GTLI
Helping people help themselves
GTLI's mission: to help indigenous people acquire the resources and skills to ensure their long term survival while maintaining their traditional cultural values.
Global Team for Local Initiatives (GTLI) is dedicated to helping indigenous people lead healthy lives. Working closely with tribal elders, we help implement sustainable development projects for long-term survival and income generating activities for immediate relief.
We are currently
working with the 23,000 member Hamar tribe in remote southwest Ethiopia.
Through projects in water, health, education, and income generation, we are
helping this ancient tribe, affected by drought and disease, gain the skills
they need for continued survival.
The Hamar of Ethiopia
The Hamar are pastoralists who live much as they
have for generations, following their livestock in search of grazing
grounds. However, climate change has brought drought to the region.
Animals are dying; women must walk hours every day to fetch water that
is polluted. Far from markets and inexperienced with a cash economy,
the Hamar have little ability to purchase food, medicine and other
necessities.
Why the Hamar?
Dire need: With virtually no food and water, the Hamar are at risk without outside intervention.
Intact culture: The Hamar are one of the few tribes still largely untouched by the modern world.
Development baseline: Because the Hamar have received little outside aid, they provide an ideal baseline for evaluating and strengthening our programs before replicating them elsewhere.
The GTLI Model:
4 Steps to Self-Sufficiency
1. We do extensive ground time with the tribe before designing programs, in order to build relationships and trust.
2. We work closely with tribal elders to assess needs, and develop and implement programs.
3. We follow best practices, replicating successful solutions from around the world.
4. We design for sustainability, empowering communities to identify their challenges and to find their own solutions.
Hamar men and women gather at a coffee ceremony, held to mark important occasions.
GTLI Operations
With a small staff and motivated volunteers, GTLI’s operations are designed for maximum efficiency and cost effectiveness.
Bainbridge Island, WA: US headquarters: Executive Director and volunteer administrative staff.
Addis Ababa: Ethiopian headquarters: Country Director, program coordination, administration
Turmi, Hamar woreda: Field office: program management, community mobilizers, technical staff.
Because all people deserve a healthy life
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Contact us at
Global Team for Local Initiatives
PO Box 11277
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
206-780-4353
info@gtli.us
Global Team for Local Initiatives is a Washington-based nonprofit, 501(c)(3) corporation. All donations are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law.
