Research colleague and friend from Ifalik atoll measure a well for data collection.
Working together.
PARTNERSHIPS
Island Research & Education Initiative cooperates with organizations and companies who share our respect for the islands. We need assistance from generous donors to carry out our activities. Without financial and in-kind help, we would not be able to do much of the work we are committed to.
Be it satellite-based mapping in the field or publication of educational materials, producing quality data and products can be expensive. Financial donations by corporate donors allow us to meet our goals rapidly and effectively. Services and equipment contributed by companies sympathetic to our cause allow us to keep our costs down and apply our limited funds in the most effective ways. We offer donors the satisfaction of doing good for island cultures and environments, in addition to tax benefits and exposure. Please contact us if you are able to help.
FINANCIAL DONORS
The following are major financial sponsors of iREi. Our work would not be possible without their generous contributions.
FSM Telecommunications Corporation is a public corporation in the Federated States of Micronesia. It provides modern, efficient and cost-effective means of communications throughout the country, including a wide mobile phone coverage and internet access. While iREi was still in its very beginning, the FSM Telecom gave us a major boost by providing significant financial support for our Atlas of the Federated States of Micronesia project.
FSM Telecommunications Corporation website
Waab Transportation Company is one of the largest corporations in the Federated States of Micronesia. Headquartered in Yap harbor, this is the place to turn to for any transportation needs in the region. They also acts as agents for international shipping companies and the government passenger ship service. A major financial contribution to the Atlas of the Federated States of Micronesia project made our 2005 FSM expedition possible.
LOCAL IN-KIND SUPPORTERS
We thank the following companies for their continued support of iREi's work in Micronesia, for their hospitality and friendship.
Yvonne's Hotel is an excellent choice when visiting Pohnpei! The staff treats you like family (though can be a bit shy, but don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it), the facilities are always nice and clean, the location is in town, and they had everything we needed -- if we didn't, they were generous enough to help make arrangements and/or point us in the right direction. The restaurant's tuna omelet and fried ice cream were our favorites!
Truk Stop Hotel is the best place to stay on Chuuk! With its fantastic location, pleasant island atmosphere and wonderfully friendly management and staff, iREi is grateful to have the Truk Stop as our home on Chuuk. The clean and comfortable rooms, truly delicious food in the attached award-winning restaurant, a relaxing bar and fully equiped SCUBA dive center make the Truk Stop the perfect local base when exploring the world-famous shipwrecks and other spectacular underwater sights of the Chuuk Lagoon.
Truk Stop Hotel website
Manta Ray Bay Hotel is a dedicated dive resort and a truly world-class hotel in Yap. When we reached Yap at the end of our 2005 FSM expedition we were blown away by the luxurious, tropical-style rooms. The management and staff made us feel truly at home, as we relaxed in the one-of-a-kind floating restaurant in a perfectly restored 100-year old schooner, enjoyed diving with manta rays, and embarked on our kayaking trips right off the hotel's dock.
Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers website
Kosrae Village Dive & Eco Adventure Resort is the most eco-friendly tourist facility in Micronesia, period. Entered by crossing a small wooden bridge over a tidal creek shaded by luxuriant canopy, the entire resort is set in a lush agroforest next to a pristine coral reef. Accommodations are Micronesian-style cottages: spacious, homely, and incredibly relaxing, complete with modern amenities. Within the resort is one of the best restaurants in Micronesia, offering fine dining in a spectacular traditional setting. The management and staff are friendly and helpful, just as kind to guests as they are to the island environment.
Kosrae Village Dive & Eco Adventure Resort website
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GEAR SPONSORS
We are grateful to the following companies for their generosity and for making their superior products available to iREi.
Thales Navigation is a leading producer of GPS and navigation equipment. When we approached this amazingly generous company with a request for a Magellan GPS consumer device, they donated two professional grade MobileMapper Pro units to support our mapping effort in Micronesia . We put our mobile mappers to serious work within hours, by first uploading existing GIS coverages of Micronesia into the hand-held units, and then field updating them to replace inaccuracies. We are extremely happy with the ease of use, long battery life, ruggedness, functionality, reliability and sub-meter accuracy of Thales Navigation products and are deeply appreciative of this company's support of our work.
Thales Navigation website
Werner Paddles is a leading producer of superior quality paddles. We first used Werner's performance touring paddles on our 2005 FSM expedition and now rely on them for all our kayaking. Designed and constructed to perfection, they felt great even during our longest open-ocean crossings when we couldn't even see the atoll we were headed to. Their unbelievable combination of low weight and proven strength makes these paddles the ultimate touring equipment.
Werner Paddles website
Otter Products makes the best waterproof and crush-proof dry boxes we have ever seen. They have donated several of their virtually indestructible, floating dry boxes to support our work in Micronesia. With our valuable gear and precious data inside, OtterBoxes are our most important asset whenever we are in the field. We highly recommend OtterBox line of products as the best way to protect valuables in any situation, from casual outdoors trips to expeditions in the harshest environments.
OtterBox website
Cascade Designs, Inc. is a leading, innovative producer of outdoors products. They have donated a range of their SealLine drybags to IREI, for use on our kayaking expeditions. We love their ultralight weight, range of sizes and shapes suited to tight spaces in kayaks. Excellently engineered, these dry bags never fail to keep our gear organized and absolutely dry.
SealLine website
Cascade Designs website
Spirit Sails are freestanding sails that can be attached to kayaks via a compact ultralight rig. They require no technical skills and no modifications to your craft, yet can transform a kayak into a down-wind sailboat. We used Spirit Sails for fun trips inside lagoons of Micronesian atolls as well as for demanding inter-atoll crossings. Whenever wind direction was favorable, these sails changed potentially arduous journeys into pleasurable cruises.
Spirit Sails website