Jennifer Thompson
Environment Programmer – Sierra Leone

Jennifer spent four months in Smithers B.C. preparing for her overseas component by working on our appropriate technology program. She researched appropriate technology prototype development including composting toilets, non-clay fired roofing tile technologies, the construction of hand powered pumps and demonstration pedal powered technologies that we have been modeling in Sierra Leone. She prepared for her trip through our public engagement program that included an awareness campaign of the role of international development in places like West Africa. Jennifer also worked on the shipment of school supplies, appropriate technology supplies and the schools tour for our Sierra Leone program. While in Sierra Leone Jennifer worked with Friends of the Earth Sierra Leone at the EcoCentre based in rural Hamilton. Jennifer worked with FOESL agriculturalist Pa Conteh to design and carry out composting workshops with women’s and farmer’s groups on the Lakka peninsula outside of Freetown, as well as supporting the work of agriculturalist Michael Aruna in the Kono District.  She followed up on prevous appropriate technology projects, including a project to build water tanks for a a pedal powered cement tile making machine for sustainable housing (Sierra Leone power supply is largely unreliable because of the war, so alternative power is much sought after).

Mali Bain
CRE Assistant Project Coordinator – Nigeria

Mali spent four months in Smithers working with the Canadian based Cross River Environment (CRE) project coordinator learning the basic project management skills associated with coordinating a large bilateral aid project with more than ten North/South partners involved. She assisted with web site development, research on conservation biology approaches to ecosystem management, assisted with the development of a report on community based forestry strategies in the transboundary region of Cameroon/Nigeria, assisted with financial management, project updates and monitoring matrixes as well as spearheaded a public engagement program for the Northwest region regarding our Canada/Nigeria project. She also assisted with the development of joint activities between the Canadian/Nigerian partners including community mapping, micro-credit, alternative community economic development, networking and non-timber forest product development. In Nigeria she worked directly with the Nigerian-based One Sky CRE Project coordinator to assist with project management in the field office. This included site visits to projects, assisting with project updates, monitoring field projects and assisting ENGOs to do group reporting. Mali initiated a very successful and appreciated series of computer training workshops for Cross River NGO project staff.