Trevor Helwig, Intern 2000-2001
Background Bio:
With a bachelor's degree in agricultural engineering, I gained work
experience working for a design firm conducting computer modeling
of municipal sewer and water systems. I then decided to complete my
master's degree after which I found out about the REAP-Canada internship
position.
Education:
B.Sc. (Agricultural Engineering), McGill University
M.Sc. (Applied, Environmental Engineering), McGill University
Host Country:
the Philippines
Internship Experience:
My work in the Philippines focused on developing a project with
a farmer's alliance that involved the conservation of sugarcane
residue known as 'trash farming', as well as the building and marketing
of stoves that used rice hulls as fuel in a stove design developed
in Vietnam. The aim of the sugarcane component of the project was
to improve soil fertility by working the cane residues into the
soil, as opposed to the conventional practice of burning the trash.
The stove component of the project aimed to displace household cooking
fuels such as coal and firewood. The overall goal of the project
was to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the burning
of the rice hulls, sugarcane residue, coal, firewood and other displaced
cooking fuels.
Initially, I investigated that the rice hull stove design and made
sure that the fabrication of the stove was possible. As well, Lindsey
Mulkins (the other Canadian intern) and I were involved in the development
of the proposal and report writing to the funding agency (CIDA).
Other activities involved networking with other organizations and
investigating other appropriate technologies (small scale tools
for farming, including rotary weeders for rice paddies, harrows,
alternative pumping technologies, biogas systems etc.).
After finishing my internship in the Philippines I continued to
work on REAP-Canada's programming in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec.
I completed a study with REAP-Canada's then-director (Rupert Jannasch)
that examined biomass inventories in Eastern Canada as a source
for bioenergy, as well as helping with the development of various
project proposals and reports. I also coordinated a speaking tour
for two of our partners from the Philippines at various venues in
Ontario and Quebec. So in total, I ended up working for REAP-Canada
for just over two years.
 Participating
in karaoke is essential to integration in the Philippines |
It has been a few years since I was in the Philippines (I returned
to Canada in August, 2001), but I still remember the farmers we worked
with who faced huge obstacles in terms of lack of resources and support.
Mostly I remember the personal connections I made; the farmer's generosity;
the sense of community that we are largely lacking in Canada; the
selflessness of rural Filipinos to help each other out.
I still keep a photo on my office wall of a forest I visited in
the uplands of Southern Negros, and although I am no longer involved
in any of REAP-Canada's Philippine endeavors, I often think of the
farmers I met and befriended. Near Tabugon, a farmer named Nong
Imoy lived with his family on an area that was difficult to farm
conventionally due to the infertility of the soil and the slope
of the land. Historically, his father had cleared the forest and
had planted corn for a number of years, but this was not a very
sustainable practice. Nong Imoy made ends meet by planting the area
with gmelina trees for lumber and had planted some coffee plants,
as well as raising a number of goats and keeping a small garden.
On his property, there were some caves that extended for kilometers
under the ground that we explored during Easter break. Also in the
uplands near Candoni, a farmer named Nong Caso farmed rice, kamote
and sugarcane right on the edge of a forest. Just to get to Nong
Caso's house was a fantastic journey, since the road to his house
was too muddy to drive except by motorcycle in the rainy season.
Our flip
Flops would get stuck in the mud and so we had to walk barefoot
for long stretches (unfortunately my feet were not very tough).
Caso and Imoy carried themselves with a real sense of peace. Their
connection with the land and their willingness to help out their
neighbours provided them with a grounding that I wish more of us
could have in our day-to-day lives here in Canada.
Current Status:
Water management Specialist, Alberta Agriculture, Lethbridge Alberta.
Manages irrigation studies and develops new research projects.
Lindsey Mulkins, Intern 2000-2001
Background Bio:
Through my educational and professional experiences, I have developed
an interest in promoting ecological and community health through education,
community development, and design. My university studies have covered
the broad fields of biology, environmental education, and sustainable
cities. My current interest rests in the area of community engagement
in the stewardship of urban natural areas.
Host Country:
the Philippines
Education:
B.Sc. (Environmental Science, honors), Queens University
M.Sc. (Environmental Studies), York University
Internship Experience:
I was fortunate to participate in a range of enriching experiences
while I was in the Philippines. I worked with farmers and community
organizers on a daily basis, promoting more sustainable approaches
to food production. One focus of my work was encouraging farmers to
diversify the crops they grew away from the monoculture of sugarcane,
towards a model of greater food security, including rice, corn, and
a range of vegetables. I also helped to promote the concept of the
self-sufficient and sustainable "Agro-Ecological village," an idea
that has helped to shape some of my more current work in Canadian
cities. Coupled with this first-hand learning, the skills that I gained
while on my internship, including cross-cultural sensitivity, effective
communication strategies, self-motivation, and project conceptualization,
have helped me immensely in the years since my Filipino experience.
All in all, it was a deeply enriching and rewarding experience, and
the lessons that I learned have positively influenced my life in innumerable
ways.
Current Status:
Exploring the fields of environmental education, urban greening, and horticulture
therapy, Edmonton, Alberta
 
©2004 REAP-Canada |
