 Volunteering in a foreign country can really have an impact on your life and life perspectives.
One of the Directors, Wendy Tisdell visited Jamaica as a volunteer with Projects Abroad in April 2008 and really didn’t know what to expect.
After only spending only a few days at her placement, talking with community and observing general conditions, her own background as a Director of Prime Pump Co. Pty Ltd a commercial and industrial pump company brought her to the realization that she had a lot more to offer than simply a pair of hands and her time. Wendy’s business partner and husband Mark Tisdell (fellow Director) decided that their vast experience and expertise could be put to use by refurbishing or providing new water supply projects within educated and health related areas in developing countries.
Her company undertook to sponsor and fund the ‘Water & Sanitation’ Project as a first project in Jamaica in conjunction with Projects Abroad volunteers.
Jamaican country director Dr. Bridgette Barrett (fellow director) explains that volunteering with Projects Abroad can impact your life so deeply that it moves you to continue ina worthwhile way to affect the lives of people in developing countries. The ‘Water & Sanitation project was completed in early 2009 and is a clear example of this.
Wendy, Mark & Bridgette were determined to clearly support the vision of Projects Abroad to impact the lives of people in a meaningful way.
Subsequently in August 2009, they met with Projects Abroad International and a partnership was forged whereby the Foundation will seek funding and resources for the projects in developing countries and Projects Abroad International will assist in getting volunteers to complete these projects.
One of the driving factors behind the inception of the BridgIT Foundation has been that there appears to be a need for ‘bridging’ skills to finish projects of already donated funds by numerous organizations when applied to worthy project in the developing world. This has been noted by the Foundation Directors over a period of many years and a key driver behind the BridgIT Foundation is to provide an alternative vehicle for the delivery of quality skills to developing societies.
History of the Founders
 Wendy Tisdell (Founder & Director). Wendy is the Director of Prime Pump Co. P/L in Australia. She has over 25 years experience in business and financial management.
Responsibility of management in all facets of strategic and business planning including sales budgets, company expenditure and company cash flow and implementing company financial reporting. Wendy has been responsible for setting up the operations and systems for the company. Wendy has also been responsible for marketing and advertising strategy and promotional product design. She takes responsibility for the control of all financial and management requirements on BridgIT Projects.
Wendy has a particular talent for finance, organizing, procurement and logistics, areas that are essential for the success of our projects, particularly in regions where there is very little infrastructure and even less abailability of materials and services.
 Mark Tisdell (Director). Mark is the Technical Director of Prime Pump Co. P/L in Australia. he has over 25 years experience with pumping systems, water collection and storage systems and water treatment systems. He has a wealth of experience with applications as diverse as providing solutions for difficult applications in mining through to the establishment of water facilities in remote and isolated desert regions.
Mark has worked throughout Australia, the Pacific, Asia, the Middle East and Africa and during this time has been involved with all parts of the water and sanitation industry from design collaboration with Major Engineering Consultants and divisions of the United Nations through to on ground establishment and erection of plants with a shovel in one hand and a sweat stained Akubra in the other.
Mark is respected particularly for his ability to provide innovative water solutions in difficult or unusual applications where most other parties have simply walked away.
Mark currently leads the design and engineering efforts for all BridgIT projects.
Dr. Bridgette Barrett (Director Jamaica). Dr. Bridgette Barrett was born and bred in Mandeville, Jamaica. Dr. Barrett is the Country Director of Projects Abroad Jamaica since 2008. She holds a Ph.D in Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a concentration in Crisis Management and Community Development, a Master of Science degree in Sociology with a minor in Social Psychology and a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with Sociology minor.
She also owns and manages RADAR - the Research Agency for Development and Repositioning, a research, training and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) business. She is a conflict analysis and resolution practitioner and project management, research, training and community development expert with over ten years experience in these areas.
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