There are many ways to raise awareness about clean water. Fundraisers, educational programs, non-governmental organizations are all great ways to expose the issue on a global scale. However, 70-year old Chico, California native, Shirley Adams, created an innovative way to raise awareness. She decided to pedal cross-country for her organization, Bridging the Gap by Giving, which provides clean water to African countries.
Adams’s interest in water stemmed from her work as a swimming instructor. Today, she works year round to provide her organization with enough funds for new clean water projects in developing nations. Today, Shirley and her husband raise awareness and money through long distance cycling.
According to World Mag, her project began in 2005. Over the past seven years she has raised over $500,000 for her cause. As a result, around 14,000 have gained access to clean water in developing countries.
According to Adams, the project took off after she rode her bike cross-country wearing a shirt that read “everyone needs clean water.” The shirt included a link to the organization’s website. Amazingly, on that trip alone she raised more than $30,000. Her trip was so successful that even big corporations such as the Hilton foundation “matched it dollar for dollar.”
Most recently, Adams and her husband have set out on another cross-country venture. They rode on the 2,300 mile stretch that covers every state from Maine to Florida. In their time off, they focus on their family and church.
Adams has stated that they hope to beat their $30,000 mark, which was the highest amount the organization has ever raised via cross-country biking. The Adams family also hopes to publicize the cause by selling shirts, jackets, and caps along the way. They also plan to wear their shirts throughout the trip.
– Stephanie Olaya
Sources: World Mag, Bridging The Gap By Giving
Photo: NH Outdoors
Russell Crowe Movie Fights for the Underdog
Cinderella Man, in which Russell Crowe plays the role of James Braddock, is an endearing film that anybody can get behind. This is a classic story of the underdog who sees his fate turn for the worst but then becomes a conquering hero. The film is based on the incredible life of James Braddock who, as middle-weight boxer before the great depression showed promise of becoming the next great fighter but, fell on a string of bad luck. After breaking his hand in a boxing match, he kept on losing his bouts. Being older in age, his skills in decline, and a mounting losing record, his boxing license was revoked, prohibiting him from boxing professionally. James Braddock was stripped of his profession prematurely, because of factors that he could not control.
James faced the same experiences that the majority of Americans faced during the Great Depression. Like many, it was difficult for him to find work, which caused him to be unable to provide for his family. Not only was boxing his livelihood, but it was his passion. Losing the ability to compete created a huge void in his life. Jim’s personal demons and the emotional, physical, and psychiatric state of his family would cause many to give up, but Jim was resilient in keeping his family together and overcoming all the obstacles in life. Just when we think that James Braddock would succumb to all the pressures of his situation, he goes out and fights his way out of poverty.
Finally James gets a golden opportunity to return to the ring. After being away from the ring for many months, without any training, and only two days notice, James is able to defeat his opponent. The surprise victory provided James with additional opportunities to continue his career as a boxer. He continued to excel in the ring, eventually gaining the title of world champion.
Cinderella Man teaches us to confront all our problems, no matter how big or small, using grit, determination, and poise. James Braddock and Russel Crowe teach us that no problem is so big that it cannot be fixed. He defied all the odds to overcome the obstacles of poverty, rapid depression, family struggles, and superior competition, to come out as the champion of the world.
– Travis Whinery
Sources: IMDB, James J Braddock.com, Universal Studios
Photo: El Cinefilo
Imongo: The Next Facebook?
Terkura Unongo, a ninth grade student at Nigeria’s Hillcrest Secondary School, is the creator of Imongo, a social network that facilitates communication among people all over the globe. Imongo, which means “gathering” in the language of Nigeria’s Tiv tribe, allows its members to create profiles, chat with others, catch up with the latest news, and share pictures, videos and music.
Since its conception in February of 2012, Imongo has attained over 3,900 members from Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt and other areas in the Middle East, China and the United States.
Terkura’s interest in the Internet and programming stemmed from his use of Facebook. As he interacted with friends and played games online, he began to wonder what was “fueling this thing from behind”. His curiosity inspired him to learn HTML and other programming languages, eventually giving birth to Imongo. The process of designing Imongo demanded 10 to 16 hours of writing code per day, months of publicizing and over 500,000 Nigerian Naira ($3,120.13 USD) in costs.
In the future, Tekura hopes that Imongo will become a household name and expand. Plans are already in place for Imongo to develop interactive chat rooms, a marketplace, a gaming platform and more.
In today’s world where social media and websites have the ability to rapidly mobilize thousands of people, Imongo has the potential to become a source of political and social organization in Africa.
– Lienna Feleke-Eshete
Sources: allAfrica, The Nation
Photo: Greenbiro
How Basket Weaving Has Helped Rwanda Recover
Since its devastating 1994 genocide, Rwanda has been in a state of recovery. Nearly 20 years ago, Hutus killed approximately 800,000 Tutsis over the course of 100 days. In addition to numerous social, political and economic changes, the mass murders shifted the country’s gender ratio drastically, leaving women to outnumber men 70 to 30 percent. As a result, Rwandan women have taken center stage in the country’s recovery – by weaving baskets.
The practice of basket weaving has been a part of Rwandan culture for centuries. Women weaved baskets to help carry and contain food, to decorate ceremonies and to transport goods. Following the genocide, however, basket weaving took on a new meaning.
In the past two decades, basket weaving has become a way for Rwandan women to come together, pushing past the “Hutu-Tutsi” barrier that had once divided them. Working next to women whose husbands had been killed and women whose husbands had committed the killings, women all over Rwanda have chosen peace over hatred.
But healing isn’t the only positive effect of basket weaving. Rwandan women have also gained economic independence and improved their local communities by selling their baskets in Western markets.
For example, Gahaya Links started off as a small company with only 27 basket weavers. Today, it is a business with more than 4,500 artisans that is continuing to help impoverished areas of Rwanda. The company has done so well that their products are being sold by stores across the U.S., including big department stores like Macy’s.
While Gahaya Links is the foremost basket weaving company, a number of other basket weaving businesses have been started. The profits of these companies go toward providing Rwandan families with food and medicine.
It’s been 19 years since the genocide and the country is still recovering. But sometimes recovery can begin with something as small as a handcrafted basket.
– Chante Owens
Sources: Beauty of Rwanda, CBS, CNN
Photo: World Designs
TOMS Builds Shoe Industry in Haiti
Founded in 2006, TOMS Shoes quickly gained mainstream popularity largely because of its socially responsible, feel-good, “one for one” model of operation. Under this model, TOMS gives away a pair of shoes to someone in a developing country for every sale of their retail shoes. However, TOMS has also come under fire over this same model that has fueled its popularity. Critics argue that donating shoes to people in developing countries can hinder economic growth by undercutting local producers.
At the 2013 Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), TOMS founder Blake Mycoskie announced his plans to begin manufacturing some of the company’s shoes in Haiti, starting early next year. This five-year investment will initially employ 50 local workers, with a goal of doubling this amount by the end of the year. This initiative comes in addition to TOMS’ existing Haiti Artist Collective program, which partners with 31 local Haitian artisans to design and hand-paint custom shoes for sale on the company’s website.
In addition to creating living wage jobs for people in Haiti, TOMS aims to provide healthcare, education and early childhood support to its factory employees by partnering with local organizations. Throughout the process, TOMS vows to oversee working conditions in Haiti and ensure that fair wages are being paid.
TOMS currently produces its shoes in China, Argentina and Ethiopia, and exports them to impoverished places. According to Public Radio International, Mycoskie has pledged that TOMS will produce at least one-third of its shoes in the countries where they are being donated to by the end of 2015. This will help build a more a sustainable, locally minded shoe industry in the countries the company serves.
After donating more than 10 million pairs of shoes to people in need, Toms is shifting its focus to targeting the causes of poverty, rather than providing temporary solutions to its complex effects.
– Tara Young
Sources: Toms Shoes, Miami Herald, Slate
Photo: HaitiLuxe Blog
Bridging the Gap by Giving: Pedaling for Clean Water
There are many ways to raise awareness about clean water. Fundraisers, educational programs, non-governmental organizations are all great ways to expose the issue on a global scale. However, 70-year old Chico, California native, Shirley Adams, created an innovative way to raise awareness. She decided to pedal cross-country for her organization, Bridging the Gap by Giving, which provides clean water to African countries.
Adams’s interest in water stemmed from her work as a swimming instructor. Today, she works year round to provide her organization with enough funds for new clean water projects in developing nations. Today, Shirley and her husband raise awareness and money through long distance cycling.
According to World Mag, her project began in 2005. Over the past seven years she has raised over $500,000 for her cause. As a result, around 14,000 have gained access to clean water in developing countries.
According to Adams, the project took off after she rode her bike cross-country wearing a shirt that read “everyone needs clean water.” The shirt included a link to the organization’s website. Amazingly, on that trip alone she raised more than $30,000. Her trip was so successful that even big corporations such as the Hilton foundation “matched it dollar for dollar.”
Most recently, Adams and her husband have set out on another cross-country venture. They rode on the 2,300 mile stretch that covers every state from Maine to Florida. In their time off, they focus on their family and church.
Adams has stated that they hope to beat their $30,000 mark, which was the highest amount the organization has ever raised via cross-country biking. The Adams family also hopes to publicize the cause by selling shirts, jackets, and caps along the way. They also plan to wear their shirts throughout the trip.
– Stephanie Olaya
Sources: World Mag, Bridging The Gap By Giving
Photo: NH Outdoors
Five Celebrity Partners of the World Food Program
The World Food Program has been using food donations to improve the lives of the world’s poorest people since 1961. As the food aid arm of the United Nations, WFP has been consistent in giving food to support the social and economic development of those most in need. In more recent years, a large number of celebrities have stood up in support of the WFP’s cause. Here are five of the brightest stars that are dedicated to helping WFP end world hunger:
5. Christina Aguilera
The singer-songwriter sensation found success in 1999, and ten years later, decided to give back in a big way. In 2009, she became the spokesperson for World Hunger Relief and helped generate over $148 million in funding for WFP. In 2010, she visited Haiti where WFP set up school lunch programs.
4. Penelope Cruz
After achieving fame in Spanish cinema, Cruz spent two months in Nicaragua volunteering before becoming an international success. She joined WFP in 2005 and recorded a PSA, speaking out for over 800 million living on the edge of starvation daily.
3. Rachel Weisz
While working on her Oscar-winning role in “The Constant Gardner” in Kenya, Weisz witnessed WFP aid in action. She visited the slums where thousands of children go hungry every day and shortly after agreed to appear in a short trailer that ran in cinemas prior to screenings of the film. In 2007, she made a special Mothers Day appeal on behalf of WFP, asking that no child “inherit hunger.”
2. Drew Barrymore
Actress, director, producer, this one-woman powerhouse has been an Ambassador Against Hunger for WFP since 2007. In 2005 she made a trip to Kenya, where WFP fed nearly 500 children living in Nairobi’s Kibera Slum and returned in 2007 before being named an official Ambassador. “Feeding a child at school is such a simple thing,” Barrymore said, “but you can tell it works miracles.” In 2008, she personally donated $1 million to support WFP’s efforts in Kenya.
1. Sir Sean Connery
Legendary actor, the original James Bond, and constant contender for the title of “Most Interesting Man in the World,” Connery added WFP Partner to his long list of accolades in 2003, becoming the first film star to do so. Connery also advocates for a number of other causes, including wildlife conservation and HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention.
– David Smith
Sources: World Food Program, Look to the Stars
Photo: Theiapolis
3 Steps to Finding Your Perfect (Charity) Match
Christmas decorations line the shelves of stores nationwide and carols aren’t far behind. With each day leading closer to the holiday season, everyone is (somewhat) feeling the giving spirit. But how does one chose to whom to give? What places one charity organization above another? Here are three steps to finding your perfect charity match.
1. Know Yourself
With any great relationship, compatibility is essential. Not an early riser? Then Saturday morning marathons are not for you. Races like 5Ks are common around this time of year and each program raises funds for an important cause. But if you are not ready to make the 6:00 am commitment, feel free to find another way to give. Many participants match funds. For each mile completed, a donor promises a certain amount to give. If the neighbor’s kid is expecting $1 per mile and runs 5 miles, you have given $5 to a good cause (but feel free to give more).
2. Find Common Interests
Stick to things in which you are interested. Love to shop? Many stores and online retailers offer free donation programs. Even if you only have the funds for the basic necessities, there are still ways to give. Check out the Borgen Project’s Amazon portal. Shop as you normally do and up to 4 percent of your purchase goes toward ending global poverty without costing you a single penny!
It’s important to find an organization that shares your interests. Otherwise, you are more likely to stop participating. If you have a life-long love of any activity, look for programs that incorporate it into their cause. For example, basketball lovers may be interested in Ball For All, a program sponsored by Peace Corps, that uses sports teams to encourage leadership among female youth in Africa.
3. Communicate
Feel free to ask questions to determine if a potential organization shares your values. Honesty and loyalty are highly valued in today’s society. Many non-profits are aware of this and strive to maintain a level of transparency. Education advocates may be interested in organizations that deliver books to poverty-ridden areas like the World Literacy Foundation which sponsors programs that encourage literacy through digital reading and tutoring in developing countries.
Want to find out where your money is going? Ask. Many organizations provide financial statements or summaries for their donors on their websites. Also, feel free to ask about program follow up. It has become common for organizations to have a Newsletter or Press Release section on their websites. So feel free to research programs and track their accomplishments.
Most importantly, remember that choosing a charity is a lot like choosing a partner. Know the qualities for which you are looking in a charity and don’t be afraid to question a potential organization. As a donor, you owe it to yourself to know all the facts.
– Jasmine D. Smith
Sources: The Borgen Project, Ball for All, My Perfect Match, World Literacy Foundation
Photo: Sadlier
The Legacy of Margaret A. Cargill
When Margaret A. Cargill, a low-profile philanthropist in California, died in 2006, she left behind a fortune that she hoped would help alleviate some of the world’s greatest problems. Thus was born the Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, which houses three grant-making entities: the Margaret A. Cargill Foundation (MACF), the Anne Ray Charitable Trust, and the Akaloa Resource Foundation.
Ms. Cargill envisioned her money helping the environment, the arts, families, children, and the elderly, as well as promoting tolerance and conflict resolution.
Before she died, Ms. Cargill asked her trustees “to support programs that address unmet needs; that give individuals and communities the tools to become self-sufficient; that will be sustainable after our support ends; and that build on and strengthen strong relationships within communities.” Ms. Cargill hoped to create lasting results through direct programs and continued financial support.
To this end, in its first full year of operation, the MACF awarded $136 million in grants, some of which went to environmental projects. In 2011, the Foundation awarded grants to assist flood victims in Pakistan, as well as children affected by a tornado in north Minneapolis. The Foundation’s future plans include launching additional programs to aid aging services and support Native arts in the Pacific Northwest.
– Yuliya Shokh
Sources: Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies, Minnesota Council on Foundations, Philanthropy News Digest, Star Tribune
Photo: List 25
Paper Art Company “People Too” Depicts Human Rights Abuses
Russian artists Aleksey Lyapunov and Lena Erlikh are the talent behind the paper-craft agency, People Too, which has quickly become known for its intricate and miniaturized portrayals of lifelike scenes. The dynamic duo produce three-dimensional images entirely out of paper, depicting scenes of office spaces, factory work, holiday parties, rock concerts and, most recently, human rights violations.
In coordination with human rights organization Amnesty International, People Too has created an advertising campaign called Fan the Flame, which highlights several major, well-known abuses. These images show the harshness of human rights violations, by depicting police brutality, stoning, water-boarding and military executions, all in unsettling detail.
Each image in the campaign depicts a violent scene of aggressors attacking their victim. The sculptures and backgrounds are all white, with the exception of a small orange flame on the bottom of each image. The flames are lit by Amnesty’s iconic candle logo, metaphorically linking Amnesty’s burning of the paper oppressors to their work in combating real-life human rights violations.
Using a range of knives, scissors, tweezers and wire cutters, People Too spent a total of four weeks crafting their intricate sculptures for Amnesty’s Fan the Flame campaign. Well worth the effort, this campaign brings to life the cruelty that afflicts many around the world and the work that Amnesty does to end it.
– Tara Young
Sources: Digital Journal, Design Boom, Behance
Photo: Design You Trust
Patrick and Anna M. Cudahy Fund: What You Should Know
The Patrick and Anna M. Cudahy Fund is a foundation that grants money to nonprofit organizations involved in social and youth services, education, art and culture.
The premise of the fund dates back to the early 1920s, when Articles of Association were drawn to break ground on the Alice Dickson Cudahy Clinic. This clinic was created to provide free services to dependent family members of employees at the Cudahy Brothers Company. Some of these free services included medical attention, and education on matters such as child welfare, domestic science and social hygiene. The clinic was able to open on August 1, 1923, thanks to a $19,270.77 donation made by Michael F. Cudahy.
On August 22, 1935, the name of the organization was changed to the Michael F. Cudahy Fund. Upon this change, the association broadened its spectrum of philanthropy efforts to include the severely poverty-stricken and ill. On September 29, 1943, the name of the organization was once again changed, this time to the Patrick and Anna M. Cudahy Fund, in honor of Michael’s parents.
Today, the Fund primarily assists youth organizations located in Wisconsin and Chicago, though some money is granted to charities involving public interest and environmental conflicts. The Fund also accepts international requests affiliated with U.S. nonprofits.
– Meagan Hurley
Sources: Business Journal, Cudahy Fund