DIGINIFIED LIVELIHOODS
Trees, Water & People strives to create work opportunities that people can be proud of, and that contribute to a higher standard of living in poor communities. We use the term “Dignified Livelihoods” to transcend the notions of "Economic Development" or "Economic Growth" which don’t always meet the needs of chronically impoverished communities.
Quality of life is a product of much more than income, it speaks to alignment between a person’s values, self esteem, and lifeways with how they provide for themselves and their families. It is a notion based in mutual respect, that goes beyond the transactional nature of merely earning a paycheck.
In Honduras, a national network of dozens of trained stove builders make a living promoting TWP’s Justa Clean Cookstoves that improve indoor air quality for more than 12,000 people annually in firewood dependent households.
Our partners Árboles y Agua para el Pueblo de El Salvador (AAP) and the Community Forestry Association of Guatemala Utz Che’ help strengthen community based small businesses built to address needs expressed by the communities.
And in another partnership, we work with the Ancestral Lands Conservation Corps in New Mexico to fund paid internships for corps members, placing them in career track natural resource management positions with Puebloan Tribes.
Perhaps most importantly, we believe that people who choose to work in service of people and planet, like our staff at TWP, shouldn’t be at an economic disadvantage compared to their peers in other sectors. We believe dignity extends into our workplace, and we offer competitive compensation, benefits, and development opportunities to ensure we can recruit and retain the resilient talent needed to succeed in this work.
Dignified Livelihoods are a prerequisite for a just and sustainable future. People will do anything to provide for their families, and the work they do shouldn’t be at odds with their health, dreams, or notions of self worth. TWP works to create jobs people can be proud of - and that contribute to our mission of protecting, conserving and managing the natural resources on which our long-term well-being depends.
Elsa Rodríguez - Maestra Fogonera
Learn more about the work Elsa is doing in Honduras.
A Maestra Fogonera Leads a Network of Lenca Women in Honduras
As any experienced gardener will tell you, to get great results, plant the right crops for your climate, water and weed regularly, and most importantly, put time into building your soil.