and to begin the Tennessee RiverLine membership process, and these five communities are members of the First RiverTowns Cohort.

Called the next great regional trail network in North America, the Tennessee RiverLine began in 2016 at UT’s School of Landscape Architecture, co-hosted by the College of Architecture and Design and the Herbert College of Agriculture. Today it is administered by the Tennessee RiverLine Partnership with continued strong financial support from UT and the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The Tennessee RiverLine Partnership was founded as a diverse group of river advocates, including UT, TVA, the National Park Service’s Rivers, Trail and Conservation Assistance Program, and several other organizations and agencies, to realize the Tennessee vision. RiverLine.

Learn more about the Tennessee RiverTowns Program and stay informed about the programs and initiatives of tnriverline.org.

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CONTACT:

Amanda F. Johnson (865-974-6401, [email protected])

October 19, 2020 – World Food Day, a day dedicated to the fight against hunger in the world, is celebrated every year on October 16, 2020 in the world. To commemorate this day, the North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS) with its partner organizations – Society for Urban and Rural Empowerment (OF COURSE) and Northeast Network (NEN), Nagaland – organized several programs in 27 communities in Meghalaya and Nagaland. It can be mentioned here that all government SOPs and measures were followed during the events.

In his message from Rome, the President of NESFAS and Coordinator of the Indigenous Partnership, Phrang Roy said: ‘, let us remember that in areas where our traditional culture, our oral traditions, our life in balance with nature and with each other the others have been preserved, we have prospered. He added, “This World Food Day is therefore an opportunity for us as indigenous peoples to show and tell our national and international leaders that our traditional indigenous food systems and our biological and cultural diversity are crucial instruments for a world. ”

Keeping in mind the theme of this year’s celebration: grow, nurture, support. Together in Pyngkya (East Khasi Hills), community members organized a food group scavenger hunt for children, in which participants were divided into three groups. The children were then sent to the forest and nearby crop fields, along with adults, to feed on the 10 food groups in less than an hour.

In Khweng and Madanrtiang (Ri-Bhoi), members of the Participatory Guarantee System (SPG) and the Agroecology Learning Circle (ALC) organized a drawing competition for children from their respective communities. An Agrobiodiversity (ABD) competition was also held where community members were invited to identify the different food plants in their communities. In the evening, some Anganwadi workers as well as some members of ALC organized an awareness program and spoke about the importance of conserving agrobiodiversity and local foods.

Agrobiodiversity hunting in Madanrtiang, Ri-Bhoi

To instill the importance of local foods to children, community members from Laitthemlangsah, Nongwah, Dewlieh (all under East Khasi Hills), Umwang Nongbah, Khliehumstem (Ri-Bhoi) and Mawlum Mawjahksew (West Khasi Hills), organized drawing competitions on various food-related themes. However, members of the Mawhiang, Lad Mawphlang, Laitsohpliah and Laitumiong communities held indigenous cooking competitions throughout the day.

Native Cooking Contest in Mukhap, West Jaintia Hills

The NESFAS team in Garo Hills marked the occasion in Samingre, West Garo Hills with other partner communities – Darichikgre, Daribokgre and Durakantragre – where community animators participated in a seed exchange program. The program also included knowledge sharing on the importance of indigenous food systems by the Darichikgre, Daribokgre and Durakantragre CFs. Chenxiang R Marak, Associate of NESFAS (Garo Hills) said: “The CF also talked about the importance of seeds and right after that there was a seed exchange between these four communities. These are all traditional and local seeds that have been exchanged to ensure seed sovereignty. Samingre self-help groups also sold fresh local vegetables and value-added products on the site.

Indigenous cooking contest in Sasatgre

NEN, on the other hand, held a cooking competition for rural youth at the NEN Resource Center in Chizami, Phek District, Nagaland under the theme of this year. The event brought together 65 participants, mostly young people from Chizami and neighboring villages. The aim of the program was to bridge the growing gap between young people and local food systems. It is an attempt to help young people understand the importance of local food, rediscover and appreciate traditional recipes, explore and exchange innovative recipes using local ingredients.

World Food Day celebrations in Cham Cham, East Jaintia Hills

On the other hand, three SURE partner communities celebrated the day by organizing an essay contest and recitation contest in Cham Cham (Jaintia Hills), an ABD walk in Thangbuli and an indigenous cooking contest in Mukhap. Participants were only allowed to cook indigenous dishes from traditional and local ingredients.

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) – McDonald’s Philippines has announced that it will release an aid fund worth 500 million yen to support its employees and help the communities it serves amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The company said it would offer special benefits to its employees and donate part of the funds to help communities.

Salaries for restaurant teams, managers and head office employees will be released during the quarantine period, whether or not they can come to work, according to a statement from McDonald’s Philippines.

He also said that a “special premium package” will be offered to store managers and teams who can come to work in some stores that remain open in order to serve communities in areas under enhanced quarantine.

Special benefits will also be provided such as face masks, alcohol and vitamins to ensure the safety of its employees in the workplace, the company said.

The company will also donate food to frontline people, healthcare workers, local officials, volunteers from non-governmental organizations and those most affected by food security during this crisis.

“In the midst of any crisis, people have to come first. We do what we can to ensure their well-being. We also have a responsibility to our partners to ensure that they can continue to do business and care for their own people. Finally, as a Filipino company, we have a duty to be a partner with government by serving the public in any way we can, ”said George Yang, President and Founder of McDonald’s Philippines.

Deputy Inspector General of Police Maigari Abbati on Monday reiterated the Nigerian police’s commitment to partner communities to tackle security issues from below.

Abbati made this known when he met community policing stakeholders in Kaduna.

He said his visit to the area was aimed at assessing the security situation in the region.

“I am able to see the level of compliance with the community policing. The police are always ready to take advice from communities and traditional leaders.

“That is why we are here to have a one-to-one chat with the communities and appreciate the cooperation of stakeholders in Kaduna State,” he said.

The AIG sought cooperation from communities and the general public, adding that the police would continue to do their work with integrity and respect for the rule of law.

He said the way the police operate will be harmonized for better results.

He however urged people to continue partnering with the police for efficient service delivery, adding that the job would not be done effectively without the community society.

Dr Nuhu Bature, representative of traditional rulers, advised the federal government to provide a more conducive working environment for the police.

He praised the commitment of the Kaduna State Police Command for its efforts in favor of citizen security.

Jama’atul Nasrul Islam representative has withdrawn the brigadier-general. Abdulkadir Gumi called for the transparency of criminal investigations in order to restore the confidence of the population in the police.

Mr. Raphael Adejike from the Kaduna State branch of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) insisted on the need to recruit more police officers into the system.

“The workforce is so insufficient that there is a need to recruit more staff into the system,” he said.

He expressed concern over how the police approach the issue of forced marriage in society.

The meeting was attended by traditional leaders, representatives of JNI, CAN and key state stakeholders.

The Kyrgyz team takes an adventurous trip to the mountains to reward local communities for their role in protecting snow leopards and endangered prey species.

Partner snow leopard communities in the Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan protected cats and prey in their region throughout 2014, earning a conservation bonus for their efforts.

The isolated Kyrgyz mountain communities of Ak Shyrak, Enilchek and Uch Koshkon sits literally at the end of the road, just outside the Sarychat Ertash Nature Reserve, the country’s main snow leopard stronghold.

As the last outpost of civilization before the mountain wilderness, these villages could be privileged places for poachers and hunters to congregate and restock.

Instead, they have become essential partners in conservation!

The three communities agreed to protect the cats and their wild prey species in the areas surrounding the villages, while earn a sustainable income through the sale of Snow Leopard Enterprises handicrafts they make wool from their cattle.

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