Malaysian Borneo
Where’s the Water Source? Why the Obvious Solution Isn’t Always the One That Works
Getting safe, drinkable water to rural communities is more challenging than you think. In a previous article, I debunked the myths that boiling water was a safe solution and argued that household filters are not a strong enough replacement. Now, let’s discuss one of the major challenges for designing an effective system that delivers piped…
Read MoreSDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Bringing Global Goals to the Last Mile
Together with local in-country partners, Green Empowerment brings sustainable development to the last mile. The UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 Partnership for Goals strengthens the means of implementation and revitalizes the global partnership for sustainable development. As a U.S. based organization with access to resources, Green Empowerment considers it our duty to share these…
Read MorePartner Spotlight: Anne Lasimbang of PACOS Trust
Even as a young child, Anne Lasimbang spent time collecting funds from neighbors to support families in need as well as distributed information related to pertinent community matters in support of her mother’s community organizing. Growing up in the village of Nampasan in the Malaysian Borneo state of Sabah, Anne never envisioned she would eventually…
Read MoreThree Principles of Community-Owned Renewable Energy
Global Challenges, Local Solutions: Series #3 By Mohammad Pakravan, Green Empowerment Technical Program Manager In my last article on renewable energy, I mentioned that the public utility provider for the Malaysian state of Sarawak, known as SEB, has set up an initiative to provide reliable electricity access to every household in the state by 2025. …
Read MoreAdvocating for Renewable Energy in the Land of Free Diesel
Global Challenges, Local Solutions: Series #2 By Mohammad Pakravan, Green Empowerment Technical Program Manager Without a doubt electricity is one of the most vital infrastructures for any development initiative. However, not any type of electricity source is appropriate or sustainable for development, especially in remote areas. While many of the community members in the rainforests…
Read MoreBacteria, Boiling & the Body’s Resistance: Dispelling Myths About Access to Clean Drinking Water
Global Challenges, Local Solutions: Series #1 By Mohammad Pakravan, Green Empowerment Technical Program Manager In January of this year I traveled to Malaysian Borneo to learn about development and capacity building in Malaysian Borneo. During my month-long visit in Sabah and Sarawak and Indonesia, I had a chance to visit some of the most remote…
Read MoreMeet the Women of TONIBUNG
Written by Koto Kishida, Green Empowerment Malaysia Program ManagerGreen Empowerment works with partner organizations around the world to ensure our projects are shaped by local expertise. We started working with PACOS Trust in 2001 to build a micro-hydro system in Sarawak. That project inspired PACOS to create a rural electrification program, which eventually became TObpinai…
Read MoreBringing the Biodigester to Sabah
Written by Koto Kishida, Malaysia Program Manager and Gabe Wynn, Asia Regional DirectorIn late August, Green Empowerment and our partners successfully brought biogas digester (BGD) technology to Sabah, Malaysia. As we learned in Sri Lanka earlier this year, BGDs offer a creative, sustainable, environmentally-friendly solution to biomass cooking, utilizing organic waste from households and agriculture to produce…
Read MoreAdapting to Change in Kampung Terian
By Jesica Sutandi, our Intern based in Malaysian Borneo working with local NGO partners TONIBUNG, PACOS and Forever Sabah. Week One I’d been lying on the bed under my mosquito net listening to the heavy fall of the pouring rain after a whole day of celebrating the Kaamatan festival. I opened the door and slipped…
Read MoreFrom Waste to Wisdom – Strengthening Biodigester Practitioners in Southeast Asia: Project Update
In Borneo, the price of cooking gas (LPG) increased by 27% in 2017. For remote villages, the cost and difficulty of transporting bulky cylinders of gas from distribution centers make it even more inaccessible. This situation leaves most families with only one option for cooking: burning dirty, dangerous biomass. A staggering 80% of rural households…
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