Giving Back Guide

Meera Gandhi’s The Giving Back Foundation

Why We Love Them: With the motto, “We are to the universe only as much as we give back to it,” The Giving Back Foundation inspires a generation of leaders to create positive change.

Mission: The Giving Back Foundation with operations in London, Hong Kong, New York and Mumbai, was established in 2010 as a not-for-profit 501 (C)(3) organization. Its beneficiaries are carefully selected existing charities and individuals from around the world, with special emphasis on women and children in need. Directly assisting
education of women and children, and addressing illness, poverty and suffering are the primary activities of The Giving Back Foundation. The Foundation also exists as a platform for debate and discussion, as philanthropic activities continue to evolve around the world.

How You Can Help:

• Contact www.The Giving Back Foundation.net and purchase the “Giving Back” CD, DVD or coffee-table book. 100 percent of profits from these will go directly to charity.
• Or contact The Giving Back Foundation and tell them about your projects!

Zimele Community

Why We Love Them: In Zulu, “Zimele” means “to stand on one’s own two feet” and Zimele Community confronts the root causes of poverty to make that possible for the women of South Africa.

Mission: Zimele Community empowers women with the skills, resources, and support networks to start businesses and social service projects to sustain themselves, their families, and their communities.

How You Can Help:

•  Share with your network of friends, company and organizations our stories “Rich in Hope” and gather support for our work towards women empowerment.
• Partner with us by adopting a Zimele community and become a support mentor for 10-15 women.
• Help women stand on their own two feet by pledging $25 a month or buying one of our products.

Nest

Why We Love Them: Committed to the preservation of artistic traditions around the world, Nest collaborates with communities to alleviate poverty, empower women and promote peace.

Mission: Nest is a non-profit that provides customized training and capacity building to artisans around the world. Combined with the provision of market access through relationships with retail partners, Nest’s participatory model enables these artisans to grow self-sustaining businesses that transform their communities by alleviating poverty, empowering women, and promoting peace.

How You Can Help:

• Join the Nest Network and bring hope, love and employment to men and women who need it most for $100 a year.

• Apply for the International Development Fellowship for the opportunity to work with a group of artisan entrepreneurs in a developing country for two months.

• Whether it’s a film screening, a trunk show or Indian themed dinner part, host a Nest event to support their mission.

Face Africa

Why We Love Them: No one likes dirty water, but everyone hopes to achieve real change. FACE Africa targets both issues by funding sustainable clean water and providing tools to empower women in local African communities.

Mission: At FACE Africa, we have an ambitious yet simple goal: CLEAN, SAFE DRINKING WATER for every single person in Liberia. We fund and support sustainable clean water, sanitation and hygiene projects through partnerships with local communities, partner organizations and government agencies.

We also believe passionately that economic opportunities for women hold the promise for real change in Liberia. Through partnerships with other women’s groups, we empower disadvantaged women through education, skills training, economic opportunities and financial literacy.

How You Can Help:

• Introduce FACE Africa to a foundation or corporation with the passion and resources to fund their work.
• Email volunteer@faceafrica.org letting them know your skills and interests so they can call on you when FACE Africa needs a helping hand.
• FACE Africa will provide you with brochures, stories, films, audio and even a web page through www.justgiving.org to host a fundraising event.

She’s the First

Why We Love Them: She’s the First connects girls around the globe in an effort to raise awareness about access to education and to help those in developing countries become the first in their family to graduate.

Mission: She’s the First is a not-for-profit that sponsors girls’ education in the developing world, helping them be the first in their families to graduate. In the process, She’s the First fosters leadership and self-awareness in young Americans, by inspiring them to lead creative fundraisers and correspond with sponsored students. Our efforts shape a rising generation of well-educated global leaders, future philanthropists, and cross-cultural communicators.

How You Can Help:

• Sponsor a girl! Help send a girl of the developing world to school.

• Buy a She’s the First bracelet created by Asha Patel Designers or the handmade magenta and teal special edition cupcake necklace for $20, donating 75% of your purchase to She’s the First.

• Fundraise! She’s the First offers creative, fun, and easy ways to raise money for girls in need.”