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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Dear GSBN friends,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I wanted to share PAKSBAB's end-of-year letter with you, below. Please share with others you think would be interested.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I wish you a Merry Christmas and the very best in the New Year!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>Darcey<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>******<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As a response to the recent terror attacks, the status quo encourages us to shut down and approach life from a place of fear and anger. I believe there is a better option and that is to react from a place of peace, love and compassion. It saddens me that Muslims, including many of my friends and colleagues, are being cast in generalizations that just aren't true. Instead of discrimination, let's each take an intentional step today to make a positive difference in the world. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>PAKSBAB has a vision - that everyone deserves access to safe and affordable housing and that this can be accomplished through local capacity building and appropriate design solutions that protect and restore the earth. Over the past 10 years we have developed a straw bale construction method appropriate for Pakistan and other developing countries, built 40 straw bale houses, and trained over 70 local builders. We also conducted a definitive<span style='color:#1F497D'> <a href="https://nees.unr.edu/straw-house">seismic research project</a></span> at the University of Nevada Reno's NEES site in which our straw bale house was tested on a shake table and withstood 8 consecutive earthquakes of increasing intensity - up to 2x the Northridge Canoga Park Record! In 2015 we completed a Permaculture Design Course and are excited to include sustainable farming and productive landscapes in our scope of work, empowering marginalized families to make a dignified living. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Our next project is to build an outreach and learning center in Abbottabad, Pakistan, a "hub" where we can showcase our work, offer educational services, and the local population can learn how to be better stewards of the earth. We're calling it the PAKSBAB Hub/Outreach and Learning Center and it looks like this:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><img border=0 width=590 height=356 id="Picture_x0020_3" src="cid:image002.png@01D13A8B.1A50C0A0" alt="cid:image002.png@01D13A8B.1A50C0A0"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><img border=0 width=393 height=326 id="Picture_x0020_7" src="cid:image001.png@01D13E62.4698EF40"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><img border=0 width=393 height=325 id="Picture_x0020_6" src="cid:image004.png@01D13E62.4698EF40"><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Project Highlights:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Computer lab and affordable computer literacy programs (provide connections to online university courses)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Cafe to serve the local community and showcase healthy, wholesome food options, many grown on-site<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>PAKSBAB office and conference room<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>PAKSBAB information/displays<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Retail shop to sell permaculture and sustainable building products such as solar PV<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Demonstration and outdoor learning areas for sustainable technologies including Permaculture, straw bale construction, natural finishes, solar PV, rainwater catchment, water filtration, sanitation solutions, rocket stoves and solar ovens<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Mentoring in English, math, physics, chemistry and biology for high school students<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Adult literacy programs<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>English language and grammar courses<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Technical/educational seminars<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Library area with copy services<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Priority on hiring female staff for computer lab, classroom and other gender appropriate positions<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Off-site workshops and sustainable building certificate programs in Permaculture and straw bale construction<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We've broken the Hub down into four phases:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Phase I - Purchase a 0.19 acre (30 marla) plot of land in a pedestrian-accessible urban area<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Phase II - Design, engineering and approvals<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Phase II - Utilities and construction<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph style='text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo4'><![if !supportLists]><span style='font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'> </span></span></span><![endif]>Phase III - Furnishings and program implementation<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>$40,000 accomplishes Phases I and II - purchasing the land and the design, engineering and approvals - an optimal position to secure a grant for phases III and IV. Ongoing operation of the Hub will be self-sustaining and will generate funds for program scholarships and future projects. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, author of The Little Prince, said: "A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single person contemplates it bearing within them the image of a cathedral." The PAKSBAB Hub/Outreach and Learning Center will be a cathedral of knowledge and opportunity for the local community and replicable in other locations. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>If this work touches you, we invite you to join us on our journey. Please help us reach our goal of raising $40,000 to complete Phases I and II by taking an intentional step in the form of a generous end-of-year contribution - click<span style='color:#1F497D'> <a href="http://builderswithoutborders.org/donate/index.htm">here</a></span> to donate! You have my personal assurance that your support will make a measurable and positive difference in the world. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>With gratitude,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Darcey<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>Darcey Messner Donovan, P.E., C.E.O.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>Pakistan Straw Bale and Appropriate Building (PAKSBAB)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>13308 Skislope Way<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>Truckee, CA 96161 USA<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>+1-530-902-5516 Ph<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>darceydonovan Skype<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><a href="mailto:darcey@paksbab.org">darcey@paksbab.org</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><a href="www.paksbab.org">www.paksbab.org</a> - currently being updated!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><i>There are two ways to live: You can live as if nothing is a miracle; You can live as if everything is a miracle.</i> Albert Einstein<i><o:p></o:p></i></p></div></body></html>