We believe in you

by | Aug 21, 2020 | ShiftHappens

Perhaps you have dreamed of a project that would make the world a better place, but worried you needed to wait for large donations to make it happen. I am here to release you from that misconception. I am here to tell you that you can have an indelible impact in your community right now, just as you are. Every day at The Pollination Project reaffirms this essential truth.

We have now gotten reports from roughly a third of the grassroots leaders whose projects were supported through our COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund. Even after two years of leading this inspirational community of global changemakers, I never stop feeling amazed at their efficiency, creativity, and impact.

One data point stood out to me in particular.

Each changemaker was able to serve, on average, roughly 1,049 humans or non-human animals through their project. With just $1,000, and in some cases just $500, this means they delivered food aid, offered vital hygiene supplies, provided community health education, made face masks, or built handwashing facilities, among many other unique projects, that benefitted more individuals than they had dollars.

This highlights my belief that in many cases, the thing that makes a project successful is not funding alone. Certainly, in many cases, funding is a necessary element. Yet the component that truly catalyzes a project to expand beyond the sum of its parts is the affirmation that the funding represents. I hear often from grassroots leaders who cite how much it meant that someone believed in their work and in their individual capacity to see it through.

When given seed funding and belief, changemakers activate those gifts along with their sincere love of community, deep connections with neighbors, and creativity. It isn’t uncommon to see additional support pour in, motivated by the authenticity of these community-led responses. For example, we know from other analysis that, on average, our project leaders leverage an additional 125 hours of volunteer support in service to their work.

Whatever your vision, you already have the most important elements to see it through. In the words of Rumi, “What you seek is seeking you.”

We need not wait for a grant award to tell you!


All of us at The Pollination Project believe in you.

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In the heart of Nkwen Bamenda III Sub Division, Northwest region of Cameroon, the pilot project "Youth and Visual Arts Activism for Social Change" unfolded at Teken Quarter Youth Community Hall. This initiative, running from January to April 2023, targeted fifteen disadvantaged youths—including school dropouts, drug addicts, and other vulnerable groups. The project, supported by a seed grant, was launched by the Collective Arts Development Association (CADA), which provided six art facilitators. These experts delivered extensive training in various artistic skills, from sketching and drawing on canvas boards to graphic design and T-shirt printing.

Participants were introduced to the fundamentals of colors, composition, and proportions, along with practical applications in screen printing on diverse materials like jeans, nylon, and polyester. The primary goal of the project was to leverage art and social entrepreneurship as viable alternatives to drug use, abuse, crime, and poverty in the local community. Furthermore, the project included an outreach program involving sixth-grade pupils from the Government Primary School in Teken Quarter.

The success of this pilot paved the way for a flagship initiative titled "Empowering Marginalized Youths through Life Skill Education Art and Entrepreneurship Skill Development." This ongoing program offers six-month intensive training sessions to thirty disadvantaged youths, teaching them not only visual and graphic arts but also audio-visual skills and crafts essential for economic independence and social inclusion. Moreover, the program includes mental health education, counseling, rehabilitation strategies, and connects participants with mental health professionals as needed, continuing to transform lives thanks to the foundational support of The Pollination Project grant.

#art #socialchange #activism #youthempowerment #mentalhealtheducation #cameroon #heartivism #grants #thepollinationproject
WINNERS!!
Our grantees Manjushree Abhinav and Aanchal Raturi won the Swarnali Roy Vegan Advocacy Awards 2024 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 

Manjushree received a grant for her project "My planet and my plate", inspiring students to become climate activists themselves, to plant the seed of change into the hearts and minds of students, hoping that these seeds will sprout into far-reaching effects. 

Aanchal founded Project Re-Learn, conducting workshops in Uttaranchal colleges to sensitize future agriculturists about ethical practices. 

Join us in congratulating these two incredible heartivists! 🧡 

@hsi_india 
@hsiglobal 
@manjushreeabhinav 
@earthling_anna_raturi 

#animalrights #animalwelfare #vegan #plantbased #veganlifestyle #nocruelty #crueltyfree #heartivism #grants #animaladvocacy #india
🌟 Volunteer Week 🌟  Celebrating our family of Grant Advisors!

Today we celebrate our grant advisors dedicated to #animalprotection .

🔸 April King (Montenegro/United States) 
🔸 Elphas Ongongo (Kenya) 
🔸 Mohini Sharma (India) 
🔸 Evans Okumu (Kenya) 
🔸 Fernanda García Naranjo Ortega (Mexico)
🔸 Leandro Franz (Brazil) 
🔸 Jeremy Gregory (United States)
🔸 Kate Luke (Australia)
🔸 Andrew Alexander (United States) 

@granjitatyh 
@kotorkitties 
@littleoaksanctuary 

#volunteerweek 
#animalrights  #animalwelfare  #heartivism  #grants  #animaladvocacy #advisors