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Lisa Niver

Lisa Niver leads an experienced team that provides top tier campaign planning and resources to shape your story.

We Said Do Good: One Person Can Make a Difference! Will it be you?

We Said Do Good: One Person Can Make a Difference! Will it be you?

One person really can make a difference. Join us to help with our current project, 45×45: Solar Cooker Project! We Said Do Good!

45 X 45: Solar Cooker Project

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Article about our project in WESTSIDE TODAY, listed as media coverage in the Charles Bronfman Prize:
Sept 3, 2012: Forty-five days before I turn forty-five, I am asking you to join me in donating to Jewish World Watch (JWW) for the Solar Cooker Project to help forty-five families. I hope to find at least forty-five people willing to donate $5 to $45 (or more) in honor of my forty-fifth birthday, so I can share my gratitude about all the good things in my life. $40 will provide one family with two cookers and for $1800 we can outfit 45 families.  If 45 friends each donate $40 I can provide 45 families with safety, security and solar cooked meals! I have worked with JWW on several projects and their motto: “Do not stand idly by” inspires me. I hope that together we can help many families no longer fear leaving their refugee camp in search of firewood and fuel, and into the dangers of gang rape and death.
After a long journey full of peril from Darfur in Sudan, people arrive at the camps in Chad, traumatized after losing homes, family members, and any concept of safety into a bureaucratic jungle with only tarps for creating a new shelter. Having given up my home by choice this year to travel with my husband, I hope to help others feel cared for no matter where they rest their head.
Please use this link to donate www.solarcookerproject.org
Note that your donation is in honor of Lisa Niver and JWW will keep track of the money we raise together! Thank you for making a difference today.
December 2012 UPDATETogether we have raised enough money for FORTY-NINE Families to receive solar cookers! 

Inspired by Caine

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 Inspired by Caine! LACOT, We Said Go Travel and Jetset Extra Travel Happy Hour:
What inspires you? Where will you go next? Join us for a travel meet, mingle and get inspired happy hour!
Meet us at XBAR in Century City. Hyatt Regency Century Plaza at 2025 Avenue of the Stars Los Angeles, CA 90067
on June 12, 2012 from 6:30-8:30pm
Have you seen Caine’s Arcade yet? We are having a raffle to raise money for the Caine’s Arcade Foundation!
Video from the event: Inspired by Caine

Books for Bhutan

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Meet Plan Go in Los Angeles: This event is designed to give you the opportunity to MEET inspirational speakers and like-minded travelers; get motivation, contacts and resources necessary to PLAN the trip of a lifetime; and start taking concrete steps forward to GO on that global adventure.  Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at 7:00pm “Realize Your Travel Dreams!
The profits from our event were used to help fill the shelves in Mongar with books. If you would like to help add more to the library, please use this link.
Website: Books to Bhutan
Video from our event: Realize Your Dreams! 
Meet Plan Go Article about our donation: Click here

Burmese Refugees

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George and Lisa Rajna (the creators of We Said Go Travel), participate in community lives when they travel and support those in need. In Northern Thailand, at the UNHCR we learned about Burmese refugees from UN workers we met. While we sat in the same seats that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie had only a month earlier, unlike them we were not able to get permission to visit the camp. Using a list of needed items, we were able to donate balls, workbooks, pencils, toothbrushes and other things desired by parents in the camp for their children.

Mongolia Fair Trade

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While in Ulaanbaatar, we were able to learn about the Kazak women who make purses from tapestries.Bill and his NGO buy complete wall hangings from our artisans at fair trade prices.  All the hangings have been used in Mongolian Kazakh Gers or Yurts.  The traditions of making hangings are dying out as the younger generations see it as old fashioned so hangings are becoming more rare.  Many of our wall hangings were dated by the person when they made it.  We have hangings as young as 1995 (15 years old) and as old as 1965 (45 years old).Many hangings get damaged over the years from natural wear and tare and accidents.  People want to change them out just as we change our wallpaper in our homes and would normally throw damaged hangings away.  We show our Kazakh friends how to make all sorts of bags from the damaged wall hangings and give value to something they thought had no value. They are amazed that people will buy their old wall hanging products and are even more amazed that we find them attractive and works of art.  it really gives them a fresh sense that their embroidery is really of value and admired.  We think it give fresh life to the makers as well as the damaged wall hangings.

TEACHING and Creating Global Citizens:

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 While teaching science, I have had the opportunity to share my travels with my students.  Learning about balance scales and scientific measuring, we discussed scales from Morocco Markets, the scales in the Floating Market of Kalimantan, Indonesia, and scales at the doctor’s office.Learning about the fall harvest of Sukkot, we studied the Mongolian nomads and their Gers, tents that George and I lived in for eleven days on a Gobi desert journey. We also learned about social and economic issues while participating and winning the OXFAM Canada International Recycled Toy Contest. We raised awareness by watching a documentary about Tuvalu and its water issues called: “Trouble in Paradise.” My students interviewed the director in a session at school that prompted them to write letters to politicians and have a bake sale to help the people who must soon leave their island nation.Using material from JWW, I created a lesson called, “Earth Science: Who Cares?” which connected our rock cycle unit to the Congo Conflict-Free Minerals Act and we wrote to President Obama and other elected officials to ask for their support for the people of the Congo. Gorilla Greg came all the way from Rwanda to further discuss issues of the silver-back gorillas, mining and the Congo Conflict Free Minerals Act, which he helped to author.After seeing videos of Samoan school children from Manono Island, who wander this car free island shoe –less, my students wanted to be pen-pals as well as send shoes! Brian from Santa Monica Bay Keepers joined us to discuss the Kelp Forest of our Santa Monica Bay and how over hunting of sea otters allowed the population of sea urchins to devastate the Kelp. The connections we made to literature (Island of the Blue Dolphins), California economy, population growth and politics made for a fascinating day of science!In science, we also worked to care of our environment and its trees, and its animals. Kangaroo Lanie has brought many animals to school from chinchillas to camels and from alligators to armadillos as well as a kangaroo named Sheila with a joey in her pocket. All of these interactions have helped my students learn to make connections and get involved.At a National Science Teacher Conference, I met the team from Heifer International and was able to get their incredible curriculum of books and movies. I have often given Heifer International animals as gifts and was thrilled to be able to teach my students about their work that really changes lives.
3 Comments
  • Rachel Andres
    Posted at 23:21h, 03 September Reply

    Lisa
    WOW! Thank you for choosing the Solar Cooker Project as a way for your friends to honor you on your 45th B-day! I feel confident you will surpass your goal! Your commitment to the project is admirable. Thank you so much.

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
    Best,
    Rachel

    • Lisa Niver
      Posted at 07:45h, 05 September Reply

      Thanks so much Rachel! I appreciate your help and confidence! Lisa

  • Pingback:Travel Style: Lisa Niver Rajna and George Rajna - Johnny Jet
    Posted at 10:19h, 07 October Reply

    […] Favorite travel charity: Lisa: For my 45th birthday, the travel community with Jewish World Watch gave solar cookers to 49 families! Learn more about this project at http://www.wesaidgotravel.com/we-said-do-good […]

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