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by | Feb 17, 2022 | ShiftHappens

It was nearly ten years ago when I found myself at a crossroads. After years of monastic life – the only world I had known as an adult – I felt a pull in my heart that it was time to move on. I didn’t know what the future held, but I knew that I had grown as much as I could through that specific path. I took the leap, and through many twists and turns along the way, fortuitously found myself immersed in a new kind of service to TPP’s community of grantees, advisors, donors, and friends. For the last four years, this has been my great honor and joy.

An aspect of leadership that is rarely discussed, yet so important, is knowing when one has offered what was theirs to offer and that the time has come to move on. I have been deeply inspired by many things at The Pollination Project; notably, the heartivist principles we have advanced in service of a kinder, more compassionate world. At the same time, the power of those ideas leads me to explore them in new ways. I have accepted a new role that will allow me to experiment with other exciting avenues through which heartivism can unfold in diverse global contexts.

At the same time, I am honored to make space for Carolyn Ashworth, my co-conspirator in compassion these last two years, to accept the sacred responsibility of stewarding our mission moving forward. I have every faith in not just her skills, but also her heart for this work and for each of you.

This is not really farewell. I will continue to engage with The Pollination Project family, particularly as we grow in heartivism and seek to build a network of heartivist ambassadors all over the world. I hope to be a lifelong resource for this global community that I have invested in so deeply.

Thank you for these last four years; for the things I have learned, the ways I have grown, and the ways in which this community has expanded my own heart. Stay kind, compassionate, and keep leading with love.

In gratitude,

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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