My Nonprofit Reviews

Public Private Alliance Foundation is working primarily in Haiti, outside of Port-au-Prince, to increase the use of solar energy for cooking. The approach is multi-disciplinary, and very flexible regarding organizations through which it accomplishes its work on the ground. Some of the organizations work with schools or churches, but the key seems to be finding an enthusiastic person or persons who enjoy sharing their knowledge among those who are good candidates to adopt solar cooking to replace at least some of their cooking with charcoal. The results improve health, allow more trees to remain in Haiti, and improve household economies.

During the more than a decade that I have been a Board member for PPAF, the organization has discerned a primary purpose--to improve the lives of Haitians by the use of solar cooking. It has been a gradual process, as the Director, David Stillman, has learned about groups in a variety of smaller communities there, and sought out means to provide highly targeted interventions leading to improved self-sufficiency for both the groups and those they serve on the ground. Solar cooking has become the focus because of its beneficial health and environmental effects on individuals, families, communities, and institutions. We are not very big in size or budget, but our programs do benefit the communities and organziations where we are involved.

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As a board member, I remain impressed with the ability of the founder, David Stillman, to connect seemingly disparate community elements to create meaningful programs which create change in small ways which create community advancement.

For a number of years, I have been consistently impressed with both PPAF's outreach to US communities which has identified multiple unexpected sources of support both financial and professional, and their ability to identify projects at an appropriate scale for the resources available while making a difference in individual and community lives in diverse settings in the developing world. The current focus is on Haiti and improving cooking practices, with other efforts in the Dominican Republic and Madagascar. When Covid-19 broke out, immediate assistance was offered to current local partners to cope with this new challenge.

I regularly receive the reports and newsletters that PPAF shares with supporters and Board members, which clearly communicate how field-level efforts are making a difference in people's lives. The ability of the Executive Director and Secretary to find and make connections which are useful to the programs in the field is impressive!

As a Board Member, I have had the opportunity to observe how hardworking all those associated with this organization are, how dedicated they are to getting the job done, how tenacious they are in finding resources to carry out their work, and how creative they are in identifying ways to connect with others interested in their causes.

Over the last several years, I have witnessed the increasing maturity of PPAF as an organization, and its growing ability to mobilize grant funding to underpin the important work they plan. The orderly progress of the Haiti alcohol stoves project seems destined to create change for the people of Haiti, who have long been negatively impacted by the environmental, economic, and health effects of relying primarily on charcoal for cooking fuel.

The Public-Private Alliance Foundation creates organizational and intellectual space for synergy between for-profit and non-profit entities, leading to improved development in low-income countries. While this has been in vogue for more than a decade in development circles, the direct experience of PPAF, especially in the Haiti alcohol stoves efforts, amply demonstrates the benefits of this approach.

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I continue to be impressed with the dedication of the Executive Director and those who work with him to moving forward significantly while being extreemly efficient in his use of the funds available. The recent kick-off of the ethanol stoves project in Haiti is an example of just one such successful effort.

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