Being a Kinship Conservation Institute Fellow, I was asked to come up with a series of questions for their Winter Newsletter in 2013. The purpose of the article is to present questions BY a Director/Founder of a Nonprofit FOR a Director/Founder of a Nonprofit for their Winter Newsletter in 2013. There is another young woman who decided to create an education based nonprofit in the 3rd world and they hoped that our interaction would be thought provoking for current fellows. Here are my answers:
- What is the name of your nonprofit?
- What is it’s mission?
- What was one of your previous jobs that prepared you for founding your nonprofit?
- What are 3 pieces of equipment that you found to be the most valuable in your project and why?
- What is the most uncomfortable thing you have had to eat during your stint In the 3rd world? Any comments or tips on local food in your region of work.
- Describe a story or event relating to your project(s) abroad that culturally shocked you, as a Western woman (or at least shocked your family back home when you recounted it).
- What do you like most about your position as a Director of a Nonprofit?
- What advice would you give to people considering becoming a director or founding an org?
Claudia’s Answers:
- The Mermaid Islands Corporation
- To teach Marine Biology to kids, the most recent project focused on coral reef ecology to island kids in Palawan.
- A Fisheries Research Biologist for NOAA/NMFS
- Equipment :
- A heavy duty, air tight Tupperware-like container. It is surprising how many things work better when protected from the tropical humidity. Also, there are only a few tropical insects who have the jaw power and patience to gnaw through it to get to the goods. Even the ants here have the ability to gnaw through plastic.
- Solar powered reading light and/or head lamp. This is perfect when electricity is a very limited resource. In addition to being able to read and work, it gives you some freedom and reassurance at night. For example, it allows one to use the loo in the dark without fear of stepping on a fist sized jumping spider or any other poisonous nocturnal animal. Small and lightweight, Unite to Light has a great light whose battery lasts for 3 years in the tropical humidity.
- A good rain jacket with pockets. Typhoon season comes every year. Even if you get soaked to the bone you will at least feel a little cozier.
5. The most challenging thing I ate (on many occasions) was a breakfast of Dried reef fishes with a handful of pebble flecked rice. It never got easier and was often the remnants of the previous nights dinner. This SUPER fishy dish harbors a violently pungent taste achieved only by the equally popular fermented shrimp paste and sour green mango. No refrigeration needed. Split your reef fish and lay it on the beach in the tropical sun. After 3 or so days of being COVERED in flies, it will have ripened perfectly into a hard as tack fish mummy. Remove from sun and put on table (if you have one). During grace, pray for the possibility that saltiness may have killed any bacteria, fly babies or brain parasites. Be mindful of your teeth while eating. It’s always good to hang onto the good ones and chances are high you don’t have many if you eat this regularly. Be polite to your hosts. Notice how thin everyone is, recognize this is an important source of protein and appreciate the significance of this generous gesture to share. This dish is sure to shock the imagination and mild pallet of Americans and Europeans alike. Also a great way to lose weight
6. The East Indies gives one a feeling of the Wild Wild West. The amount of weapons that people carry always shocked me. In the rural areas everyone carries a machete. At our little school during recess, even the four year olds would have their machetes and use them in their games. Like in all school yards they have different and ever changing versions of tag and hide & seek. Not having any school issued rubber balls is not a barrier to fun here. The kids could quickly and casually use their machete to cut, strip and weave a small bamboo cube. This could then be thrown at other kids to get them in or out or frozen.
7. The control and power of deciding the direction and outcomes of projects that I care about. It is both scary and awesome to have the ability to make something succeed.
8. My advise would be don’t forget to pay yourself. My first rookie mistake was solely concentrating on the project and forgetting that a salary should be included in the cost equation. It is OK to be paid for running a nonprofit.
Mermaid Scientist 