January 2012
5 posts
16 tags
Jason Glaser - La Isla Speaking Tour
Join in on one of La Isla’s many speaking events over the next few weeks…..
Aquinas College - January 27th, 2012 at 9:30 to 11 a.m - Grand Rapids, MI
http://www.aquinas.edu/
Cooley College - January 31st, 2012 at 12 Noon - Grand Rapids, MI
http://www.cooley.edu/
Calvin College - January 30th, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. - Grand Rapids, MI
DeVos Communication Center, Room 170, opposite...
13 tags
LA ISLA IN THE NEWS
IPS - JAN 2012 - El Salvador: Pesticides Fill Graveyards in Rural Villages
Sitting in the shade under a tree at a careful distance, Francisco Sosa watches his son prepare the land for planting by spraying the weeds with an herbicide from a tank carried on his back. The 60-year-old Salvadoran farmer would like to help his son Saúl, 25, but on doctor’s orders, he can’t. Like many...
9 tags
LA ISLA IN THE NEWS - Reuters - Dec 23 2011
Dec. 23 - An unexplained kidney disease epidemic hits Nicaragua’s impoverished sugar-growing town of La Islas with locals blaming pollution. Deborah Lutterbeck reports.
13 tags
A Cycle of Death: Inside Nicaragua's Sugar Cane...
Thursday, 12 January 2012
Written by Jason Glaser
The video here focuses on the community of La Isla de Viudas (The Isle of Widows) outside of Chichigalpa, Nicaragua, but it is a powerful introduction to a much larger global issue. Sadly, the stories shared are in no way isolated or limited to this area. Throughout the sugarcane industry in Central America child labor is rampant, widows...
13 tags
You're Invited!
You’re Invited: A Benefit for La Isla Foundation
January 31 2012
WHEN: TUESDAY, January 31, 2012 — 7:30 – 10:00 P.M.
WHAT: LEARN ABOUT THE WORK OF LA ISLA FOUNDATION
WHERE: THE PYRAMID SCHEME (68 Commerce SW) Grand Rapid’s hottest new entertainment venue - www.pyramidschemebar.com
Bonus: Tuesday is 1/2 off drinks night
FEATURING A SILENT AUCTION:
Unique Travel...
December 2011
4 posts
10 tags
Be Part of the Solution - Short Film by Tierra...
La Isla is a small community located on the outskirts of Chichigalpa, Nicaragua in the Central America lowlands. Its sole economy is the sugar cane industry which relies on young men desperate to provide for their families ensuring an endless supply of labor. The wage they can earn cutting sugar cane makes the work worth it despite the fact that some 70% of men working in the industry...
7 tags
Thousands of sugar cane workers die as wealthy...
To our donors and supporters,
La Isla Foundation acted as fixers for the following story:
Thousands of sugar cane workers die as wealthy nations stall on solutions
The article will appear in radio form on BBC’s The World Service and PRI’s The World.
Please read this article in full. Among the key take aways and other points of interest around this issue are the following:
...
15 tags
La Isla Foundation 2011 Holiday Newsletter
Hello Everyone! As 2011 draws to a close, we want to express our gratitude to everyone who helped us make this year another successful one for La Isla Foundation. As we continue to expand our efforts, we hope you know none of what we have accomplished would be possible without you. Your donations of time and money make this type of work possible, and are necessary to affect the type of change...
7 tags
La Isla Foundation Becomes Member of Grassroots...
La Isla Foundation is not only a NGO/NPO created to facilitate finding the cause of a Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) epidemic affecting sugarcane workers in Chichigalpa, Nicaragua. BUT we also offer Community Based Tourism.
We are now proudly part of Grassroots Journeys and our new page on their site can be found here.
What La Isla Foundation offers:
We offer trips to visit the La Isla...
November 2011
1 post
14 tags
Hey NYC, Join Us!! - Nov 17- 8p
La Isla Foundation NYC Fundraiser
Let’s fill up this room! :) WHEN: Thursday, November 17 · 8:00pm - 11:00pm
WHERE: The Counting Room (44 Berry Street Brooklyn, NY 11211) is a wonderful space located just off the Bedford L train in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. The bar and kitchen will be open, and hopefully we will have a few things to give away in appreciation. We are still working out...
October 2011
3 posts
10 tags
PhotoPhilanthropy - Constantino Schillebeeckx + La...
Our friend and freelance photographer, Constantino Schillebeeckx, has published and submitted his photographic work of La Isla and Chronic Kidney Disease to PhotoPhilanthropy Activist Awards.
You can see his Nicaragua images on his website here - http://www.photocs.net/travel/nicaragua/
He states:
La Isla Foundation is a 501(c) 3 organization created in 2008 to help establish the causes of...
14 tags
October 2011 - Speaking Tour - La Isla Foundation...
La Isla Foundation’s Jason Glaser Continues on a Speaking Tour!
Join La Isla in your neighborhood!
———————————————————————————————-
OCTOBER 11 - Boston University Environmental Health 12 - 1P & 5 -...
15 tags
October 2011 - Speaking Tour - La Isla Foundation
La Isla Foundation’s Jason Glaser embarks on a Speaking Tour!
Join La Isla in your neighborhood!
———————————————————————————————-
OCTOBER 4 - Wilkes University International Service Club - 11A
...
September 2011
3 posts
Update Letter
August 2011
5 posts
7 tags
WatchSo what does La Isla community look like? And what do our volunteer’s do in the community?
Here’s a snapshot of a typical Tuesday in the community using footage from one of our past volunteer’s Chris.
From chatting with community members to teaching arts and crafts at kids club, volunteers are able to meet and help the families directly affected by CKD.
8 tags
Good Signs in Guyapa Abajo
-Nate Raines
How You Can Help from Home with Public Health in...
WatchCheck out this video about the community computer class taught by La Isla Foundation staff and volunteers!
The Nica Baile
-Mary Ann Weiss
July 2011
1 post
13 tags
La Isla Foundation - Volunteers and Interns Wanted...
La Isla Foundation is seeking volunteers and interns to support on the ground operations and programs. See below for more in depth descriptions:
GENERAL FOR ALL POSITIONS:
La Isla Foundation is a 501-c-3 non-profit based in Leon, Nicaragua that supports the small community of La Isla, also known as “The Isle of Widows”, near Chichigalpa, in Norwestern Nicaragua, where generations of men are...
June 2011
2 posts
working in la Isla
A Sugar Island´s life in Nicaragua and why we...
May 2011
2 posts
Volunteer´s experience in the community....
UPDATE LETTER FOR APRIL '11
Hello everyone, Thanks to the support of friends like you, La Isla Foundation has a lot of news to share:
We have formed new alliances with organizations like Fairfood
Funding appears likely for new studies to find the cause of the Chronic Kidney Disease epidemic in this region
We started a new cooperative, which teaches women job skills
We have a new team of people applying for grant...
February 2011
1 post
11 tags
Ingenio San Antonio (Nicaragua Sugar Estates...
An alias for Ingenio San Antonio & Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited responded to a blog post by Constantino Schillebeeckx - The Voices at Ingenio San Antonio & Nicaragua Sugar Estates Limited - Part I - citing a study done by the Boston University Public Health School and claiming that there is no evidence that Chronic Renal Disease (CKD / CRI) in the region has been caused by agricultural...
August 2010
3 posts
16 tags
La Isla Foundation Achieves Phase 1 of Strategic...
Dear Friends of La Isla Foundation, We’re happy to announce that we have recently completed Phase 1 of our strategic plan. The focus of this phase was to produce studies that would provide a set of data from which we can formulate an effective strategy that addresses this evolving public health and humanitarian crisis. During this time we also implemented infrastructural, educational...
8 tags
Urge EPA to ban endosulfan now, not in six years
From Pesticide Action Network - - -
In June, we celebrated when EPA agreed that endosulfan is too dangerous to use, and the U.S. would join the 60+ other countries that have already banned the persistent, toxic chemical. Now we the agency has announced its plan to let some users keep spraying the antiquated chemical for up to six more years.
Sign PAN’s petition today telling EPA that six...
10 tags
Defining and Measuring Sustainability: Still An...
Yesterday morning at Sustainable Agricultural Partnerships 2010, Sylvain Cuperlier, VP of Worldwide Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability for Dole, set the tone for the day by asking What are the priorities in sustainable agriculture?
Of course, the answer was simple: it depends who you are, where you are, and what you produce. Other panel sessions drew equally nebulous conclusions....
July 2010
3 posts
8 tags
5 tags
LA judge dumps $2.4 million judgment against Dole...
LA judge dumps $2.4 million judgment against Dole
By Steve Gorman
LOS ANGELES | Thu Jul 15, 2010
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A California judge on Thursday tossed out a $2.4 million judgment against Dole Food Co won by six Nicaraguans claiming pesticide injuries in what the judge branded a phony case invented as part of a larger fraud conspiracy.
The November 2007 verdict she overturned...
2 Dead and many Injured in Chichigalpa
All,
Something awful transpired last week in the municipality where La Isla Foundation does the majority of its work. We have waited to verify everything and it appears our worst fears are true. A horrible incident between workers, police and company security transpired last week. To me this event shows the stress and the abuse this community lives under every day. I always feared it would...
June 2010
5 posts
Endgame for Endosulfan - EPA announces ban on use...
End game for endosulfan
Environmental health and farmworker groups celebrate U.S.
phaseout of persistent pesticide.
Today Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) and partners around the world are rejoicing over U.S. EPA’s announcement of the end of endosulfan, an antiquated, highly toxic insecticide. The pesticide has been linked to autism, birth defects, and delayed puberty in...
Project BONA FIDE FIESTA! - New York City - June...
Friday, June 11, 2010 - - 7:00pm - 10:00pm
LOWER EAST SIDE , NY - 39 ELDRIDGE STREET, 4TH FL
RSVP HERE
Project Bona Fide is a non-profit organization working toward sustaining culture through organic agriculture, community correlated outreach, and re-forestation projects in Nicaragua. Project Bona Fide has been created out of a need to support rural Nicaraguan farming...
Witness For Peace: Tell Chiquita CEO Fernando...
http://org2.democracyinaction.org/o/5436/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=2799
6 tags
WatchWatch a story by CBS’s 60 Minutes on Chiquita’s payments to armed groups in Colombia.
Chiquita paid Colombian armed groups millions of dollars over 15 years. An estimated 14,000 innocent civilians were killed. Chiquita’s only punishment? A sweetheart deal with the Justice Department. No compensation for victims. No accountability for Chiquita officials who made the payments.
...
4 tags
Our Library Fundraiser was a Success!
Thank you to everyone! The library fund raiser was a success. We nearly doubled our request, coming in at 1815 from 27 different donors. The book drive will go on indefinitely so please send books to:
La Isla Foundation Library Fundraiser:
7673 Silverthorn SE, Ada MI 49301
May 2010
2 posts
A letter from La Isla Foundation - May 6, 2010
From our friend Jon Czeranna’s blog. Thank YOU, Jon.
I received a letter recently from a client of mine requesting help for his amazing non-profit organization La Isla Foundation. I will let the letter speak for itself but if you are able to give no amount is too small.
Thanks,
Jon
___________________________________________________________
Greetings all-
Last year, while at the...
“Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all...”
– John Fitzgerald Kennedy
April 2010
2 posts
Isle of Widows. Sugarcane and Death in Nicaragua.
Check out this beautiful photographic piece by our friend Tyson. These are the women and families you are helping. Help us do our work and donate after seeing these photos. We are asking all of our friends and family to donate $5-2 0 dollars (or more if you can) a month to help us bring potable water, latrines, infrastructure repair and meaningful alternative incomes to this community. Donate...
5 tags
Banana Land and the Corporate Death Squad Scandals
HUFFINGTON POST - February 15, 2010
A federal judge recently refused to dismiss a civil suit filed against Chiquita which charges that the company paid leftist (FARC) guerrillas operating near its plantations in Colombia — during a period when the FARC killed four American missionaries, according to CNN.
((Read more HERE))