2015: Lights, Camera, Action!
January 10, 2015
Doesn't matter which way it's sliced, action always beats intention. Action represents the very distance that separates our dreams from our reality. The question then becomes, what kind of action creates the highest impact? I've looked at this question many times over the past few months. All of my combined life experiences loop me right back around to this...
"If you focus on how you can help, how you can serve other people, and how you can make the world a better place, nothing will be impossible for you. If you help people get what they want from life, you can get anything you want out of life." - Zig Ziglar
How long will it take to turn things around on this planet if people everywhere adopted this mindset? What are we capable of when we Unite for a common purpose? How many need to jump first before we decide to follow?
Time to take the leap...
Here's my plan. It's just the beginning. If you're inspired, donate $1 to help make it happen. Want to get involved? Email me. A wise man once said, taking bold focused action, creates explosive results. No more wasting time. The mission starts now...
http://igg.me/at/empoweritforward/x/9285437 (Campaign copy also below)
"Don’t ask yourself what the world needs, ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who are alive."
by Uwe Uehle
The empower it forward project is an idea whose time has come.
Think global - act local is a philosophy everybody is familiar with. There is a latent desire in each of us to contribute with our own gifts and inner potential towards ideas that are much bigger than we are as individuals.
Nothing is more rewarding than to make another being happy. This is one element of the unconditional love often being talked about - but what does it take to get there?
Imagine a world in which individuals decide to empower others no matter what the circumstances. Can we see & feel the real beauty that is at the core of every being we come in contact with, no matter how many layers of conditioning are hiding the true essence?
We live in times of much confusion and uncertainty about the future of our species. Are our so called leaders really able to deal with the problems humanity is facing?
The empower it forward movement tries to counter the division of people on all levels with a focus on love & unity.
Envision a world in which all the creative potential is being released by a people that does not focus on projecting criticism anymore but employs methods of tangible empowerment towards each other to enable everybody to live to the fullest regardless of personal background or circumstances.
A smile or random act of kindness is a simple act of unconditional love that can not only transform an individual - but impact communities and even larger groups of people.
Now imagine what the creation of opportunities, support of causes and empowerment towards self-sustainability can do for an individual and an entire culture.
When people make a conscious decision to help with any form of suffering they come across - being it poverty or lack of basic living condition supplies like water or food - they will realize the power that is latent in each of us.
You have probably heard the expression that to change something you need to build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete?
Do you agree that we have arrived at a point where the old model of competition and scarcity should be made obsolete by a world of exchanging value of any kind based on mutual empowerment towards building sustainable communities and a way of life that promotes harmony with nature and the environment?
How about we shift our consumer behavior towards supporting businesses and commerce that is not focused on profits but on how much sustainability can be created and how many lives we may impact with our purchase?
How about becoming an active part of a movement that is focused on maximizing sustainability and empowerment month after month on all levels of society from individual to communities that just need that initial support to kick start a new wave of decentralized but interconnected mutually empowering communities in alignment with the growing awareness that teaching somebody how to fish is of more long lasting value than just giving one or a few fish?
http://igg.me/at/empoweritforward/x/9285437
Be the Change You Wish to See in the World. Join the movement; Empower it Forward.
We believe in the power of community and have seen first hand how it connects and empowers people from all walks of life. The #empoweritforward project grew out of a simple desire to take an active stand against all forms of human suffering, by putting focus on Empowering each other, no matter what the circumstances. When we do so, we fill each other with up with new levels of hope, confidence, joy and a renewed positive outlook on life, providing ample amounts of fuel, ripe for Empowering our individual & collective creative Spirit.
Empowerment comes in many forms. A good deed. A random act of kindness. The sharing of wisdom. A hug or a smile. It doesn't take much to Empower another. This project, by 9 Gifts of Gaia, is aimed at connecting people & communities around the world and impacting lives through the most simple act of Love; Empowerment.
If you 1) share this Indiegogo campaign on any social media with the #empoweritforward hashtag and 2) shoot us an email tobrian@empoweritforward.org with a screenshot or a link of where you shared it, we will not only enter you into a raffle for a free chance to win lots of Empowering prizes & perks throughout the campaign. We will also send you a free PDF digital download (as well as customized .jpg for social sharing) of our custom Empower It Forward cards!
Start spreading the message of unity & hope by Empowering others today!
Artisans from around the world (many living in rural communities) don't have the means to sell their work on the international market. We hope to give them a platform to do this, and reach customers on a global scale. Within a few days of launching this campaign (using my own funds), I will be making a move from Morocco to Bali, Indonesia. Aside from low costs of living combined with local access to cheap organic materials for t-shirts and apparel, it is also home to some of the most skilled and talented artisans in the world.
By helping us reach our goal of $9,999 you will take part in the launch of a project that will touch the lives of many, while creating awareness, and empowering men & women through entrepreneurial development. This goal will also allow us to buy materials, cover purchasing costs, shipping, marketing and promotions. Above all we hope to connect communities through Empowerment by growing new partnerships that will create even greater opportunities for rural artisans. If we don’t reach our entire goal, the funds raised for the Empower it Forward Project will still go directly toward production, marketing, and shipping of our various offerings, simply on a smaller scale.
February: Poverty Eradication Initiative (Kiva)
We believe All human beings are born with unlimited potential, unlimited capacity & unlimited creativity. EVERYONE is a creator. One of the greatest challenges, however, is that poverty stunts creativity. How can people be Empowered to create freely when 50% of the planet lives below the poverty line?
The solutions to the world's greatest social issues will not come from governments or political leaders. They will come from people.
PEOPLE JUST LIKE YOU.
People just like the ones seen in the following video from Kiva, our first of many cause partnerships:
Kiva is a non-profit organization with a mission to connect people through lending to alleviate poverty. Leveraging the internet and a worldwide network of microfinance institutions, Kiva lets individuals lend as little as $25 to help create opportunity around the world.
Access to financial solutions empowers people living in poverty to transform their lives, their children's futures and their communities.
Our Empower It Forward plan with Kiva: As loans are paid back, they are then re-distributed back out, further extending the reach and potential of each loan made, Empowering the lives of not one, but many entrepreneurs who need the support.
"Desolenator will provide families with the ability to turn salt water and contaminated water into pure drinking water. The technology has the potential to provide water independence for up to a billion people living in coastal and water stressed areas - using the power of the sun alone. Join our journey to disrupt the global water crisis!" - The Desolenator Team
We will be Empowering It Forward 10% of our entire funding campaign to pre-order Desolenators to co-sponsor a project at a school in a water deprived village in Tamil Nadu, India. Details will be announced in an update within the first few days of the campaign!
Check out & support their crowdfunding campaign which is live now here on Indiegogo: http://igg.me/at/desolenator/x/9285437
How the Empower it Forward Project works with your support.
Here's how you can get involved. Be part of the change in the world, show your support & be rewarded in the Empower It Forward Project.
Opt Out Reward Option: Want to support the movement but not interested in the rewards? No problem. Just fill in the field in the upper right of the campaign that says "select a contribution amount below," & we'll donate the cost of the reward toward funding our Desolenator sponsorship!
This is not a fantasy. It is already a reality...
A focus more on People & less on Profit represents a small shift in thinking, carrying within it the capacity to make a huge shift in people's lives. $1.3 Trillion spent in e-commerce last year alone, presents a tangible opportunity to leverage consumer spending to support global empowerment. $9 may not seem like much, but when multiplied enough times, by enough people, throughout a large enough network of inspired businesses, $9 can help bring Empowerment to the world.
Our message is simple: If you're going to shop, shop with purpose. Start supporting people & brands that make a difference.
While living in Morocco we discovered one of nature's best kept secrets: Pure Certified Organic Moroccan Argan Oil. The New York Times has called Moroccan Argan oil “Liquid Gold,” which created a global demand for the oil, most commonly used as a moisturizer and for it's natural anti-aging benefits.
We have secured a source through a Fair Trade Women's Co-operative for the highest quality, 100% pure oil. Fair Trade empowers women workers and women-owned businesses around the world. Buying via Fair Trade guarantees women workers have access to health care, rights, and the freedom from harassment. Women around the world often face unequal treatment in terms of wages and rights and come up against discrimination. Farms that are Fair Trade certified empower women through education and leadership roles, not only within their families but also within the cooperatives where they work.
Empowering Fair Trade women's co-operatives combined with leveraging the global demand for the oil allows us to maximize our giving potential.
People Helping People
- As an independent radio host & blogger, I got a jump start in putting the message out that this project is coming. Lots of buzz created and connections made. In these three blog posts (here, here & here), I share some of my story and how this project came to be.
- Partnered with a small collection of artisans who believe in our mission and vision.
- Conducted market research on: Argan Oil & organic cosmetics, apparel development and fulfillment, international shipping practices, import/export regulations (for the oil).
- Secured a direct line to a women's co-operative in Morocco for the purest, highest grade, certified organic Argan Oil.
- Developed a wide range of marketing graphics, promotional materials and strategies, web copy and blog posts, etc.
- Building a team of networkers, affiliates, artisans and strategic partners. A few of which have offered their services for free because they resonate with the concept so deeply. See below from Tony, a retired Ad Exec contractor, turned supporter:
In 2011 a 29 Day giving challenge changed my life. This is that story and a major part of the inspiration for launching this project: How Giving Changed My Life
(Click here to watch another interview on how this project was inspired & the vision for the future)
In 2011, I received my first big taste of how rewarding it can be to Empower others less fortunate, when I was invited by my High School Health teacher to go on a trip to the Dominican Republic, with her non-profit Una Vida (One Life in Spanish). In a small village called La Descubierta, very close to the Haitian border, we mixed cement by hand and laid concrete flooring in many of the local homes, helping to reduce the likelihood of disease caused by dirt floors. The trip was designed to give high school students an opportunity to see the great contrast of life in a developing nation. An experience uniquely designed to illustrate how blessed and fortunate we are, with hopes of planting seeds within their consciousness, that would one day grow into beautiful flowers, inspiring a life of service. A very BIG seed was planted on that trip. I just wasn't expecting it to be within me.
The DR is also where I was first introduced to an Una Vida creation, called Madres. This was the project that inspired our concept of Empowering rural artisans by supporting their craft & creativity.
"We rise by lifting others." - Robert Ingersoll
Sustainable Community Project: (Bolo Eco Village)
"Bolo means 'together' in Wolof, the main language in Senegal & is a heart expression of a new way of community life, in which abundance is created through activities within the community, with a primary focus to directly satisfy the needs of the community in an uplifting environment. Bolo is a community stimulated to express our unique talents under a common vision, the vision of sustainability. This is not just a sustainable community, it's a prototype for a new way of life. One that is in harmony with nature and the environment."
Our Greatest Challenge -- Establishing Credibility & Earning Trust
People have a hard time giving their trust to companies they've never heard of before. There are so many non-profits and charities (we are neither) who have faced an extreme amount of bad press and scrutiny for misusing/misappropriating funds, as well as not following through with their promises and commitments.
Solution: Prove ourselves. Our aim is to make our entire business model COMPLETELY transparent. As funds come in and are disbursed out to that month's campaign there will be verifiable evidence and proof (by way of tracking and digital screen shots) that funds ended up where promised. This is also the reason why we plan to be extremely selective when it comes to causes we'll support. Causes where funds go directly to individuals, groups and projects ensure we have oversight as to fund distribution. Earning trust takes time and most importantly consistency.
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