Haitian metal art
— 13 Comments

How to Help Haiti after Hurricane Matthew

A year and a half ago, I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Haiti as part of a program to view Macy’s Heart of Haiti products and meet the artisans behind the beautiful art. It was an incredible trip in many ways as it opened my heart and mind to a different side of Haiti that is often not discussed in the press. Instead of seeing tragedy, hardship and destruction I saw amazing resilience, hope and creativity through the arts.

Carnaval 2015 Port-au-Prince

Our group, #Bloggers4Haiti

It was with a heavy heart that I followed the news of yet another tragedy in Haiti, the destruction and death from Hurricane Matthew. Hundreds more have died, thousands have lost their homes and their livelihoods once again, and the devastation left behind is just another setback in a country that seems to constantly take one step forward two steps back.

As the US and others rush in with aid to help Haiti, it is often asked how one can best help Haiti. Although humanitarian aid is absolutely necessary, tragically a lot of good intentions behind aid aren’t always fulfilled. Selecting the right kind of organization to donate to is even more important than ever.

Pétionville Haiti

The “Gingerbread” homes and slums that raise up the mountains behind luxurious Pétionville.

Gifts that Give Back SOCIAL GOOD
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Siestas for Fiestas: Beautiful Mexican blankets that provide a meal to a family in need

“Colorful yoga mat. Eye-catching home décor. Bohemian table runner. Comfy beach blanket. Each purchase provides a homemade Christmas meal for an impoverished family in Mexico.” – Siestas for Fiestas

Many people travel to enjoy the gorgeous beaches and resorts of Cancun, Mexico however few people think about the other side of Mexico often unseen behind the luxury. The countless number of Mexicans living in poverty, lacking opportunity to find sustainable employment, feed their families, and send their children to school. For Chris and Jesenia, a husband and wife team from Los Angeles, it took an unexpected and serendipitous move to Cancun to realize how much need there was in the community and how passionate they were to make a difference. 

It was there in Cancun where Chris and Jesenia met Pastor Arturo Guzman and his congregation at Fe, Amor y Esperanza whose passion for helping the community changed Chris and Jesenia’s life.  Upon returning to the US, Chris and Jesenia founded Siestas for Fiestas, a boutique blanket shop that sources textiles directly from Mexico and handcrafts all products in Los Angeles, CA. For each one sold a Christmas meal is provided to a family living in poverty in Cancun, Mexico.

I had the opportunity to speak with Jesenia and learn more about the inspiration behind their company and what their vision is for the future. Here is what she had to say.

Meet Chris and Jesenia, founders of Siestas for Fiestas. Photo credit: Mariel Hannah

Meet Chris and Jesenia, founders of Siestas for Fiestas. Photo credit: Mariel Hannah

Me:  Why did you and Chris move to Cancun?

Jesenia: We were leading busy lives working in LA and had always wanted to live in another country. I was working in the wedding planning industry when a short-term position opened up for me to work in Cancun, Mexico with a California-based company who wanted to expand internationally. Since both Chris and I are native Spanish speakers and had been to Cancun before and loved it, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to try something new. We moved to Cancun in January 2015 and stayed for about six months.  While we were there we met a Pastor that was working on an amazing project to help feed his congregation and we wanted to help.

Siestas for Fiestas

Chris and Jesenia with Pastor Arturo and the congregation in Cancun. Photo credit: Mariel Hannah

Me: How did you meet Pastor Arturo Guzman and get connected with church?

Jesenia: Chris and I had a woman taking care of my grandpa in LA and when I told her we were moving to Cancun, she asked me to deliver some things to her nephew, Pastor Arturo Guzman, who lived there and was a Pastor at  Fe, Amor y Esperanza. We met him and told him that we wanted to find a church to attend. We started going to Fe, Amor y Esperanza that very first Sunday and continued to go the entire time we were in Cancun. Pastor Arturo and his family became our family. We were so incredibly inspired by him and the work he was doing to help others.

What inspired you to start Siestas for Fiestas?

Jesenia:  Pastor Arturo shared with us an especially personal and heartfelt mission: The church’s ongoing Christmas project to feed families living in poverty. We were inspired by his heart for this project and began brainstorming ideas on how we could help. One day we were out shopping and saw beautiful Mexican textiles and I thought “Why not use the colorful textiles of Mexico to make and sell blankets?” I bought some materials and made 16 blankets thinking I would sell them to friends to raise money for the project. I ended up selling all the blankets instantly and little by little, kept making and selling more. Before I knew it, Siestas for Fiestas was launched and we have been making blankets ever since.

Chris and Jesenia hold up one of their blankets.

Chris and Jesenia hold up one of their blankets. Photo credit: Mariel Hannah

 

 

 Me: What is your vision and mission?

Gifts that Give Back SOCIAL GOOD
— 18 Comments

Vanam Foundation: Improving Education and Conservation outside Bandipur National Park

About 230 km (143 miles) away from Bangalore lies the Bandipur National Park in the district of Chamarajnagar. Tucked around the stunning Western Ghat Mountains in Karnataka, Bandipur National Park is regarded as one of the most beautiful parks in India and is home to many types of wildlife including tigers, elephants and gaurs (a type of bull) as well as the predominantly indigenous communities that surround the park. Together with Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary in Tamil Nadu, Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala and Nagarhole National Park in the North, it creates the India’s largest biosphere reserve popularly known as the ‘Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve’ and is an important part of India’s efforts towards eco-conservation.

Bandipur National Park was founded in 1974 under the Indian Government in efforts to conserve the tigers and wildlife community, however, in the process of establishing the park the tribal populations who has lived in the forests of the reserve for centuries were moved off of their land and into the villages and hamlets that surround the park. They had lost access to their traditional way of life as forest dwellers and were moved into subsistence farming on dry plots of land.

Morning at a water body inside the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Photo credit: Nithila Baskaran)

Morning at a water body inside the Bandipur Tiger Reserve (Photo credit: Nithila Baskaran)

Conservation/Environment Gifts that Give Back Global Issues Humanitarian SOCIAL GOOD Women and Girls
— 9 Comments

Kurandza: One woman’s quest to #FeedMozambique

Meet Elisabetta Colabianchi, Founder of Kurandza, a non-profit social enterprise that invests in the future of women in Mozambique. I have featured her work and organization before on my blog and include their products under my Gifts that Give Back Guide. Kurandza uses education, entrepreneurship and sustainable development programs to help create opportunity and change for women and their communities. A devastating two-year drought in Mozambique has caused widespread hunger inspiring Elisabetta to shift gears and focus on hunger relief. Here is her heartwarming story. 

Percina and Elisabetta. Photo credit: Nicole Anderson of Sorella Muse Photography

Percina and Elisabetta, two wonderful friends who met in a village in Mozambique while Elisabetta was a Peace Corps volunteer. Photo credit: Nicole Anderson of Sorella Muse Photography

“Kurandza: To Love”: Written by Elisabetta Colabianchi, Founder and Designer, Kurandza

I’d known there was a hunger crisis in Mozambique, but what really got to me was hearing that HIV positive mothers were faced with choosing between letting their children starve or nursing their children past the recommended time despite the risk of passing on HIV.

Prior to founding my non-profit organization, Kurandza, which means “to love” in the local Changana language, I lived in Mozambique as a Peace Corps volunteer for three years. While there, I worked at a rural hospital counseling mothers on the prevention of HIV transmission to their babies, and had successfully prevented the transmission to hundreds of children.

At first, I thought that maybe the mothers who continued to nurse despite the risk were doing this because they forgot their training. Or I thought perhaps I hadn’t taught them very well after all.

But when I counseled one of these mothers over the phone last month from my home, now living thousands of miles away in California, I realized she knew exactly what she was doing, and that it hurt her to do so. She knew that by continuing to nurse her child past the recommended time, she was putting her baby at risk to contract HIV. She knew that when a child contracts the HIV virus, it often leads to mortality.

Food Security Gifts that Give Back Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises SOCIAL GOOD
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The inspiring story behind Anchal Project

ANCHAL  /ON-CHAL/  NOUN

(1). The decorative edge of a sari used to provide comfort and protect to loved ones.  (2). A Shelter. 

gulshan holding her finished piece

I first learned about Anchal Project a few years ago from a fellow social good blogger who lives in Louisville, Kentucky where Anchal Project is based.  After looking at their beautiful website and learning about their philanthropic model, I bought my first scarf and fell in love with the beauty and exquisiteness of their unique products and the story behind each scarf. I have been promoting their products on my Gifts that Give Back page for years and finally this week I had the opportunity to speak with co-founder and CEO Colleen Clines about the inspiration behind Anchal Project and what she has done to help women escape poverty and prostitution in India. Little did I know, her own personal story was equally as inspiring and powerful as her work heading Anchal Project. Here is the story.

Colleen meeting with the women of Anchal after battling cancer.

Colleen meeting with the women of Anchal.

Gifts that Give Back SOCIAL GOOD
— 9 Comments

A Mother’s Day Guide of Gifts that Give Back

This Mother’s Day, why not consider a unique gift that also gives back to a mother in return? I have compiled a fabulous list of ideas that include beautiful products handmade by women as well as donations that support mothers around the world.

Here are some of the loveliest gifts that give of the season for that special mom in your life.

Beautiful handmade products that give back to mothers

Bloom & Give

Bloom & Give sells beautifully handcrafted scarves and bags made in India using techniques passed on from generation to generation. Each product is designed in the US by one of Bloom & Give’s designers, and made in India with love. Bloom & Give donates 50% of their profits to support girls education programs in India through their partner Educate Girls to improve the lives of girls in Rajasthan. Here are a few new products:

BARI INDIGO SILK COTTON SCARF
BARI LILAC SILK COTTON SCARF
Maya Hamsa Blue Tote

Mother’s Day Special: Bloom & Give has graciously offered my readers a 20% discount off their purchase. At checkout , please enter the code: THIRDEYEMOM.

www.bloomandgive.com

Anchal

Designing Change Stitch by Stitch” Anchal creates absolutely stunning scarves, pillows and quilts each handmade out of recycled saris by Indian women rescued from prostitution. Here are some of their latest products:

Traditional Square Scarf, Bandana and Small Pouch as shown below.
Infinity Scarf  ( we are loving the fuchsia over-dyed version)
Grid Square Scarf  (over-dyed in black or indigo)

Large Pouch  (comes in traditional or overdye)

To view a complete product guide, click here. 

Connected in Hope

Connected in Hope is a nonprofit social enterprise & lifestyle brand that empowers vulnerable women and families in Ethiopia to rise above poverty.  Connected in Hope currently employ 80+ artisans, providing them with sustainable, predictable incomes. One hundred percent of the profit generated from product sales is reinvested in programs that benefit the artisans and their families. Profits fund Connected in Hope’s innovative preschool and kindergarten, adult literacy classes, community education events and health care programs.

FASIKA FOLDOVER CLUTCH (CAMEL)
FASIKA FOLDOVER CLUTCH (CAMEL)
Enat Scarf with FASIKA FOLDOVER CLUTCH (CAMEL)

Mother’s Day Special: Connected in Hope is offering free shipping on all Mother’s Day orders over $100 with coupon code:  FORMOM. To view special products for Mother’s Day click here. 

www.connectedinhope.org

All Across Africa

All Across Africa currently works with over 3,000 artisans in Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and Burundi, paying artisans up front for the goods at many times what they could sell them for in a local market. This sustainable income allows them to send their children to school, feed their families and even create savings accounts. In addition, money goes back into the communities in the form of education and training programs. All Across Africa believes that job creation is the solution for the rural poor in these countries. Check out their beautiful handmade and fair-trade goods here. You are bound to love the products and the amazing work All Across Africa is doing.

Here are some of their beautiful products that would make lovely gifts for your mom.

Necklace
Bracelet
Handwoven basket
www.allacrossafrica.org
Humanity Unified

Humanity Unified is a for-profit enterprise that donates 100% of net profits to Humanity Unified International, a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to lifting vulnerable populations out of poverty. Together with local NGO, Aspire Rwanda, they are developing a food security project that will benefit 100 women living in poverty. The project will provide a women’s farming cooperative with the education, tools and training necessary to generate livable incomes, so that they can be self-sustaining and provide for their families after one year. These beautiful Mala bracelets are a wonderful gift for your mom.

The Resilience Mala
The Transcendence Mala
The Strength Mala
Set of two Malas

Special Mother’s Day Discount: Humanity Unified is offering 10% off any item. Just enter the code: 4mom when checking out.

www.humanityunified.org

Kurandza

Kurandza is a purpose-driven fashion company that creates handcrafted jewelry and accessories with women in Mozambique. Their mission is to empower women, the majority of whom are HIV positive, through education and employment opportunities. In addition to receiving fair wages for their work, profits from sales go back to this community to fund development projects.

Currently Percina Miocha, the Director of Kurandza in Mozambique, is currently visiting the United States for the first time! It’s been her dream to visit the U.S. since high school, and she’s finally realizing this goal. She’s preparing to return to Mozambique this week and will bring new skills and lots of memories back with her! She’s enjoyed her time so much that she plans to come back every year.

Here are some new products for your mom.

Special Mother’s Day Discount of 10% off with code “thirdeyemom” on orders placed before Mother’s Day.

www.kurandza.com

fashionABLE

Your purchase of a fashionABLE scarf creates sustainable business for women in Africa.  Our commitment as a non-profit is to the development of people — fashionABLE works with women who have been exploited due to the effects of poverty.  So, when you purchase a scarf you are providing jobs, and then we send the net profits back to holistically rehabilitate more women. I had the opportunity to visit fashionABLE in Ethiopia and it is an amazing program!

This Mother’s Day, why not honor your mom with a gorgeous Tirhas leather Saddlebag?

www.livefashionable.com

Thistle Farms

Thistle Farms is a social enterprise of women survivors of prostitution and drug addiction that would provide an opportunity for a sustainable income and life for the women. Based in Tennessee, Thistle Farms houses a natural bath and body care company, Thistle Stop Café, a paper and seeing studio and a global marketplace called Shared Trade. Today, Thistle Farms employees more than 50 survivors and benefits over 700 women a year.  Proceeds support Thistle Farms and the residential program, Magdalene. The community provides housing, food, healthcare, therapy and education for two years, without charging residents or receiving taxpayer money.

Here are some of their wonderful products for your mom including such lovely ideas as the Thistle Farms Bug Free Candle (Made with nature’s best ingredients for repelling insects – organic rose geranium oil, geraniol, cinnamon leaf oil, citronella and clove bud oils),  the Lilly Gift Set (Uniquely handcrafted planters from Freedoms Promise in Cambodia. Freedom’s Promise seeks to combat human-trafficking in Cambodia by providing fair wages and safe working environments for women artisans), and the Blessed Hope Nepal Bracelets (Their new roll-on bracelets from Thistle Farms’s Global partner in Nepal, come in an array of vibrant colors and feature hand-crocheted beads in intricate patterns).

Blessed Hope Nepal bracelets
Blessed Hope Nepal Bracelets
Bug Free candle
Bug free candle
Lilly Set
Lilly Set

To order any of these products from Thistle Farms, click here.

For the mom who has everything but wants to give something special:

The Miracle Foundation:

There are millions of orphaned children in the developing world, many of whom languish in sub-standard institutions without access to basic food, clean water, clothing, schooling and medical care.  That’s why The Miracle Foundation, a non-profit organization that empowers orphans to reach their full potential by turning orphanages into places where children thrive, is launching its unique Mother’s Day campaign.  The 501(c)(3) charity, which revolutionizes the way orphanages are run, funded and managed, hopes to raise funds by May 8th to pay the annual salaries and room & board of the housemothers working in its orphanages.

Children at one of the orphanages The Miracle Foundation supports in India. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson
A child and a house mom at one of the orphanages The Miracle Foundation supports in India. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson
Spiritual development is part of the The 12 Rights of the Child that form The Miracle Foundation’s philosophy of nurturing children to their fullest potential. At Anbarasi Children’s home, these girls pray after returning from school. Children at one of the orphanages The Miracle Foundation supports in India. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson

Each of Miracle’s housemothers acts as a mom to the 20 orphaned children in her care, creating an environment where they can truly thrive. These incredible women raise the boys and girls the charity supports into smart, strong, compassionate and self-sustaining men and women.

“This Mother’s Day, instead of giving her flowers, candy, or dinner at a nice restaurant, we invite you to honor your mom by spending the same amount of money in a much more meaningful way,” said Caroline Boudreaux, Founder of The Miracle Foundation. “Participating in our campaign will engage both of you in the lives of less fortunate children in the developing world. What better way to pay tribute to your mother than by helping provide a mom to those who don’t have one?”

The Miracle Foundation

Caroline Boudreaux, Founder of The Miracle Foundation, in Delhi. Photo Credit: Lynne Dobson

Here’s what your Mother’s Day gift can do:

  • $25: Feeds a housemother for one month
  • $60: Funds a housemother for one month, including food, salary and room & board
  • $180: Funds a housemother for three months
  • $720: Funds a housemother for an entire year!

To donate, visit www.miraclefoundation.org/mothers.

The Adventure Project

The Adventure Project is a non-profit that “adds venture” to offer education, tools and resources for people to become entrepreneurs and change their lives. The Adventure Project partners with some of the leading non-profit organizations on the ground, focusing on the world’s greatest issues affecting people in poverty such as the environment, health, hunger and water.

Currently The Adventure Project is running a campaign to provide safe, clean drinking water to women in Uganda.

Screen Shot 2016-04-12 at 8.07.21 AM Screen Shot 2016-04-12 at 8.07.15 AM

To make a donation to The Adventure Project, click here.

Happy Mother’s Day to all you moms out there! Feel free to check my entire list of Gifts that Give back here. 

Gifts that Give Back
— 8 Comments

WO Design: Creating Change for Widows and Orphans in Ethiopia

“There are 4.5 million orphans in Ethiopia. What if we each helped them in a small, tangible way? The total effort would be substantial.” – Josh Allen, founder of WO Design.

It was during a life-changing service trip to Ethiopia in the fall of 2012 that Josh Allen, a young dad from Bozeman, Montana, was exposed firsthand to the hardship faced by widows and orphans in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Josh went to Ethiopia as a delegate with the Global Leadership Summit and was introduced to various non-profit organizations around Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital.  He spent a day with Bring Love In, a non-profit organization that helps to provide orphans and widows with a loving, stable home. Josh was instantly moved by the program and the amazing success they had in giving both unwanted orphans and widows a second chance at life and love.

He returned home to Montana driven to make a difference and help support the orphans and widows he met at Bring Love In. Already a successful retailer Dee-O-Gee and developer of dog toys, Josh found a way to bring his expertise and desire to help orphans and widows together by the creation of his company, WO Design (which stands for Widows and Orphans Design).

In the fall of 2014, Josh launched WO Design with his first product, the WO Bone, that is made in his hometown of Bozeman, Montana. For each dog toy purchased, two meals are provided to widows and orphans at Bring Love In in Ethiopia. Nine months later, he added another product, the WO Disc and by the end of 2015, over 5,000 meals have been provided to widows and orphans at Bring Love In. 

WO Bone
WO Disc
WO Disc comes in a variety of colors
Gifts that Give Back SOCIAL GOOD
Humanity Unified
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Humanity Unified International launches first fundraiser to help Rwandan Women

Do you ever feel like the connections we make in life sometimes seems like fate? The more I work in this tiny niche of social good travel bloggers, the more amazed I am by the incredible friendships and network I’ve made online. I’ve met countless inspiring bloggers and humanitarians online through blogging and social media. One such person is Maria Russo, founder of the award-wining online media platform for travel and social good, The Culture-ist and the non-profit Humanity Unified International. It all happened because I follow her on Instagram where I noticed the amazing photographs her organization was posting on women and girls in Rwanda.

A young girl in Rwanda. Photo by Arielle Lozada

A young girl in Rwanda. Photo by Arielle Lozada

I commented on the photos and began a relationship online that resulted in an interview  and a post on her and her husband Anthony’s work as the founders of Humanity Unified and Humanity Unified International. I was instantly drawn to Maria and Anthony’s passion for making the world a better place by starting at the grassroots level by improving the lives of women and girls in Rwanda.

The more I work in social good and advocacy, the more I understand how these kinds of programs work. It is a proven that investing in women makes a tremendous amount of sense and investing wisely in programs that provide training, education, health and sustainable agricultural practices is even better. Women invest 90% of their income back into their families while men invest approximately 30 percent (UNAC).

On a personal level, like everyone I am bombarded with requests for donations every day thus I choose my charities wisely. It is a arduous task since I would love to donate to every single cause I write about or hear but obviously I have to pick and choose which causes are most important to me. I donate locally to help our schools and families living in poverty, and I also donate quite a bit abroad.

The more I travel and witness the impact of poverty on women and girls and the additional barriers they face in creating a better life, the more I desire to give them opportunities to create a better one. I also prefer to create sustainable change, not just a band-aid approach that won’t fix the problem. This is why I love the work that Humanity Unified is doing so much. 100% of my investment will go towards empowering women and creating sustainable change.

I will never meet the woman who I am supporting but in my heart I will know that far away, in Rwanda my donation has helped change her  life. That is an incredible feeling! Whether it be vaccines for a child in Nigeria, a clean birth kit for $20 for an expectant mom in Laos or $100 to provide training for a woman in Rwanda, I’ve made a difference.

Even using my words to spread awareness by writing this post has helped and that is free.

Photo by Arnelle Lozada

Photo by Arnelle Lozada

This week, Humanity Unified International launched their first fundraiser on Generosity by Indiegogo to develop funding for their project in Rwanda. Here are some details on the campaign and how you can help.

Gifts that Give Back Global Issues Global Non-Profit Organizations and Social Good Enterprises SOCIAL GOOD Women and Girls
Humanity Unified
— 14 Comments

Humanity Unified: Empowering Women and Providing Hope

“We empower communities to rise out of poverty through education, food security projects and economic opportunities. We start by investing in women”. – Maria and Anthony Russo, co-founders of Humanity Unified. 

It all began with a trip to Rwanda. In 2014, Maria Russo and her husband Anthony, the creative minds behind the award-wining online media platform for travel and social good, The Culture-ist took a leap of faith and went to Rwanda in search of opportunities to start a non-profit organization. As world-travelers who over the past 12 years have visited over 35 countries, Maria and Anthony both felt compelled to give back and help the amazing people and cultures they had seen.

For a few years prior to going to Rwanda, the pair had been running The Culture-ist, an online media platform for social good that revolves around a community of storytellers, travelers, creatives and change makers who aspire to make the world a better place. Although The Culture-ist has seen extraordinary success, Maria and Anthony yearned to do more. They had tossed around different ideas in their head on what else they could do to make a difference and impact change when they connected with the founder of Kula Project who invited them to go to Rwanda and see the work they are doing. The trip was in three months.

Humanity Unified

Maria and Anthony in Rwanda.

It was in Rwanda where Maria and Anthony met an amazing Rwandan woman named Peace. Peace’s story was heartbreaking and filled with hope. Peace’s family fled to Kenya in the 60’s when civil conflict erupted in Rwanda, and spent several years in Kenya where she opened her home and her heart to women survivors of the Rwandan genocide. Many of the women have suffered unimaginable trauma and are widows or single mothers, illiterate and unskilled, HIV positive, and victims of domestic abuse. The women were poor with little opportunities to support themselves or their children. Peace’s home became a place of support, empowerment and hope for over 300 women.

In 2009, together with Sophie McCann from the non-profit Network for Africa, Peace co-founded Aspire Rwanda, an organization that equips Rwandan women with literacy, vocational skills, and training in sustainable agriculture, health and human rights that helps lift them and their families out of poverty.  Aspire’s mission is founded on the belief that the promotion of human dignity and women’s rights will lead to sustainable community development and strong and lasting grassroots reconciliation.  Aspire Rwanda also provides counseling, nutrition, family planning services and childcare for young children so the women can attend the 12-month training program. After graduation the women join a cooperative where they work and support themselves, contributing to a self-sustaining and peaceful community. In the last five years, Aspire has helped 450 vulnerable but resilient women rebuild their lives in the aftermath of Rwanda’s genocide.

“Aspire helps to give resilient, hard-working women the skills and confidence to make their own choices, become self-sufficient, and take control of their lives.”

Humanity Unified

Mamerica, one of the 100 women enrolled in the farming cooperative project, working in her community garden. Photo by Arnelle Lozada

 

When Maria and Anthony heard Peace’s story, it felt like fate. Aspire Rwanda was the organization that had captured their hearts and was the perfect partner to launch their first project with through their soon-to-be non-profit organization. “We will work together” Peace smiled as she held Maria’s hand. Serendipitously the opportunity that Maria and Anthony had been looking for was right before their eyes.

Humanity Unified

Dativa, 75, one of the 100 women enrolled in the farming cooperative project. Photo by Arnelle Lozada

Gifts that Give Back SOCIAL GOOD Women and Girls
papier-mâché artisans Jacmel Haiti
— 38 Comments

Haiti: Where life imitates art

A year ago I had the wonderful opportunity to go to Haiti as part of a program to view Macy’s Heart of Haiti products and meet the artisans behind the beautiful art. It was an incredible trip in many ways as it opened my heart and mind to a different side of Haiti that is often not discussed in the press. Instead of seeing tragedy, hardship and destruction I saw amazing resilience, hope and creativity through the arts. While many challenges remain for the people of Haiti – it still is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere – there also lies opportunity and beauty especially through its vibrant, dynamic arts.

Let me introduce you to a few of Haiti’s artists and some of the beautiful work they are creating to lift themselves and their communities out of poverty.

Nat, Executive Director of ABN
Gifts that Give Back Haiti SOCIAL GOOD TRAVEL TRAVEL BY REGION TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY Weekly Photo Challenges
Goodbye Malaria
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Gifts that Give Back: My pick for best Valentine’s Day Gifts

I am a huge supporter of giving amazing gifts that also give back to those in need. Thankfully over the past few years, more and more companies have realized that they too have a responsibility to make the world a better place and consumers are craving to make purchases that make them feel good. From non-profit organizations to benefit corporations (companies that are for profit and also donate a percentage of sales to charity) and the “buy one give one back for free” model, there are many ways to make a difference.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, a time when millions of dollars are being spent on flowers, chocolates and cards, I thought it would be great to compile a list of my favorite gifts that give back. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some of the enormous profits going to Hershey’s, Victoria Secret’s and Hallmark, go towards people in need? Call me idealistic but everything helps.

Here is my list of favorite picks. To see all my Gifts that Give Back, please click here.

For Her

Jewelry from Songa Designs International

Songa Designs International celebrates the empowerment of women around the world. It is typical for many women in developing countries to depend solely on their husbands for financial needs, but Songa is changing this dynamic. With Songa, under-resourced  women have the opportunity to achieve economic independence by using skills acquired through everyday life to make a living. Defined as “the path forward” in Swahili, Songa is synonymous with the journey towards economic empowerment for women in developing countries. To see all their gorgeous jewelry, visit their shop here.

Songa Designs

Marchesa Necklace

Gifts that Give Back SOCIAL GOOD
Cotopaxi
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Cotopaxi: An Adventure Gear Company that is changing the world

“Cotopaxi strongly believes in the power of business to drive social change and the power of adventure to connect the world”. 

As an avid hiker and adventurer who is passionate about giving back, I’m always on the lookout for innovative, unique companies that create amazing products while also giving back. Cotopaxi is a company that creates outdoor adventure products while also funding sustainable poverty alleviation around the world and inspiring people to be adventurous and do good.

Founded in 2013 by Davis Smith and Stephan Jacob, Cotopaxi was inspired by Davis’ childhood growing up at the foot of Cotopaxi in Ecuador where he spent his youth hiking and exploring his magnificent environment. He also saw the devastating impact poverty had on communities and people. After years of running several successful eCommerce websites in South America, Davis wanted to start something different that would incorporate his passion for adventure along with his desire to give back and make meaningful strides towards reducing global poverty. Together with fellow Wharton business-school graduate Stephan Jacob, Cotopaxi was born.

Cotopaxi is unique because it is the first company to incorporate as a “Benefit Corporation” and then receive venture funding. Benefit Corporations are a new type of business that allows for-profit entities to pursue social and environmental goals while also focusing on maximizing profits. Receiving venture capital from investors demonstrates the strong belief that this is a company that can make both a profit and a difference.

Gifts that Give Back Global Issues Poverty SOCIAL GOOD