Project Jatropha

Callie’s Page 

Financial Co-director, Educator, Fund Raising Coordinator, Leader of the Branching Out Movement

 

I am often asked why I am interested in a project that is so far away from America.  It’s an easy question for me: because the people there need help.  Some may think Adarsha and Apoorva want to help fight poverty in India because their family is from there; but the truth is they are simply aware of the poverty there, and therefore want to help.  Once I became aware of the plight of impoverished women and children in India, I wanted to help too.  The bio fuel aspect was interesting, but that was not the passion behind the project.  Women and children who faced such a difficult life, tobacco cultivation that destroyed endangered habitat and polluted the air; these were the issues that inspired my passion to take on Project Jatropha.  I firmly believe that once people become aware of problems that others have, they will want to help too.  That is what I am interested in doing; finding ways that I can help share Project Jatropha, spread the word about environmental issues like the impact of global warming, destruction of endangered habitats, global poverty and hunger, and the plight of orphans in Haiti and India.  Our team is keenly aware of the impact that global warming is having on our Earth.   We also realize that global warming is just what its name implies: “global.”  What happens in one country impacts the entire world, and this emphasizes the point that we no longer can think of simply what impacts our own corner of the world because we truly are a global community.  It is our different backgrounds and bonds that help make our team effectual and special. 

Many have asked how I got involved with Project Jatropha.  Well, I have known Adarsha since I was four years old.  We have been friends, competitors, collaborators, and teammates.  Adarsha and I have competed at math and science competitions, spelling bees (yes he won), grammar competitions (yes I won), and we are debate partners.  Once at a debate tournament, one of the judges told us maybe you should refrain from debating each other during the debate.  That pretty much sums up our relationship.  Through it all we have respect for each other, challenge each other, and both are dedicated to trying to make a difference in the world we live in.  Adarsha would help anyone, simply because they asked.  So, Adarsha, Apoorva, and I share an ideal, an awareness, a passion for helping others, and a love of environmental science.  When Adarsha asked me to join the Project Jatropha team, I was honored.  I have also been very humbled by the acceptance I have received from the farmers in India.

This endeavor might have originally started out as an environmental biofuel project, but it has grown into so much more.  Adarsha, Apoorva, and I are passionate about global environmental issues.  I love the oceans, the wildlife, and the mountains.  I have been a member of Surfrider Foundation for many years; this international environmental organization is dedicated to helping save our oceans and beaches.  I am lucky to live three hours from beautiful Lake Tahoe and an hour from Santa Cruz; I love to ski, hike, and surf!  I guess that is where my initial interest in environmental issues began. 

 

I have been asked what kinds of things do I do in the project.  I have taken a leadership role in fund raising, presentations, publicity, and promotion.  It was my initiative to get a nonprofit status for our project, and with the support and partnership with the Sirona Cares Foundation we attained a nonprofit status.  I carry out the research and implementation of various project presentations and educational partnership opportunities for us to participate in.  I have worked on developing logos, unique and interesting presentations, power point presentations, brochures, websites, a twitter, and other forms of promotions.  I have personally been inspired by Al Gore and his “just get out there” attitude to conquer global warming.  It is fun to visit a middle school and see kids want to start reducing their own carbon footprints.  During a presentation at a local middle school, a sixth grade boy got involved and collected clothing and shoes from his swim team for us.  It is inspiring to hear stories from other kids who are interested in the environment and ideas they have to help. We have had the opportunity to write articles for local newspapers, appear on various radio and TV shows, and present our project to various environmental clubs and organizations.  If we can inspire other kids to care about environmental issues, like global warming, habitat destruction, care of our oceans, and humanitarian issues, like poverty in our own communities and globally then I know I will feel like I have done some small thing to improve the world around me. We have done all kinds of fund raising for our project, from selling bracelets made in India that are actually worn by women in the rural villages that our project is in, to selling cookies at schools.  At times, when raising funds got difficult, I came up with the simple idea of a garage sale in my community.  I got donations, and sold all of the things my grandparents and family no longer needed.  When the neighbors came by to look, I talked about the project, and I found many people cared.  I collected books from my friends, clothing and shoes from my swim team; wherever I was, an opportunity existed. 

 

I think if we can reach one individual, a team, a school, a community, and beyond, our momentum will lead to great things.  We are going to go to every school, any venue, and every event that we can and talk about our project.  One of our latest projects, “Global Call To Youth,” asks kids to take part in our fight against climate change, by planting a seedling at their school or home. We are also appealing to organizations and schools to join us in this project.  Along with the Sirona Cares Foundation, we are trying to start a fruit orchard program for selected school in Haiti, India, and here in the USA. I also try to stay as involved with the operations and science of Project Jatropha as I can, but I do not have the finances to travel to India to participate with the rural farmers that our project is working with.  I have to make a difference where I can be most effective!

I have worked to lead our project into new areas of involvement.  I call it, “The Branching Out Movement.”  As we have become more involved and more aware of global poverty, it is impossible not to want to get involved.  Through our association with Sirona Cares we have become aware of the plight of orphans in Haiti.  Michelle Lacourciere, Executive Director at Sirona Cares runs a foundation that works in third world communities to stop the progression of poverty and ecological destruction.  In Haiti she has supplied children with medication and toiletries.  She works with the Moringa Project that strives to reverse the effects of malnutrition.  She has launched water projects to help orphanages have clean water.  Through Michelle we have participated with Flip-Flop Fleet, an organization that provides shoes to impoverished children in third world countries.  They provide shoes to children whose parents must often decide on feeding their children or providing shoes.  We have collected French children’s books and funds for efforts in establishing Reading Rooms to encourage literacy and help children begin a love of reading. We have collected clothing and shoes from our friends and communities for children in Haiti and India.  The more we do, the more we find needs to be done. 

 

We talk about the Haitian orphans at all of our school presentations.  Kids care about other kids, no matter where they are.  When we talk about kids who do not have even the basic necessities, like clean water, food, shelter, clothing, or love; the kids really listen.  Just recently Michelle came back from Haiti and wrote in her blog, that this trip found some orphans much better, but some were no longer there.  This inspired me to even work harder to bring the story of the Haitian orphans to everyone we can.  When you look at the beautiful pictures of the children there, it is impossible to see the faces of children as American, Indian, Haitian; the world is simply one.    

 

I think I bring a different viewpoint and perception to our team.  When we visit schools and do presentations for other kids, they see me as a high school girl from America, who is interested in environmental causes, and a girl who cares about people all over the world. I am a kid who is taking the time to care and to do something about the world that we live in.  Hopefully, that will inspire kids just like me to find a cause that they are passionate about; wherever, whatever it might be, and simply get involved!  Together we can make a difference.

 

Finally, I would like to mention all the wonderful things that Project Jatropha has done for me.  I have been thinking about how much I have learned from working on Project Jatropha.  Not about bio fuels, Jatropha seedlings, intercropping, but about people and their spirits.  It is easy to see how we differ in our cultures, but not as easy at first to see the similarities.  As I have learned about people who live far away, those with differing ways of life, customs, philosophies, I am realizing how much we are all truly the same.  I have learned never to judge others.  I have learned that impoverished does not mean unhappy.  There are many happy children in the orphanages; they are happy in their families, communities, and home.  Their surroundings are what they know, and no matter how bad their life may seem to us, it is the life these children know.  They smile, laugh, and play, rising above the impoverishment.  It is this image that has taught me to respect all people, regardless of their plight in life.  Apoorva, my friend and partner in Project Jatropha took pictures of many of the children and women in rural southern India on their last trip in June.   Apoorva had this wonderful picture of a very old woman, sitting alone on the dirt floor under a thatched roof, apparently with so little.  I could see no running water, and no walls to shelter her.   I felt so bad for such an old woman living in these poor conditions.  Apoorva told me how this lady sits and sings.  I was very humbled.  I have definitely learned the importance of trying to think beyond your own perspective.  I have learned to respect the human spirit, because it is capable of having hope, and fighting to rise above life’s difficulties.  The human spirit is truly amazingly optimistic, replenishing, and enduring; how wonderful a lesson I have learned from my work with Project Jatropha.  I am receiving less tangible rewards.  Individual growth.  Respect for others.  Appreciation.  Humility.