“Sooner or later, we will have to recognise that the Earth has rights, too, to live without pollution. What mankind must know is that human beings cannot live without Mother Earth, but the planet can live without humans”. – Evo Morales
Oh Mother Earth how I love thee. I am disheartened by the constant heartache you have to face. The earthquakes, the floods, the wildfires and the taking away of your beauty. It saddens me greatly. You are such a beautiful place! I sincerely hope that future generations learn to love and protect you and don’t throw the beauty we have away. There is so much working against you.
As I breathe in the thick smoky, polluted air today that has blown in to Minnesota all the way from the fierce wildfires burning in Alberta, Canada, I am sad and filled with despair. When will we take better care of our most important thing we have? Our planet?
Of course some of these forces are simply due to Mother Nature but many other devastating things are due to humans. How will you handle over 8 billion people living and taking your resources? I wish there was an easy answer.
Our beautiful pristine Northern Minnesota.
“When we recognise the virtues, the talent, the beauty of Mother Earth, something is born in us, some kind of connection, love is born”. – Thich Nhat Hanh
The green lush countryside of Guatemala
“You carry Mother Earth within you. She is not outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment. In that insight of inter-being, it is possible to have real communication with the Earth, which is the highest form of prayer”. – Thich Nhat Hanh Continue reading →
To be a girl in the developing world is an additional hurdle to overcome. Not only will you likely be poor, you will also likely be married young, uneducated, physically and sexually abused and lack the potential to follow your dreams of having a better life.
What if we could change this vicious path and instead give young women an opportunity to thrive, to be inspired and to follow their dreams?
This is the inspiration behind Chicabrava’s Camp Bella and Chicas Adelante. To break the mold of gender equality by offering young women and girls hope. Hope to dream. Hope to change their destiny and hope for a better future.
The women of Chicabrava Photo credit: Chicabrava
Houston-native Ashley Blaylock moved to San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua in 2003 when it was an undiscovered fishing village. She had fallen in love with the country and wanted to follow her dreams of starting up the very first all-women’s surf camp in Nicaragua. At the time, no women surfed yet Ashley persevered. Over time she developed strong ties and acceptance within the local machismo community and opened the doors to Chicabrava in 2008. By working with the community, Ashley helped transform the cultural belief that surfing was only for men and party goers. On the contrary, Chicabrava broke gender roles by demonstrating that surfing is a serious sport that women can enjoy and feel empowered. Continue reading →
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
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
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. Continue reading →
Imagine gently gliding through the smooth waters of Lago Cocibolca, Nicaragua’s largest lake, at the magical hour of sunset. As the local fishermen are throwing out their nets for the next morning catch and the school children are paddling home on dinghies from a long day at school. Imagine being the only passenger on a 20-seater boat with a Spanish-speaking fisherman steering the way.
That is where I found myself a few weeks ago at the end of my epic day of touring Granada on foot. In the serendipitous calm of the deep blue waters of Lago Cocibolca freckled in streaks of orange, purple and pink. Just me, my driver and the “Guapotona“, the “handsome tuna”
“There’s a false perception that women in Africa somehow don’t love their babies they way we do, don’t grieve their loss the way we would. That is simply not true”. – Melinda Gates
Did you know that every day in 2015 nearly 830 women died giving birth around the globe? Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 550 out of the 830 daily deaths. Ghana has one of the lowest maternal mortality rates in the region, yet much progress still needs to be achieved in the rural, hard to reach communities where the death among pregnant women remains much higher. Today, in Ghana the maternal mortality rate is 319 out of 100,000 live births as compared with 527 out of 100,000 in 1996 (World Bank). (The 2015 maternal mortality rate in the US is 14 out of 100,000 live births).
The good news is most of these deaths are preventable. By increasing access to health care services for expectant mothers (pre and post natal and labor and delivery by a trained midwife) more women and babies will survive.
A midwife holding a newborn baby in rural Ghana. Photo credit: USAID-funded project Saving Maternity Homes in Ghana
Banyan Global, a small women-owned and run international development consulting business has partnered with the USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and Ghana Registered Midwives Association to help save the lives of women in Ghana through their Supporting Ghana’s Midwives: Strengthening Maternal and Child Health in Rural Regions Campaign.
The Saving Maternity Homes in Ghana program is one of the US Government’s initiatives combatting maternal and child mortality across the regions of Ghana.
Photograph of Midwives during GRMA 80th Anniversary Celebration. Photo credit: USAID-funded project Saving Maternity Homes in Ghana
I had the opportunity to speak with Tanya Hurst, Senior Program Coordinator at Banyan Global about her recent trip to Ghana last month to view the work on the ground. Tanya provided the following firsthand narrative of her experience working on the project and visiting the midwives in Ghana: Continue reading →
One love refers to the universal love and respect expressed by all people for all people, regardless of race, creed, or color. —The Urban Dictionary
Anne McCarthy writes: “I realized that the universe is constantly whispering words of love: expressions of pure joy, respect, loyalty, and sacrifice for someone other than ourselves, and instructions on letting go and focusing on what is most important in this world”.
Her remark could not be more poignant today as we face an opportunity to either open the doors and embrace others different from ourselves or build a wall and shut the door. We are at a critical time in history in which more and more democracies including our own are struggling to keep intolerance, injustice and hate out of becoming who we are. With the rise of politicians and people breeding hatred and intolerance of others based on gender, religion, sex and ethnicity, it frightens me. I wonder what kind of world my children will live in. One of ignorance and hate or one of acceptance and love. It is a scary time in history.
Without getting too political or depressing, I wanted to share with you what my belief is in “one love”. Why I believe that we should open our doors to others instead of turn away. The world is an amazing place and a huge part of what makes it so incredibly magical is us. All of us. Not just the white, catholic christians. Everyone. Black, brown, yellow, white. Jewish, Muslim. Christian, Buddhist or atheist. All of us.
That is what one love means.
Me and Mary
Of course I couldn’t resist getting my picture taken with these lovely girls.
Holding a small child at the Kilimanjaro Orphanage Centre in Moshi, Tanzania.
In Ethiopia at Mosebo Village. June 2014
Our multi-cultural team to Haiti. How I wish these lovely ladies all lived here!
Eugenia, our cook, inside the “kitchen” tent gives us a big smile.
62 million girls are denied the right to education. Half a billion women cannot read. 155 countries still have laws that discriminate against women.This can change.
In honor of International Women’s Day today, The ONE Campaign has released their 2016 report Poverty is Sexist. International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, and also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. It is a fact that the only way we can end extreme poverty, create peace, security and prosperity around the world is by improving the lives of women and girls around the globe. If you can do one thing today to help improve the lives of women and girls around the world, you can use the power of your voice and sign this letter here.
The letter is about how poverty is sexist, and urges world leaders to embrace development policies that invest in girls and women. The list of signers includes Bono, Amy Poehler, Tina Fey, Sheryl Sandberg, Elton John, Oprah Winfrey, Shonda Rhimes, Danai Gurira, Rocky Dawuni, Mary J. Blige, Melinda Gates and more. I am adding my name today and I urge you to add yours as well.
If you have been a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am a huge supporter of improving the rights of women and girls and all people living in extreme poverty. I became passionate about my advocacy work on social good as I began to travel more and see firsthand the injustices around the world. The more I traveled and saw, the more I could not turn away from the fact that billions of people around the world – especially women and girls – are denied the same rights and opportunities as me. As citizens of the developed world, we all have a voice in democracy and can help advocate for legislation and funding that improves the lives of billions. It is a powerful gift that we are so fortunate to have and should not be wasted.
“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-isttook 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 Projectwho invited them to go to Rwanda and see the work they are doing. The trip was in three months.
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 fromthe non-profitNetwork 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.”
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.
Dativa, 75, one of the 100 women enrolled in the farming cooperative project. Photo by Arnelle Lozada
“Why Jobs? Because everyone deserves the opportunity to thrive. Yet, 1 billion people still live in extreme poverty. We have the power to change that”. – Becky Straw and Jody Landers, Co-Founders of The Adventure Project
The more I travel and learn about the world, the more inspired I am to give back and make a difference. Besides writing on non-profits and volunteering, I also like to donate money to causes and non-profit work that I believe in. However, if you are like me, it can be extremely daunting knowing where to even begin especially because there are so many ways you can give and so many charities out there. You can give a one-time donation to a charity that you love, you can purchase a “gift that gives” back, you can finance micro-loans to small businesses or even pay for a girl to go to school or a clean birth kit for a mother in Africa. The list of ways to give back is endless.
Perhaps because it can be so incredibly overwhelming yet exciting all the same, I am passionate about finding new models of giving back and sharing these organizations with you on my blog. Today, I would like to introduce The Adventure Project, a non-profit that “adds venture” to offer education, tools and resources for people to become entrepreneurs and change their lives. I had the opportunity to speak with one of co-founders, Becky Straw, and learn more about the inspiration behind The Adventure Project and what she and co-founder Jody Landers are doing to change the world. Here is what I learned.
“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.
“If you think you’re too small to make a difference you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito”.‐ African proverb
The figures are staggering. According to the World Health Organization: “About 3.2 billion people – nearly half of the world’s population – are at risk of malaria. In 2015, there were roughly 214 million malaria cases and an estimated 438,000 malaria deaths. Sub-Saharan Africa continues to carry a disproportionately high share of the global malaria burden. In 2015, the region was home to 89% of malaria cases and 91% of malaria deaths. In areas with high transmission of malaria, children under 5 are particularly susceptible to infection, illness and death. More than two-thirds (70%) of all malaria deaths occur in this age group. In 2015, about 305,000 African children died before their fifth birthdays” making malaria the leading killer of children in Africa. (Source: WHO 2015 statistics).
Although these figures are frightening, what is even more shocking is that these deaths are entirely preventable. Per the World Health Organization, “Increased prevention and control measures have led to a 60% reduction in malaria mortality rates globally since 2000”. This is amazing progress that brings hope that we will be able to wipe malaria off the face of the earth forever.
Eradicating malaria is the dream of South African-based Goodbye Malaria, an organization I interviewed the last week to learn how a team of African entrepreneurs, predominantly women sprayers and socially minded businesses, are coming together to “save a life in your sleep” and eradicate malaria in their lifetime. Here’s their story.
Deciding to climb Africa’s highest mountain is no minor decision and it was a goal of mine for over 15 years. I had wanted to climb Kilimanjaro ever since my father scaled it in 2000, months before my wedding. Every time I thought of planning a climb, the timing just didn’t seem to work out and I kept pushing my dream further back on my “to do” list. Deep down inside, I was also a bit concerned about the altitude. I had been to almost 19,000 feet in Nepal and it was grueling. How would I feel even higher?
All my doubts disappeared when I climbed two peaks in a row in Bolivia without any issues and realized my body was ready. Kilimanjaro was back on the list yet I needed to find someone willing to go.
A few months later, I received a call from a good friend of mine in Rhode Island who shared the exciting news. A small non-profit organization called Solar Sister was putting together a multi-generational, international team to climb Kilimanjaro in honor of bringing light to Africa. It felt like fate.
Without knowing a soul at Solar Sister, I joined their team of climbers and signed up to raise $4,000 to train 8 new Solar Sister Entrepreneurs and to celebrate Solar Sister’s five-year anniversary since its founding. It was one of the best decisions I had ever made, and I had an incredible trip. Perhaps what was even more inspiring than climbing Kilimanjaro itself was the group of people who have dedicated their lives to bringing solar electricity to Africa. The team at Solar Sister.
During our climb, I had the pleasure of learning about the inspiration behind Solar Sister and why their model of social entrepreneurship is thriving. I found their story so inspiring that I wanted to share it and introduce you to Solar Sister. Here is their story.
