Tonight, we are recognizing Jesse for his humanitarian work in both Mozambique and Mali, Africa. In Mozambique, Jesse was the project manager for the NEMA Foundation. He worked in very rural areas of Africa where 75% of the population is HIV+ and 3 out of 5 children do not live past their 5th birthday. While there, Jesse was involved in building sustainable Health Clinics and schools in the rural African villages. Jesse also volunteered with the local orphanage ensuring children at risk were not left behind in the community development process. Jesse also put his own life at risk by working in this area because it is a CDC zone for Malaria and Cholera. Jesse contracted both while he was working there. While in Mozambique, Jesse and his team tried to solve many 3rd world development issues - access to clean drinking water and health care, and how to educate for the prevention of diseases. They also worked to employ local workers to construct both the Health clinic and the school. This helped stimulate the local economy. Due to Jesse’s warm personality, he befriended the local workers and they really looked up to him.  Jesse tried to shift the paradigm buy stimulating the construction work of the health clinic to be fun, creating a workplace that was an escape from the harsh reality of African life.

Following his time in Mozambique, Jesse became a Volunteer Engineer for “GivePower.” Here he worked to provide solar energy systems to provide lights and electricity to a local school which helped extend the teaching hours. This allowed adults in the area to attend night school to learn to read and write. Again, Jesse put his life at risk because he was there during an Ebola outbreak. The lights in the school allowed the village to set up “Ebola Quarantine Rooms” where governmental workers were able to take care of Ebola patients. 

Jesse continues his community service in the USA by working with Grid Alternatives in the Bay Area helping install Solar Energy on low income houses in the Bay Area. He also volunteers with the National Ski Patrol for Search and Rescue in North Lake Tahoe.  The East Greenbush Education Foundation honors Jesse and his commitment to improving the lives of others.