The Lindus Institute
The Lindus Institute
Refugee Empowerment:
Some refugee camps have been in existence for twenty years or more and can no longer be considered temporary settlements for displaced populations. The Lindus Institute acts to empower refugees within refugee camps and to promote private investment to support entrepreneurship of the refugees.
The Lindus Institute also advocates for the rights of refugees as they are mandated in the 1951 Convention on Refugees and the 1967 Protocol to the Convention to ensure their safety and protection under international law.
Economic Development:
Many populations in the world continue to suffer due to poor economic conditions. In some cases, these populations have skills that could be utilized to provide income, but they have not had the training to learn how to market them. Crafts and artistic productions, tourism, and food production are all activities that can provide needed income to impoverished populations, but they need the resources and expertise to accomplish these goals.
The Lindus Institute is coordinating with the U.S. Agency for International Development to implement increased production of organic products in the Balkans and Kenya and to develop the resources internal to the major tropical rain forests to prevent further deforestation of the forests which are major absorbents of carbon dioxide and other gases that contribute to global warming.
Peace Building:
The Lindus Institute is currently in the process of organizing musical concerts, art exhibits and theatrical events among young people of different religious and ethnic traditions in the Balkans. Tensions in the Balkans continue to be high despite the peace accords signed in 1997. Both extremist Christian and Muslim groups are active and attempting to increase their influence, which may destabilize the region again. While a reduction in tensions will not occur over-night, a more stable foundation for peace can occur if young people learn to perceive potential enemies as colleagues and friends.
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Human Rights and the
Environment:
Increasingly, environmental issues including Climate Change, safe water and air, toxic chemicals in the work place and the food chain are being viewed in a human rights framework.
The Lindus Institute works to ensure environmental justice for indigenous, marginalized, and low- income populations as well as for the rights of natural entities in the ecosystem.
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The Schoolhouse
on Wheels
International:
In many rural areas of Africa, Asia, Central and South America there are no formal school houses or school houses that are of standard quality.
The Schoolhouse on Wheels International will implement mobile units to those areas that are fully equipped to provide educational resources without charging fees.
This initiative is intended to
be of particular assistance to women and children who often are deprived of education due to the work they must carry out to acquire water and food for their families.