By Geo Corneby, Asia Program Director, Green Empowerment
In 2022, during my first year with Green Empowerment, I joined our long-time partner SIBAT for a Community-Based Renewable Energy Systems (CBRES) Summit. There, elected Energy Committees from remote villages with their own micro-hydro systems gathered to share lessons and influence the regional adoption of community-owned renewable energy systems.
One moment stood out and stayed with me. After SIBAT shared their mission, an Indigenous leader—now in local government—responded to redefine the status of their communities. He stood up and said:
Indigenous peoples are not marginalized. We are the richest people on Earth, except we don’t monetize our natural resources.
The idea that strength and ingenuity, not scarcity, defines our partner communities is foundational to our work.
At that summit, I heard about Sitio Lapat, a remote village nestled in the Cordillera Mountain Range in the Philippines. For years, the community shared a micro-hydro system with two neighboring communities, serving a total of 125 households. Their health worker, Marvy, told me that when running a nebulizer, she’d ask up to 10 households to turn off their appliances out of fear that she won’t have sufficient power.
The community had a vision: build their own system. Even before funding was secured, they asked SIBAT to show them how to start, and they began construction. Their motivation lit a fire within us all.

With support from Seacology, Green Empowerment, SIBAT, and local government, Sitio Lapat broke ground on their new micro-hydro system. I had the privilege of celebrating with them, participating in the Talip, a traditional dance that mimics the graceful flight of a bird. That moment—drums pounding, blankets waving—was about more than joy. It was a reminder that when Indigenous communities are able to thrive on their ancestral lands, their traditions flourish. In sites like Sitio Lapat, we’ve seen that people who had left for jobs in cities are now returning home, drawn back by opportunity and heritage.
Sitio Lapat is now completing their hydro system, which will power 70 households, a school, a health center, and a rice mill cooperative. In exchange, the community signed a commitment to protect over 1,200 acres of forest, safeguarding a vital watershed.
When we invest in local leadership, we protect both cultural heritage and critical ecosystems.

Remarks from Green Empowerment’s 2025 Spring Benefit
I was so proud to share this success story at our 2025 Spring Benefit—a night filled with connection, reflection, and celebration. As always, I left deeply inspired and humbled by the Green Empowerment donor community. I connected with our long-time supporters, met their families and friends, and saw the pride they carry for their role in this work. I spoke with people who knew Ben Linder, and we shared a moment to remember how far we’ve come since his legacy started us on this path.
Our donors give with deep personal commitment, grounded in shared values—that communities should shape their own futures, and access to quality water and energy makes that possible. From Ben Linder and his friends, neighbors, and family to the growing Green Empowerment community, it wasn’t lost on me that I’m standing on the shoulders of giants – principled and courageous.

As Asia Program Director, Geo oversees our strategy for the region, supports our partners to scale energy access in Malaysia, and works with our team to integrate smart grid innovations with project implementation. She came to Green Empowerment with a wealth of experience in social impact programs and sustainable finance through her work with non-profits and consultancies in the Philippines, the Netherlands, and parts of Asia and Africa.