I don’t know about you, but the New Year message of “be better! be more!” made me raise my eyebrows this year. I’m all for improvement and thoughtful growth, don’t get me wrong. But I want those goals of growth be built on a foundation of love and worth. I believe that we, you and me, were made with intention and joy, and that makes us each worthy of love and belonging. We don’t have to be more, do more, or prove ourselves to earn love and belonging in this wonderful world.

We  keep this in mind when we think of our project partners around the world. In our attempts to support and help others, we try to always keep a mindset of love and worth. The “savior complex” is real, especially in working in cultures that are different from our own, and we want to be so thoughtful and aware that we respect and celebrate every person as they are.

Do More By Being You

When I think of Tifie and our mission, I feel really confident that we are fulfilling our mission, being true to the intention of our board members, and thoughtfully engaging with our partners. When I think of me, and who I am, I feel confident that I am fulfilling who I am, being true to the intention of my Maker, and thoughtfully engaging with people in my life.

The flag I am waving this year is one of belonging and love. That you are seen, heard, and the world needs you, as you are, with the unique gifts and passions and ideas that make you who you are. And for myself, that I’m surrounding myself with inspiring people and peaceful places that remind me of that on a regular basis. I hope that our Tifie Community can be a place of inspiration for you.

So for you, dear Tifie community, please receive this message as a deep breath of relief and let it sink in deep. We want to see you, hear you and encourage you in this new year. And from there, move into growth. Or as one of my favorite new podcasters says  “to move forward in love.” (Check out “The Next Right Thing” wherever you listen to podcasts for a short thoughtful podcast on decision making and soul care).

That being said, I am enjoying putting together our email plans and communication strategies for the year. We’re planning on emailing (subscribe!) you all once a month with a story from one of our projects that you’ve contributed to, a blurb from me or Robert, and resources for connecting thoughtfully to others, in your own community or with resources.

If that sounds interesting to you,  let me know what you’d like to hear from us about, what you’d like to learn about our process of humanitarian work, of lessons learned, failed attempts, and the like. Email ideas and questions to [email protected].

Puerto Rico Se Levanta Poco Un Poco

Over one year later, Puerto Rico still rebuilds, amidst brokenness, isolation, oncoming storms, and power failure.

In September 2017, Hurricane Maria made landfall in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, devastating the island. Cari Lu Alvardo, Director for Light Up Puerto Rico (LUPR), says “Puerto Rico is strong. We are rebuilding. But we will never be the same. We are now living in a new normal.”

Cari Lu with her son and husband.

A new normal that looks like grocery shopping across towns because roads are still blocked by debris. Conserving power because the power grid still comes and goes. Living in basements because roofs are destroyed. Creating new memories because lifetimes of photos and mementos were damaged or permanently ruined.

A Community of Partners and Individuals

Tifie partnered with AMAZING people who were and are still championing the people of Puerto Rico. LUPR has a full-time volunteer living in Puerto Rico to coordinate and assist in rebuilding roofs. Tim Dye and Jose Perez-Ramos have installed 22 mobile health clinics throughout the island to provide essential care to survivors. Direct Relief mobilized donations to first responders, hospitals and clinics throughout the Caribbean. Tifie sent shelters, solar panels, volunteers, and donations to these organizations in the months following the donations.

We saw the people of Utah (and across the nation!) rise up to be a solution in the aftermath of the Hurricane. We were amazed at the hundreds of people who came alongside of them to donate and volunteer. Governor Herbert and Lt Governor Cox put together a press conference and brought Utah residents and companies together to donate to the LUPR campaign.

“If we could load up our trucks drive to Puerto Rico, we would’ve done it.” – Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said to first group of 50 volunteers in Nov 2017

Carilu and Jorge Alvardo led the efforts in Puerto Rico to identify, distribute and organize donated supplies. They are still there, along with Ron, coordinating volunteer groups who are rebuilding roofs for families. When Tim and Jose from the University of Rochester reached out to us to help with mobile medical tents, they brought dozens of donors and colleagues to help make all of the donations possible. It truly was a tapestry of people with a variety of backgrounds and connections to Puerto Rico who wanted to help however they could.

With Ron Batt’s background in contracting, he’s the perfect man for running operations on the ground. He’s got a big heart, even rescued little Lucy off the streets. Ron volunteered for two years as an LDS Missionary and feels right at home.

The volunteers who travelled to Puerto Rico worked long days in humid conditions, but with no complaints. Their focus, and ours too, is on the people we are helping. And we continue to say to the people of Puerto Rico, we see you. We see you rebuilding. We see hope rising and communities coming together, neighbors helping one another in an unprecedented way. We see the goodness of humanity.

When You Do Good, You Get Good

There’s always a ripple effect when you do good. Our founder Robert Workman has always said “when you do good, you get good.” Whether that’s a personal growth or receiving goodness, we’ve seen the ripples extend of communities coming together, donating what they can, praying together and becoming more empathetic. We share a heartfelt and deep thank you to all of our donors who have given time, money and supplies to us to help the people of Puerto Rico. Thank you for trusting us – a collective us of many organizations and people who are still wading through debris, storms and brokeness to help raise to life the new normal of Puerto Rico. #puertoricoselevanta.

 

Have you ever felt like you didn’t belong? Or that no one sees you? Like the world was meant for everyone, but you? High school can be trying for anybody, but for some, it’s the time where they receive the course-correction and encouragement that sets them on a new path of life.

SOWING NEW ROOTS: AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS FOR EVERY STUDENT

Students at Roots Charter High School, Utah’s first agriculture charter high school, come to the school for a variety of reasons. Some want to pursue an interest in agriculture or gardening, some live nearby, some need to make up credit and traditional schools aren’t an option anymore. Whatever the reason, what they find at Roots is belonging and the belief that their future is bright.

When we initially met Tyler Bastian three years ago, we were intrigued by the agriculture focus of the school. Tifie’s foundation is built upon hard work, sowing and reaping, and digging in the dirt. It was an obvious shared value. But it was Tyler and his passion, his belief that providing a new culture of belonging at Roots, could swing open the doors to the big and beautiful world that is out there.

A PLACE TO BELONG AND EXCEL

Roots recently had its graduation and we are thrilled to see the graduation rates increase from 35% to 78% over the course of three years. As impressive as that jump in percentage is, more meaningful is the fact that those numbers represent real kids. Real students who didn’t think they’d graduate. A girl who came to school hungry, shopping in the student pantry for breakfast and lunch. A guy who didn’t want to go home to his apartment, so he’d stay as long as he could at school, where he felt safe and welcomed, and was even given jobs to do to help out. Real kids with real needs: Hungry bellies. Lonely hearts. Anxious thoughts. Gang pressure. Our high schoolers live in a harsh reality, especially if they come from at-risk environments where graduation is a long shot, for whatever the reason.

FURRY FRIENDS, ONE SECRET TO SUCCESS 

Raising animals increases a student’s likelihood of staying in school and graduating.

One aspect of belonging is by helping others belong – and at Roots, those “others” are animals. This year 48% of graduates raised and directly cared for a farm animal that they owned during the school year. Tyler has found that the raising of animals increases a students likelihood of staying in school and graduating. Doesn’t that seem like a beautiful principle of life— when we take care of others, we really are taking care of ourselves? It reminds me of a tried and true Robert Workman quote, “When you do good, you get good.”

FACULTY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS

Roots can’t solve everything for its students, but the teachers work diligently to provide an environment where students know that they are cared for, that they are important and that their future is bright with potential. With one on one time, counseling, graduation coaches, and career fairs, there are constant connection points to the future. Tifie and Barebones have helped with Career Fairs at Roots for the last three years, which many from our Tifie community have participated in (thank you!!). The Career Fair exposes students to the variety of opportunities they have after graduation beyond the traditional four-year college, from tech schools, volunteer opportunities, skilled trades, entrepreneurship, and college opportunities.

Students were able to visit with cosmetologists, economists, delivery drivers, marketing specialists, business, finance and more during the 2018 career fair.

One graduating student wrote about his experience at Roots and his relationship with his teachers. (Get some tissues…)

ROOTS OFFERS MORE THAN JUST A HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION

Zach’s Story:

“Without this school, I’d be a nobody and now I’m a somebody.” —Zach, 2018 Graduate

We believe Zach has always been a “somebody”, but the amazing teachers and staff that pour their hearts and time into students helped him realize his potential and inherent value.

So today,  we are giving thanks for teachers who help students realize that they are somebody.

To animals and pets who feel like family and give a sense of purpose

To parents and stand-in parents, who are sacrificing and working hard for their children

To people like Tyler, who pursues big dreams that will make a difference in the lives of hundreds.

To people like Robert, who remind us to dig in the dirt and do good every day.

To local businesses who have donated, toured, listened and advised.

To people like who, you have heard about Roots, and given your time, your resources, your experience, to students who will remember when an adult took interest in them and had a conversation.

Thank you, village.

Matt Barr of Barr Photography and his daughter Jessi came with us to Ghana in March. It was wonderful having another set of eyes to see Kushea in a new light, in addition to having passionate and enthusiastic people to connect with on the trip. Matt has traveled internationally personally and for his business, and it was a return trip to Ghana for him. We appreciated his thoughtful insights, his friendly demeanor, and of course, his amazing photography. Matt quickly became the favorite visitor from our group with everyone in the village because he had a fancy camera and could immediately show them his photos.

Neatest City in Ghana and Friendliest People

Matt has spent time filming for other NGOs in Ghana in past years. We think Kushea is pretty special, but it was nice to hear it from someone who’s spent time in other places in Ghana as well.

“One of the things was evidently unique was that Kushea is a beautiful clean village. My previous experience in Ghana was in villages that were full of trash. I spent time in a larger village that was trying to be more commercial, or more westernized. There were cell phone towers, gas stations, much more of a city. My experience in Kushea feels like a quaint village where people were at peace in their space. There was a feeling of contentment in Kushea, where people weren’t looking for handouts.”

We have to agree with Matt, both in Ghana and in Congo, Kushea is so neat and tidy, and its inhabits Nana Prah has so much pride in Kushea and has instilled that in the village.

Every Wednesday is a city-wide cleanup time from 7 am – 9 am, before the farmers go out to the cocoa fields. Everyone— parents and children— pick up trash, clear weeds and work on community projects together. There are iconic garbage bins throughout the streets, painted the color of the Ghanian flag, to encourage cleanliness. 

The people of Kushea are so friendly. Lots of smiling eyes, friendly waves, and invitations to chat. Our first evening there we talked a walk through some side streets. We passed by one family and a lady called out to us “Nana! Nana!” Nana is a title of royalty and respect, any chief or subchief would be called Nana. Because Robert was appointed the Chief of Development in a ceremony two years ago, he is recognized in the village. This lady remembered him from past trips and wanted to take a photo with him. 

Matt had an amazing ability to capture photographs like he wasn’t there, an invisible person swooping in and around our conversations. But he was even more talented in that he could talk and connect to a person, then take a photo that reflected something deep and special about that person. We asked him if he had any moments from our trip that were especially meaningful and he shared this story.

“When I photographed this younger guy, something about his life connected to me. We are both dads, doing what we can to take care of our families.

Here’s this young dad to young children, working so hard within his circumstances to provide for his family by farming cocoa beans. His entire town could fit into my house, and his house was the size of our walk in closet! It was such a stark contrast of our two lives. It made me realize how much we take for granted, when we think about how much the world lives.”

This was Jess’ first time visiting Africa, and despite a friendly visit from a resident cockroach in her bed, she said she had a good time. A local teacher from the school organized several girls her age to visit at the king’s palace and take her on a tour of the village. They spent over three hours together.

We asked Jess about that morning and what that was like for her.

“I was a little nervous and there were so many girls who came. They wanted to see and touch my hair. We sang songs and they taught me the games they play at recess. They wanted to know what me and my friends did together.”

Then we asked Jess, what was the same or different about your lives?

These girls walked everywhere, no matter how long it took. We have bikes and cars. They didn’t text; they played real games with each other. After being with them, I wanted to be more present with my friends at home. These girls were in the moment, and happy with what they had right then. They weren’t thinking about tomorrow, or nervous about the next day. They just thought about today.”

Hand Up, Not a Hand Out

One of Tifie’s guiding principles is to help people provide for themselves, not to simply give things away. Sometimes, gifts are beautifully generous and the right thing to do. Other times, especially in a humanitarian context, they can cause more long-term damage than good. The hundreds of abandoned wells, schools, and donated items throughout Africa are examples of these well-intended donations.

Without a thoughtful community plan and internal commitment, they often become abandoned projects. Matt noticed this guiding anchor in how TIfie approached its projects—a solar battery project for families and businesses as well as the newly formed honeybee coop that Tifie is supporting.

Matt said that he talked to Robert about bringing donations in his suitcases to give out in Kushea,  he got the vibe from Robert that giving toys wasn’t’ our intention.

“We were there not just to give, but Tifie is about helping people be empowered to help themselves. That’s the vision that I caught in Kushea, that TIfie can be the catalyst to assist and empower them for what their next thing is. Tifie helps get the ball rolling, provide the next stepping stone so that they can take off running.”

On that note, thanks for reading all the way to the end. If you got this far, hit me up at [email protected] and I’ll send you some swag. 🙂

 

Last November, we returned to Fiji where 60 Barebones shelters were sent in partnership with Direct Relief. Erik Workman was part of the first group of Barebones to begin set up in 2016. Tifie’s mission is to empower people to lift themselves up. We try to avoid the “love ’em and leave ’em” mentality that often occurs in humanitarian work, so it’s important to us to stay connected to our partners and projects long after the initial disaster relief.

Cyclone Winston leaves thousands homeless

This relief mission was the first time for Erik Workman to be on the ground assessing needs and training people in the shelter set up. Upon his arrival, he saw the devastation with his own eyes and got a glimpse of what people were going through. He said another storm was approaching and could happen at any minute, giving him a sense of panic on the island.

It was obvious to Erik that the devastation of the secondary storms would be emotionally and physically devastating since most families were already homeless and forced to rebuild their lives.

Some of the people Erik talked to recounted their stories— how they were fleeing their homes and turned around to see their home following them!

“You just don’t even know or realize how destructive a storm like this is until you see the aftermath and realize the complete loss of everything just in that quick instance.”

In disaster situations where so many families are in need, we asked Erk how they decided and chose families to assist.

He said that the Savu Savu Foundation, our project partners, worked with each village’s chief to determine who needed to help the most. They found families who would not be able to rebuild a home themselves— top priorities being single mothers, elderly individuals and families with a lot of children, people who were physically unable to rebuild their homes. 

In Fiji, “life grows back quickly.” Even in the month between when the Cyclone hit and when Erik arrived with the shelters a month later, the island was already teeming with new life and new growth.  The spirit of the land is full of life and resiliency, and that clearly is the spirit of the Fijian people. They immediately got to work, rebuilding homes, lives, normalcy as best they could. Visiting a year and a half later, it was obvious that even in the midst of rebuilding, life is abundantly growing back.

Returning to Fiji 18 months later

“We’ve fallen in love with this community. They were so grateful and willing to help.”

Robert and Ange Workman and Erik and Missy Workman returned to Fiji in November, 2017 to follow up with our project partners and enjoy the rebuilding of the tourist industry since the Cyclone.

It was obvious to all of the Workmans that the people of Fiji are very special. They have a self-sustaining spirit and were filled with so much gratitude. Robert and Erik both echoed that, “we’ve fallen in love with this community. They were so grateful and willing to help.” Upon returning to Fiji, Erik was reminded of the self-sacrifice of so many of the people that he met in the first few hours of his trip. People who weren’t receiving shelters themselves, but showed up in the humid rainy weather to help people in their community.

The Workmans were so grateful for the hospitality of Helen, Linda, Bart, and the team at Jean Cueasteu Resort for their hospitality. It was truly this resort, who sponsor the SavuSavu Foundation , who coordinated the disaster response. The resort employs so many people on the island that they take disaster response seriously because it is their families. Erik said that Helen was the mother of the island.  

We asked Robert what this project meant to him after going to Fiji.

“This was a true Tifie partnership. We were just one part of a great group of people. Shelters from Tifie, training and support from Barebones, medical supplies and logistics from Direct Relief, and local leadership from SavuSavu Foundation, and the people themselves. It was truly the people themselves who were lifting themselves back up.”

While there, they discovered that Direct Relief still supplies 80% of the islands medical supply needs. This was very moving to Robert, because it showed the long-term support that Direct Relief has with its partners. So often in emergency relief, aid organizations provide supplies and donation in the immediate aftermath, but disappear in the long years of rebuilding communities.

“We are so proud to be associated with Direct Relief and to be part of their projects around the world.” – Robert Workman

In Fiji, Tifie focused on the “shelter” development pillar. In our long-term projects, we look to immediate needs like emergency shelter or reliable power, and then focus on what additional needs the community has asked for, like education or job development. We talked with Erik about Tifie’s pillars (shelter, power, food, water, education and jobs) and how he saw that play out in emergency relief.

“Tifie’s mission works so well in any situation. In order for you to survive or thrive you need to have a safe shelter, you need to have reliable power sources, you need to have clean food and water, and you need to have a community to gather around.  — Erik Workman

Leaving Fiji, we felt the grounding effects of a strong community. Hearing stories from one person after another of what the Cyclone had done to their family, how they had helped, rescued fed, served, and rebuilt one another’s homes, it was obvious how much they cared about each other.

We’re thankful that we were able to help and see Fiji in its beauty as it is rising strong from its adversity.

 

 

Our Safe Shelter project wouldn’t be possible at the scope it is today if it wasn’t for our partner, Direct Relief. Starting in 2015, they were responsible for delivering our shelters to Nepal after the earthquake. Their mission is to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies. Thanks to their efforts in over 80 countries around the globe, we are able to deliver tents to people who truly need a safe shelter.

Direct Relief responds quickly and holistically to local emergencies— primarily focusing on health care needs of the affected regions. Their support of the area goes far beyond the immediate days and weeks of the emergency, however. They offer long-term support to their project partners, avoiding the ‘love ‘em and leave ‘em’ cycle that can be so damaging.

Recent projects with Direct Relief include:

Maternal Health Clinics for Refugee Women

20 Barebones shelters were sent to HOPE Hospital in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh, a refugee camp for Rohingya refugees from Myanmar. Over 800,000 people have arrived by foot, escaping unemotional horrors of ethnic cleansing at the hands of militants in their region. Arriving with nothing, expectant mothers and their children are an especially high risk, and the Hope Hospital provides essential services and care for these women.  The shelters are part of the hospital and used as mobile clinics throughout the refugee camp. For more stories of women in the camp, this is an excellent article. Read more stories of the women in the camp and how improving maternal health is a critical need. 

New Medical Center in Morales Mexico after Earthquake

Because of Direct Reliefs efforts in the area, the government of Morales requested Barebones shelters to be used as a new temporary health center in their city center, since their previous health facilities were destroyed in the earthquake in September of 2017. Direct Relief was able to participate in the ribbon cutting of the health center. Thomas Tighe, President and CEO of Direct Relief, shared with us his thoughts on the intangible benefits that these shelters provided to the people of Morales.

“As nice as the photos were, they didn’t capture what was so evident to me being there and seeing how much they meant.  Beyond the obvious benefit— the community now has a place for health services to be provided— was a palpable sense of pride, hope, and forward movement.  Those elements are always sort of the x-factor or special ingredient, without which things can just reset to a depressingly worse situation that only gets harder and harder to reverse as time goes on.  The tents— because they are so nice, had been so carefully managed, looked so tight and orderly, and were put into immediate use— were a catalyst for that.  The clinical staff and local leaders took great pride showing everyone the quality of the tents and how they’d been organized and were being used, and the response of the local citizens was similarly positive and upbeat.”                   – Thomas Tigh

Mobile Medical Clinics in Mexico City in 2017

Last year we sent shelters to Mexico City to be used as mobile diabetic clinics with Direct Relief. They have been set up and torn down almost once a week since last September and in these shelters, over 7495 patients have been treated in the shelter. With the health trainings that have been conducted, Direct Relief estimates that they have directly impacted 138,591 people through this program in the last year. Amazing!

Aura – A Nurse’s Story

“We can help impact the most disadvantaged communities directly with this program. Every medical campaign we organize is different, the context, even the stories we hear and encounter. Unfortunately, we find that access to health care facilities is neglected due to a lack of access to adequate transport in many of these communities. With my work and daily activities, I feel I can change the reality of the people benefitting from this program in a positive way.” – Aura

#P2P4PUR: People 2 People for Puerto Rico Partnership

When we received a warm introduction to Tim Dye from our friends over at One Heart, we were excited to connect with what he and his team were doing to provide health services to communities in Puerto Rico. With OHW’s glowing recommendations and amazing track record, we knew that we were among respected friends and colleagues.

The first mobile health clinic is set up in Puerto Rico

In the last few months of working with Tim, assessing needs, making product recommendations, coordinating shipping, shipping and more shipping details, the clinics are being set up and will be receiving patients! Tim wrote us that first day after setting up a shelter…

Exhausting but rewarding day… set up our first mobile clinic. All set with the Barebones shelters, LifeStraw Community filters, and Goal Zero solar power systems. The clinic director in Arroyo was in shock – and said she’s using it immediately serving the mountain communities where everything was lost.

We heard and saw horrors today; seeing this mobile clinic up and having everything functioning brought us and our local partners hope. Thank you again for your donations, time, and support in our efforts.

The realities of doing humanitarian work in disaster zones are complicated. Staying on top of battery regulations, coordinating cargo into a broken freight system, navigating surprising (and what appears to be predatory) taxes, staying connected to donors, and that’s well before the the actual taking care of humans: talking, hugging, sweating, learning, hand-holding. For those of us behind the scenes, receiving the live updates from Tim and team, constructing shelters and setting up solar panels, was a refreshing, and human, reminder of why we are doing this in the first place.

 

Tim wrote to us that “We survive on hope and trust in the humanity we find in communities” and he has continued to expand our hope and trust as we’ve worked together. We love working with real people who care about real people. As we’ve been working in Puerto Rico, we’ve met people who are realistic, honorable, honest, emotional, humble, vulnerable, which instinctively draws that out of ourselves, and towards one another.  The reason we’re doing all of this in the first place – toward one another.

People taking care of people

People taking care of Puerto Rico.

Stay in touch, more updates to come. Donate today to our project to continue to send aid to Puerto Rico. 

People 2 People For Puerto Rico – Learn More