Economic Growth United States Project #17482

Native American Green Entrepreneur Fund

by Trees Water & People

Project Report | Sep 8, 2015
Native Students Gain Hand-On Solar Experience

By Megan Maiolo-Heath | Marketing Manager

Solar PV Training

On the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, home to the Oglala Lakota, over 40 percent of residents live without access to electricity. On Native American Reservations across the U.S., the Energy Information Administration estimates that 14 percent of households have no access to electricity, 10 times higher than the national average. Many tribes are looking to renewable energy as a way to provide reliable, clean energy to their tribal members.

Since 2007, Trees, Water & People’s Tribal Renewable Energy Program has been training Native communities in a variety of renewable energy applications, including solar PV, solar heating, wind energy, geothermal, and solar water pumps. This program strives to put the power of nature — the warmth of the sun, the power of the wind, the shelter of trees — to work for Native Americans. It also gives native entreprenuers the hands-on experience needed to gain an edge in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Last month, we hosted a Solar Energy Workshop that brought Native Americans from around the country to the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The workshop explored basics of solar energy and culminated in a hands-on installation at the KILI Radio station, Voice of the Lakota Nation, where students expanded a solar PV array.

We want to thank our all-star intructors who brought their incredible talents and years of experience to the workshop:

Jeff Tobe
Henry Red Cloud
Deby Tewa
Johnny Weiss
Steve Carol

We also want to thank YOU, our friends and supporters who have made this a stronger program with your financial support. Stay tuned for more updates!

A Lakota blessing to open the workshop

(Clean) power to the people!

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Jun 11, 2015
Start with the Basics for Native-owned Businesses

By Jamie Folsom | National Director

Ginger pitching her proposal

Many people say and wish they could start their own business and make a difference in their communities. But it takes guts and funding to take the first steps to do so. This past week we had our Green Business Development Training at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCREC). Although there were only two participants, they brought their passion and talents for their communities to the experience.

Ginger of King Cove, Alaska, has the idea to tackle waste management by diverting food waste from the landfill and creating compost for organic gardening to fill the need for fresh, affordable food. She traveled for two days to be in Pine Ridge and learn much about Lakota history and culture.

“This was the trip of a lifetime, and I will never forget it,” Ginger said of her first trip outside King Cove in 10 years. She was inspired by her experience to take the first steps of her goal of starting a compost program with her Tribe – she is planning on entering a college program in Environmental Sciences in the fall.

Trent of the Tule River Reservation also brought another great idea to the training. During the week he honed in on the specifics of building the renewable energy capacity for a Tribe in California through family and facility scale solar electric solutions, starting with Tribal elders. He hopes to return to RCREC for a solar applications training later this year, and connect with others in his community who want to be a part of this endeavor.

Meanwhile our Green Business Award winner from last year – Tyler – has achieved much since October. Cloud Nine Recycling is now an LLC, and he is currently in the process of buying a box truck so that he can decide on when and where he will take his recycling inventory to market, rather than paying high rental prices for a truck. He is an inspiration to others who want to wade into entrepreneurship and make a difference in his community to be clean and green!

Thanks to our GlobalGiving family for supporting these up and coming “Indianpreneurs” in their first steps toward making a positive impact in their communities!

Working on business plans!

A visit to Wounded Knee

Links:

Tyer on Native America Calling

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Mar 11, 2015
To go far, go together!

By Jamie Folsom | National Director

Compressed Earth Block workshop

If you want to go quickly, go alone. If you want to go far, go together. ~ African proverb

Starting a business in rural areas presents a set of challenges that can be discouraging at times. Lack of infrastructure (such as high speed internet), spotty cell phone coverage, and long travel times to banks and clients are all part of the picture that might seem bleak to some. But for those whose livelihoods are tied to land and community, starting a business and building the local economy are not a question of why, but how. Going it alone isn’t really an option, so forming partnerships is key.

The first few months of 2015 have been spent reflecting, discussing, and planning Trees, Water & People’s (TWP) major development activities for the year. Last month we officially opened registration for our green job skills workshops in compressed earth block (CEB) construction and our signature Green Business Development in Indian Country Training at the Red Cloud Renewable Energy Center (RCREC). We have also scheduled solar furnace and CEB workshops with tribes in the Great Plains area. And this year we add a new skills training –“More Than Food: An Indigenous Food Sovereignty Workshop,” - featuring our demonstration garden, The Solar Warrior Farm.

Native people from all over the country are registering to attend these workshops, and scholarships and travel stipends make a big difference in determining who is able to be there. The workshops, especially Green Business Development, are excellent opportunities to connect with others who are starting out, and to talk with seasoned entrepreneurs, who can share their best practices. Each workshop leads to collaborations and stronger projects for the communities.

Through your continued support, more people can have the opportunity to be a part of the circle of success, and go far together. Thank you for a successful 2014 and a strong start in 2015!

Solar PV workshop

Links:

Tribal Program website

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