Blog entry #3: ECHO

I was extremely impressed with ECHO.  "ECHO's Mission is to equip people with resources and skills to reduce hunger and improve the lives of the poor." (www.echonet.org) There's the famous saying "Give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime." At ECHO they are sincerely concerned about teaching those in underdeveloped nations to live independently and sustainably. They also teach how to utilize every resource available so that nothing is wasted, which is significant when reasons are limited. 

I really enjoyed how we were allowed to taste the different edible parts of the plants. It was a neat experience to taste unique things that aren't normally found in the grocery store. My favorite part though was the urban gardens. I really loved how they used things like plastic grocery bags and kitty pools to hydroponically grow things. It showed that while ECHO's vision does expand past the borders of the USA, they still have a lot to offer those in their own backyard. 

The examples displayed at ECHO challenged my views of American agriculture. The urban gardens specifically because they were unique and efficient. The urban gardens made gardening seem possible for anyone to grow food anywhere. It was very resourceful and practical for people who live in urban areas with limited space to grow things. 

ECHO's use of appropriate technology makes their work relevant to the developing world. Appropriate technology means using technologies that are appropriate for the audience being targeted. For example, if we are going to teach people in Ethiopia to make a grill, appropriate technology evaluates what resources are available to them. Therefore, when we are teaching them to make a grill we are using materials they have access to; materials that are affordable, efficient and easily accessible. 

I wish I had waited to do my service learning because I would have like to have done it here. The main reason is probably because I have been to places like Haiti and Jamaica where people are at risk for starving. Haiti specifically could greatly use the resources that ECHO offers. Having been to Haiti and seeing the little kids that don't know where their next meal is coming from; i can really see how valuable ECHO's mission is.