Funding Opportunities
Resources
Agriculture Development Plan
FY2011-2012 Supplemental Funding Exhibit A-1
FY2011-2012 Supplemental Funding Exhibit A-2
County Government's First Carbon Footprint Released
Ho`owaiwai
Ho`owaiwai is the guiding tenet for the work that is being done to help families on Hawai`i Island achieve self sufficiency. Ho`owaiwai means to enrich, and this term comes from the time tested indigenous wisdom of Native Hawaiians who learned how to be, thrive, and prosper. Their sense of wealth is captured in ho`owaiwai; in Hawai`i it was everyone’s kuleana to malama i ka wai because it affected the livelihood of the entire village. If you had a sufficient supply of wai, you were considered wealthy. (kuleana = responsibility; wai = water; malama = to care for)
Contact Information
Frecia Basilio
Economic Development Specialist |
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|---|---|
| Phone: (808)961-8085 |
Email: fbasilio@co.hawaii.hi.us |
| Fax: (808)935-1205 |
Address: 25 Aupuni Street, #1301, Hilo, Hawaii 96720 |
Vision of Ho`owaiwai
Well connected communities on Hawai`i Island nurture a culture of sharing and kuleana, and work together to build strong, financially secure youth and families.
“We want Hawai`i Island residents to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to take control of their financial health and well-being. The ability to save, to invest in education, to obtain affordable housing or start a business – in short, investing in the success of island people – is what moves our families ahead.”
- County of Hawaii Mayor Billy Kenoi
Background
Consistent with Ho`owaiwai, the County of Hawai`i recognizes that asset building is more than financial. Innovative strategies to increase the financial empowerment of families on Hawai`i Island have been implemented, and using a network approach, the County of Hawai`i continues to work with its national, state and local partners to expand and support these strategies.
Almost one in four Hawai`i Island families are asset poor - they have insufficient net worth to support themselves at the federal poverty level for three months in the absence of income. This means that families do not have the reserves to weather a job loss, an illness in the family, or not being able to meet monthly expenses. This also means that families do not have sufficient resources to invest in their future - to invest in a home, business, or education for their children.
To better address issues of family financial empowerment and genuine wealth building, the County of Hawai`i and the Hawai`i Alliance for Community Based Economic Development (HACBED) conducted a study and developed the Ho`owaiwai Hawaii Island - Building Genuine Wealth roadmap that identifies asset building policies and actions.
To ensure the relevance and meaningfulness of the roadmap to the island's families and communities, `Ohana (family) Dialogues were held throughout the island to ground the policies and actions in the perceptions and immediate needs of families, and to mobilize participation in asset building.
Many of Hawai`i Island families shared the idea that wealth was more than the accumulation of money and goods. They spoke of intangibles such as `ohana and the quality of their relationships; their ability to make it in difficult times with the help of their community networks; and the chance to share with others and leave a legacy for future generations.
Although Ho`owaiwai was initiated by the County of Hawai`i and HACBED, this is a community driven effort. The leadership, while supported by the County of Hawai`i, comes from the Ho`owaiwai Network Hawaii Island.
Focus Areas
1) Ho`owaiwai Network - Hawai`i Island
2) Children's Savings Initiative - Hawaii Island
3) Family Financial Empowerment
4) Cities for Financial Empowerment (CFE)
Goals
Through Ho`owaiwai, innovative strategies will be implemented to help families:
1) build financial security to help withstand difficult times;
2) create economic opportunities for themselves and their children;
3) leave a legacy for future generations to have a better life.
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