Hi there,
I was hoping you could share this opportunity with students in your department who may be interested in to start an initiative on campus on behalf of the organization I’m working for, which is Health In Harmony, a non-profit based in Portland, OR that works at the intersection of environmental and human health.
Our project, ASRI, is based in West Kalimantan, Borneo, Indonesia, in the communities surrounding the Gunung Palung National Park, which is home to some of the world’s remaining wild orangutans. In these villages, people often must resort to illegally logging the National Park in order to pay for health care. Unfortunately, when you have to choose between saving your child’s life, or saving a tree, the environment always loses, and with good reason! An emergency C-section alone equals the cost of cutting down 60 trees. So what we do is provide high-quality, low-cost health care to rural communities, in exchange for environmental protection. For example, villages that have verifiably stopped logging receive up to 70% discount in our clinic. We also offer non-cash payment options where they can pay for health care services with seedlings or manure to be used in the reforestation or sustainable agriculture programs. As you can see, our program is based on understanding the instrinsic connection between our health and the health of the environment. It is an example of sustainable development in action. And we have seen successes: all health indicators have improved and illegal logging in our area has decreased by 68% in just five years. But in order to continue doing meaningful work, we need support!
I’m reaching out to you now because we are offering resources to help students get involved with our work. Younger generations are ever more aware of the need to protect our planet, and we want to help them get involved! I wanted to reach out to see if any students would be interested in starting a club or organization in order to fundraise and build awareness about Health In Harmony. We will provide guidance, HIH materials, and resources in order to aid them in their efforts. More information on the program can be found here. It certainly appeals to both medically and environmentally-minded students alike. If anyone is interested in this opportunity, please email me at darya@healthinharmony.org.
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Darya Minovi Communications and Development Coordinator Health In Harmony | Saving Forests with a Stethoscope
www.healthinharmony.org
O: 503.688.5579 | M: 703.409.5057
You can help save forests and save lives!