Regenerating Rainforests

Happy New Year Global Giving Supporters! All of us here at Health In Harmony hope that your holidays were warm and rejuvenating and your 2014 is full of promise and big dreams.

We last wrote to you about the devastating fire at the Laman Satong reforestation site. We wrote that hope burned brighter than the fire, and the months since have proved that to be more than true thanks to you, our loving community. The outpouring of support was encouraging to our team on both sides of the world, and ASRI reforested Laman Satong in November. There was much more regrowth than initially suspected, more than 50 community members came out to work and the National Park office contributed many of their own seedlings - all factors adding to a successful replanting. See attached pictures.

The best news for the forest, however, is that logging continues to decrease more and more! The second worst village for logging when ASRI started just signed a memorandum of understanding with us in November, pledging to work with ASRI to reduce illegal logging in exchange for discounts at the clinic (which increase if they go green and eradicate logging). This village was one of two that had not signed an MOU, but one month later, they had almost completely ended logging! And the worst village when we started, which had 26 chainsaw crews in 2007, went green in December! This is truly incredible news. We had so much to be grateful for at the end of 2013. Top of the list was you, our donors. Your gifts provided the seedlings replanted at Laman Satong, the clinic discounts that incentivize an end to illegal logging, the organic farm training turning loggers into farmers and so many more programs in Indonesia. In short, none of these amazing gains in rainforest protection would have happened without you!

A quick domestic update, as well: in November, we had our annual board meeting in November and mapped future directions for Health In Harmony as well as celebrated successes. Our wonderful founder, Dr. Kinari Webb, has been in the United States for the first time in two years, visiting friends, family and supporters up and down both coasts and fundraising like a champion for upcoming projects at ASRI. Please email me at trina@healthinharmony.org for times and places of events in the next two weeks in New Haven, CT and Washington DC.

Our hope for 2014 is to hear to what you, our community, thinks. Please be in touch with any questions or desires about the direction of these world-changing organizations this year. You do so much for the world, let us know what we can do for you. And if you would like to go see the programs your donations create, join us either March 9-19 or April 14-23 for an exclusive trip to ASRI! Email us for more details.

As always, thank you for everything you do.