After digesting a lot of information about the project in Nicaragua, Bright New Ideas would like to announce a new fund raising target for July 15th, 2008. The amount of $5000 will cover materials cost as well as some research costs to bring light to over 100 communities in the Jinotega region of Nicaragua through year-end 2008. There are many families waiting for the chance to have access to light, and so your donation will make a big difference in launching off this commercially-sustainable goodwill project. Donations are tax-deductible as we are a 501(c)3 non-profit. Donate by clicking the donate button and sending money via Paypal today!

Hey all!  I know that we’ve been posting a lot of sites about Nicaragua lately.  We’re still decompressing after Patrick’s recent trip through the country.  We’ll soon have lots more interesting information to post!

I found this political-based website on Nicaragua.  It might be interesting for you to check out if you’re interested in the country.

I came across this article in the Idaho Statesman that blew apart my conception of what charity work is.  The goal of the organization, Happy Trails, is to teach motorcycle lessons and maintenance in Nicaragua.  The organization emphasizes the 19 day, 5,000 mile journey down to Nicaragua as apart of bonding with the land and culture.

The money quote is this:  “It makes a different person out of you. I used to be a redneck. Now I’m a bleeding-heart redneck.”

Click here to check out their website (not much of a mention of their charity work, but good if you’re looking for bike parts)!

I’ve been really enjoying the Nicaragua Living website I posted earlier.  Some posts are just of a picture or something, but this one is a really great video of scenes in Nicaragua.

I’m not sure if any of you remember the story of Eric Volz, the man who was imprisoned in Nicaragua for murder, a crime which he didn’t commit.  If you’re curious what he’s doing today, you should visit his blog.  Since his release, he’s decided to turn this website into a awareness-raising tool for those who have been falsely imprisoned in other countries.  Now he’s talking about a woman named Brenda Martin, who is a Canadian woman who has been imprisoned in a Mexican prison for two years without due legal process.

Here’s a news story, with video, on his efforts.

Also, here is a link to his website.

I just found an interesting blog about Nicaragua called Nicaragua Living.  It’s a user-powered blog that features lots of videos and notes about the country.  Make sure to check it out!  The first post I read featured a cool song by Carlos Mejía Godoy, a musical artist I’d never heard of before.

Interesting article on solar lighting in slums in India.

MIT and the Fraunhofer Institute plan on joining forces to create an ultimate solar power team which plans on significantly reducing the cost of solar power over the next five years. 

I’m on my way back to Minnesota.  Here is an article from a scientist at Berkeley National Laboratory a few years ago about how Solar LED lighting could help people around the world who currently have no access to electricity.