Global Team for Local Initiatives Helping People Help Themselves

History

GTLI was incorporated in 2007 as a 501(c)(3) corporation by Lori Pappas. Lori, a retired software entrepreneur, had traveled extensively in Africa and felt frustrated by the lack of sustainability in much of the development work she was seeing. Having, as she says, “failed retirement,” she decided to apply her own time, resources and business skills to that challenge. In 2007, on a volunteer medical trip to SW Ethiopia, Lori met members of the Hamar tribe. The tribe’s plight – epidemic levels of preventable disease, poverty and dependence on food aid – wrenched her heart. She also recognized that the tribe’s isolation presented an excellent opportunity to test a new model of development, one focused on sustainable behavior change rather than simply delivering goods and services.

In early 2008 GTLI commissioned two assessments of the Hamar in order to identify the tribe’s problems and priorities. Results indicated significant problems with health, nutrition and access to clean water:

• 77% of survey respondents walked more than 3 hours to fetch water

• 84% suffered from intestinal parasites, 81% had diarrhea, 78% had malaria

• Disease-spreading practices were ubiquitous (including lack of hand- and face- washing, open  field defecation, and use of hands for noseblowing)

• 96% of households grew enough food for 3 months or less.

However, the assessments also indicated that the Hamar were well aware that their traditional practices (passed on by their ancestors) were no longer keeping them healthy, and were eager to learn new practices that would help them survive. Eighty-four percent said that “awareness training” (new knowledge) was the resource they most desired. The tribe’s overwhelming needs and their willingness to learn and help themselves confirmed that Hamar woreda the right place to begin GTLI’s work.

For the next year (2008-2009) Lori lived with the Hamar for months at a time, learning their culture, forming relationships, and working with elders to develop and test possible approaches to helping the community help itself.

This extensive “ground time,” living with and learning about the community, formed the foundation of GTLI’s work. Lori’s strong connections with community members and elders have shaped all of our projects and enabled success where other NGOs have failed.