Empower 500 Navajo Families Without Electricity

What would you do if the government told you that if you didn't move, you would not be allowed to have electricity, and if your roof caved in, it would be illegal to fix it?  In effect, if you didn't pick up and move far from your current home, you would be forced to live in poverty.  For forty years, this was a reality for thousands of Native American families living in Northern Arizona in the "Bennett Freeze" area of the Navajo Nation. The "Freeze" was initially put in place 1966 to temporarily prevent the Hopi and Navajo tribes from taking advantage of one another during a land dispute.  After relegating thousands of families to third-world conditions for forty years, the Freeze was partially removed by an agreement between the Hopi and Navajo Tribes in 2005, and fully removed by the federal government in 2009.  While the Freeze is gone, its impacts remain, and few Americans have heard about this great injustice within our borders.  

Please take the time to view the powerful slideshow and testimonials in about the Bennett Freeze in the LA Times piece linked here: 

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-bennett-freeze-ss,0,760471.htmlstory.

AND support Eagle Energy as we scale up in the Bennett Freeze area to help Native families replace kerosene and propane with solar lighting technologies in partnership with the University of Colorado, the Grand Canyon Trust, the University of Northern Arizona, and numerous local government and non-profit organizations.  Donate on Global Giving today or RSVP for our fundraising events on Tuesday, October 16th at 6:00 PM at BOTH the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in Denver by CLICKING HERE and at the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder by CLICKING HERE.

Finally, enjoy Elephant Energy's 2011 Annual Report, available here, which provides a detailed overview of our work in Namibia (as Elephant Energy) and on the Navajo Nation (as Eagle Energy):

 http://www.elephantenergy.org/uploads/EE_2011_Annual_Report.pdf

Links:

• LA Times - Frozen Land, Forgotten People Slide Show
• Obama Signs Bennett Freeze Repeal
• Trying to rebuild after 40 frozen years

Efforts to transition the Navajo Nation from a reliance on dirty and unhealthy energy sources like kerosene, diesel and propane must start with education, and must be championed by local people.  As a result, in addition to making clean energy products available in local shops, Eagle Energy focuses on teaching kids about clean energy.  Our Solar Schools Pilot Project is currently evaluating strategies on the Navajo Nation to make clean energy technologies and educational materials available via school libraries and to develop fun, interactive programs to promote solar energy.

 This spring, EE has provided 200 solar-powered lights to school librarians in the Eastern Agency of the Navajo Nation in partnership with Nokero (www.nokero.com) and Teach for America New Mexico.  Students can now check out solar lights from their school along with their books, allowing them to read at night without the use of grid electricity, generators and kerosene (see photo below).

In addition, EE board member and CU Theatre Professor, Beth Osnes, recently travelled with Eagle Energy volunteers from the University of Colorado to Prewitt and Thoreau, New Mexico to push the Solar Schools Pilot Project forward.  The theatre students created a performance called “Energy Justice: The Musical” with the help of local students and staff members.  The musical was performed for 170 students and staff at Thoreau High School and for 370 students and staff at Baca/Dlo'Ay Azhi Community School in Prewitt, NM. Six high school students performed in the musical, which involved humor, audience interaction, narration, shadow puppets and songs (see photo below).

 As the school year winds down, we are busy evaluating our approach, and planning for a broad expansion into schools throughout the Navajo Nation next fall.  Please forward this e-mail on to at least one friend to help us spread the word about Eagle Energy's work to light the Navajo Nation, where over 18,000 American families still lack access to electricity.

Links:

• Elephant/Eagle Energy Website
• Nokero Solar Light Bulbs
• Teach for America New Mexico