Don’t have time to attend a workshop? Check out notes from this session:

Phillip Williams, the facilitator for the workshop Sustaining the Environment, Sustaining the Future, works with the Nollen Group which is a financial firm that invests in natural capital and creates sustainable, environmentally-friendly projects all across the world. Over $100 million are invested in projects in Southeast Asia, Africa, and the Americas.

He talked about his work and different projects, successful and not so successful.

Lessons from the field

• Patience

>> Your first project isn’t gonna work, your second project isn’t gonna work, maybe your third project will be ok

• Local politics is everything
• Follow the money, show the money

>> Do something green and create employment

>> Just say, “I’m gonna bring money to this area, produce revenues”

• Focus on the and emphasize local pride

>> Its your project, you know this best, I’m just here to help out

• Get drunk, smoke cigarettes, chew betel, eat

>> I know its not good, you shouldn’t get addicted, but you should be participating in community

>> I’ll drink whatever is in front of me

>> Eat their food, love your food, no matter how disgusting it is

• Kiss babies, attend funerals
• Avoid NGO-speak

>> You never know what other NGOs have said before, so learn to use the right words

>> NGO jargon can sound different to community groups because of past projects