Methodology

Pangea Proxima's unique, scientific and low-cost methods help reveal ideal locations for new health and education services, and expands the capabilities of small local businesses to succeed while our concept targets the origins of poverty. If a building is not available or does not exist in the targeted area, we have the ability to build low-cost, long-lasting, safe and beautiful structures constructed from local natural materials. Pangea Proxima's method is not a "band-aid" approach, but applies a necessary social "vaccine".

 

A "Pangea Proxima Signature Project" encompasses the following methodology:

 

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Our professional consultation organization will work with governments at the local, state/provincial, and federal levels, as well as NGOs (non-government organizations) in the region to reduce education and health deficiencies by improving and expanding preexisting programs and services or creating new facilities and programs if they do not exist in the area of need. Through discussions with government and NGOs in a specific region we will concentrate on discovering the origin of their social problems, geographically pinpoint the problematic area and then offer reasonable solutions. Our assessment will offer educated suggestions for new aspects needed for programming, along with maps that will determine the new locations and expansion for programs and facilities.  

Specifically, the following methods for our assessment will be utilized to ensure high-quality results and reporting:

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  Example of initial planning of phases

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Consultation with government/NGO officials to determine the most pressing needs of the region and offer suggestions for projects
• Primary Input

o Surveys of locally targeted control groups

o Information provided by local experts involved in the 
   subject matter

• Secondary Input

o A thorough review and research of historical  
   information about the particular subject and geographic 
   area

o Analysis of the national census report

• Statistical analysis of the national census report and local survey information to determine correlations between subjects.
• Spatial analysis of the census and local survey reports utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to create maps in order to illustrate the results of the data, record critical geographic points (schools, current programs, hospitals, etc...)  and target “hot spots” (areas in which the problem has been occurring the most).

When attempting to understand and analyze social issues, while considering the creation of new education and health programs to serve the populations, it is imperative to understand the standard of living, demographics, cultural aspects, economy, education and health systems at the national, state and local levels. When appropriate, “best practices” and shortcomings of previous and current social programs and systems internationally will also be reviewed. Unbiased and concise summaries of these subjects will enable politicians and other decisions makers to put their constituent's situation in context, in order to make informed and educated decisions.

Once the background research is conducted and local experts are interviewed, local surveys will be administered to the targeted population in order to understand the present problem. The completed surveys from the local communities will be analyzed and the answer patterns paired with the information from past research. This step will enable our understanding of which programming aspects need to be added to current programs or developed in new programs in order to encompass the problem and form viable solutions.

The surveys will also provide the critical information needed in order to create geographically accurate, colored, schematic, digital maps utilizing Geographic Information Systems (GIS) resulting in a spatial analysis that accurately represent where the targeted populations reside.  Illustrating geographic patterns that develop after analysis with accurate maps will help pinpoint primary target areas for new programs for the affected and at-risk population. Increasing quality and access to social services will be essential for alleviating the negative outcomes caused by poverty and inefficient systems. 

This map shows the spatial relation of the average number of children of teenage mothers living in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. This was 1 of the 50+ maps produced for the project conducted by Pangea Proxima's lead consultant, Trevor Stine, in order to help the city of 180,000+ alleviate teenage pregnancy, which is a large contributor to the cycle of poverty. At the time of this project, the state of Baja California Sur had the 3rd highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the nation.

The amalgamation of our research efforts will be packaged into a report which will reveal the unbiased results of our project, which will enable our consultants to make intelligent and informed suggestions for future health and education programming and facilities. The report will serve as a powerful tool for local organizations, city planners, school/health systems and citizens to combat the current obstacles which prevent the region from a higher quality of life. If the suggestions are taken positively by the government/NGO authority officials, we will begin discussions and negotiations for possible implementation.

When the government or NGO decides that the suggestions for solutions within the final report are relevant, our consulting team will begin the back-end work of the “Pangea Proxima Signature Project”, which includes education and health programming implementation, site assessment and construction of the needed facility and the implementation of our other add-ons. The portions of this back-end work will be managed by the Pangea Proxima International Consultant Team Members.

International Pangea Proxima Health and Education Consultants will assist with and set-up programming implementation for the new or preexisting facilities. An example would be creating distance learning solutions in rural areas scarce of well-qualified teachers.

If a facility does not exist within the targeted geographic area, our consulting team can provide a building solution. Our construction methods are centric to natural and local materials, primarily utilizing straw bale and earth bags. These sustainable building methods allow for safe, long-lasting and beautiful natural structures, which can be built in a short time span at low cost. We will not build the structures, which will be used for schools and clinics, but will provide the experts who will manage the build site and empower local residents by teaching them an alternative building method, in which they can use for their own homes.

Austin Drill and his  team of Casa de Tierra builders

Children and teachers celebrating their new school

School built with natural materials in Las Brisas, Nicaragua by Pangea Proxima consultants Austin & Michelle Drill (Casa de Tierra)

While the education/health/multipurpose facility is under construction, and when appropriate we will bring in our team of international consultants to hold community workshops. These workshops are meant to empower the members of the local community within the targeted area.

Our international consultants will teach and help implement:

• Sustainable landscapes and organic gardening/communal farming using global best practices and techniques
  
  

  

  Pangea Proxima consultant Andrew Russell looking over an organic garden near Jinotega,
   Nicaragua
  
  

• Low-cost and effective potable water solutions
   

  
  

  

  Community Solutions
  
   

  
  
  

  

  Home Solutions

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  • Alternative ovens

  
  

  

  Building a natural oven

  
  
  
  

  

  An aged natural oven

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  • Tree planting programs

  
  
  

  

  Residents plant seedlings during a tree planting organised by the provincial government conservation project in Pili, Camarines sur province, south of Manila.(www.intellasia.net)
  
  

• Alternative and sustainable forms of energy production
  
  

  

  Natural home with solar energy production (www.buildingwithawareness.com)

Green Empowerment helping small communities in Peru (www.energias-renovables.com)

Renewable World and The Clean Energy Company (TCEC) brought clean, affordable and reliable energy to the remote community of Mapandi on the northern coast of Mozambique. (www.renewable-world.org)

During Pangea Proxima’s development efforts, the community will be matched with reputable international micro-credit/group lending, medical and organic farming organizations. This effort will try to further improve the economic and health standing of the targeted community after our consulting team has left the project area.

Optometrists from Canadian Vision Care screening school children and the elderly during free clinics in Costa Rica. (www.canadianvisioncare.com)

Pangea Proxima's methodology leaves a lasting mark on communities by empowering residents with increased health, education and economic opportunities while preserving and enhancing the surrounding environment.