David Bloch has been acting as the Volunteer Coordinator with Twende for a little over a year after first coming across Twende in 2016 when researching non-profit solar organizations. David’s past work has revolved around the relationship between people and the natural world, specifically managing organic farms, restoring salmon habitats, and performing biological surveys, just to name a few! David’s previous experiences in combination with his current job of installing residential and commercial solar has made him a valuable Twende volunteer, one eager to learn more about how to make a difference in under served communities.
David has participated in both the Portland Rescue Mission and Peru installs. David recalls the Portland Rescue Mission project as one of the most uplifting experiences he has had, noting two women residents at the facility in particular. As the women, inexperienced in solar install, worked alongside David drilling holes and wiring conduits, the women shared their stories of perseverance and personal strength. David describes feeling appreciation for simply getting to know these two women through the shared language of hard work and laughter.
David’s experience with the Peru project was similarly moving. David tells of the moment after the install was complete that the village chief spoke to the village children, explaining the new opportunities available due to electricity and strongly urging them to take the responsibility upon themselves to take action. This moment was a historical one for the current, past, and future of the Mushuk Lamas community.
In the future, David hopes to continue to help others become involved with Twende through his current position, physically work on more projects, and help evolve Twende in the larger picture. One of David’s favorite parts about working with Twende is seeing how many people simply want to help oftentimes overlooked communities improve their standards of life and health through solar power.
