Supporting Livelihoods
Donation protected
Nido de Vida is a family project with a community focus. Our mission is to foster the connection between our mutual well-being and our relationship with nature in the small dairy farming town of La Bolivarense, Ecuador. We have various projects working with both neighbors and visitors that aim to accomplish this mission, and we've experienced great success in growing our network and our infrastructure over the past few years.
Since our start in 2015 we have worked with local authorities to bring resources to La Bolivarense, and have hosted meetings and workshops for neighbors at Nido de Vida. Since 2018, we've hosted groups of University of Michigan interns who have focused on identifying community priorities and goals. This has supported the community and Nido de Vida by providing data that identifies where to focus our efforts for greatest community impact.
As a result of these priorities assessments, the idea of documenting our community's history was born. We worked with University of Michigan interns again on a project whose goal was to document the founding of La Bolivarense with as many as the original founders as possible. Check out the documentary .
While we've hosted interns for 6-8 weeks, we have also hosted large groups of elementary, high school, and college students for short-term service learning programming. In an immersive and cross-cultural setting, groups engage with Nido de Vida members and neighbors to learn about the life experiences in La Bolivarense and the surrounding area; they support community livelihoods; through service projects they experience small-scale farming, and the challenges and opportunities that exist in a rural part of Ecuador, and; have the opportunity to be immersed in nature. All of this lends itself to a deeper understanding of the connection between our collective well-being and our relationship with nature.
We are proud of the experiences we have facilitated, because whether a workshop with neighbors, or short/long programs with visiting groups these experiences support what we believe to be a part of building community and healthy human development.
This pandemic has clearly illustrated how interdependent we all are, and despite stay at home orders and social distancing, we are inspired to find ways to continue engaging across cultures to increase understanding and empathy.
Our first project to continue engagement is the launch of our virtual campaign - Until you come to us, we’ll come to you. The campaign will focus on introducing you to who we are and what we do - from our daily farm and family routines to the extraordinary events that occur frequently, and require problem solving and resourcefulness. Right now, we need to be still, but there will be a time when we can be together again with friends and family, and this campaign is to help us hold on to that idea with a little faith. Or, at the very least, provide some entertainment and momentary escape.
The second project is our launch of a virtual flora and fauna library. This project has been on our minds for a while, and there’s nothing like some pandemic-forced motivation (like cleaning out that closet that’s needed it for years) to finally get it started. Our goal is to document and record as many plants and animals as we can on the farm. We will add pictures and descriptions regularly, so visit our website often to see the most up-to-date discoveries .
Help us continue doing this work by helping us SECURE THE LIVELIHOODS OF TWO PEOPLE. We have two full time Nido de Vida employees - Lenin and Brandon - who are essential to everything we’ve done so far, and everything we hope to still achieve. Without the prospects of hosting visitors (due to the pandemic) before the summer of 2021, Nido de Vida has no choice but to decrease their salaries significantly if we hope to weather this storm. Their wives do not have steady work, and any decrease in their salaries will add great stress to their families. Help us avoid this. Our goal is to raise $1,200 to ensure that Nido de Vida can maintain their salaries at 100% through May 2021.
If you read this far, thank you for your time. If you are able to donate, we greatly appreciate your support! If donating isn't possible for you, no worries. We completely understand these times, and the need to prioritize spending. Check out our website , and follow us on social media.
Thank you to our long time supporters for being a part of Nido de Vida, and to all the newcomers - welcome - we’re happy you found us.
Since our start in 2015 we have worked with local authorities to bring resources to La Bolivarense, and have hosted meetings and workshops for neighbors at Nido de Vida. Since 2018, we've hosted groups of University of Michigan interns who have focused on identifying community priorities and goals. This has supported the community and Nido de Vida by providing data that identifies where to focus our efforts for greatest community impact.
As a result of these priorities assessments, the idea of documenting our community's history was born. We worked with University of Michigan interns again on a project whose goal was to document the founding of La Bolivarense with as many as the original founders as possible. Check out the documentary .
While we've hosted interns for 6-8 weeks, we have also hosted large groups of elementary, high school, and college students for short-term service learning programming. In an immersive and cross-cultural setting, groups engage with Nido de Vida members and neighbors to learn about the life experiences in La Bolivarense and the surrounding area; they support community livelihoods; through service projects they experience small-scale farming, and the challenges and opportunities that exist in a rural part of Ecuador, and; have the opportunity to be immersed in nature. All of this lends itself to a deeper understanding of the connection between our collective well-being and our relationship with nature.
We are proud of the experiences we have facilitated, because whether a workshop with neighbors, or short/long programs with visiting groups these experiences support what we believe to be a part of building community and healthy human development.
This pandemic has clearly illustrated how interdependent we all are, and despite stay at home orders and social distancing, we are inspired to find ways to continue engaging across cultures to increase understanding and empathy.
Our first project to continue engagement is the launch of our virtual campaign - Until you come to us, we’ll come to you. The campaign will focus on introducing you to who we are and what we do - from our daily farm and family routines to the extraordinary events that occur frequently, and require problem solving and resourcefulness. Right now, we need to be still, but there will be a time when we can be together again with friends and family, and this campaign is to help us hold on to that idea with a little faith. Or, at the very least, provide some entertainment and momentary escape.
The second project is our launch of a virtual flora and fauna library. This project has been on our minds for a while, and there’s nothing like some pandemic-forced motivation (like cleaning out that closet that’s needed it for years) to finally get it started. Our goal is to document and record as many plants and animals as we can on the farm. We will add pictures and descriptions regularly, so visit our website often to see the most up-to-date discoveries .
Help us continue doing this work by helping us SECURE THE LIVELIHOODS OF TWO PEOPLE. We have two full time Nido de Vida employees - Lenin and Brandon - who are essential to everything we’ve done so far, and everything we hope to still achieve. Without the prospects of hosting visitors (due to the pandemic) before the summer of 2021, Nido de Vida has no choice but to decrease their salaries significantly if we hope to weather this storm. Their wives do not have steady work, and any decrease in their salaries will add great stress to their families. Help us avoid this. Our goal is to raise $1,200 to ensure that Nido de Vida can maintain their salaries at 100% through May 2021.
If you read this far, thank you for your time. If you are able to donate, we greatly appreciate your support! If donating isn't possible for you, no worries. We completely understand these times, and the need to prioritize spending. Check out our website , and follow us on social media.
Thank you to our long time supporters for being a part of Nido de Vida, and to all the newcomers - welcome - we’re happy you found us.
Organizer
Bibi Al-Ebrahim
Organizer
Pittsburgh, PA