It is well known that humanity is suffering from an alarming growth in the rates of mental health...

It was almost exactly 5 years ago when we started. One $1000 grant a day to a good hearted person...

I’ve rolled my eyes at the idea of being happy. With so much suffering on this earth, shouldn’t we be more concerned about leading lives that are meaningful and that contribute to the greater good than leading lives that are happy?

I am an environmentalist and Mexican-American with dual citizenship, and in 2012 I relocated back...

Leadership and connecting with the community is valuable. We all have a place in our community,...

I must have received messages about the first announcements about the Pollination Project from...

In the midst of today's political turmoil, numerous California youth communities are taking action...

It is 9 pm in Kenya, my phone rings and it is Franciska on the other end. She is one of the...

The Summer Olympics are in full swing. American swimmers & gymnasts, Jamaican runners, and...

Jude Thaddeus Njikem is an advocate for women in Cameroon. He is an educator and activist who works to end violence against women in his country, and bring about conditions of equality for women.

On April 25th, 2015, the worst disaster to strike Nepal in over 80 years came as an earthquake....

Born and raised in a Western Kenyan slum, grantee David Omondi knows first-hand what it’s like...

Shari Jones is a bright young lady with a good head on her shoulders and a passion for giving back...

Beginning in the 1970s, Hayu’s home country of Indonesia experienced great interest from multinational food producers. These firms sought to drastically increase food yields so they could supply a burgeoning global market. For example, genetically modified seeds for rice, known as I8 rice, were one of the experimental mechanisms that began during this time that led to 30% more rice yields.

How does a seed grant grow and sprout into sustainable, and fruitful impact? Travel with us to...

Suzan Wilmot grew up straddling the line between poverty and privilege, a foot in each world as her father struggled to raise her single handedly while doing odd jobs for wealthier families. These contrasting experiences gave her the chance to determine what is truly meaningful in life. The history we go through shapes our future and determine what we can become in life, and Suzan didn’t let this situation stop her dreams.

In 1994, when Jimmy Amone was about 7 years old, he and his parents left the village to settle in the City of Kampala due to the civil war in Northern Uganda. While living in the city, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Information Technology from Nkumba University. Upon completing his degree course, and with the spirit of volunteerism and compassion that he possessed towards life, he wanted to use his new acquired knowledge, skills and experiences gained in Information Communication Technology, leadership, debate, and sports to help his community. So, in 2010, he returned to Northern Uganda and settled in Kitgum village.

Women never cease to amaze me. I am in awe of the superlative dedication they put in to whatever they do. Every time I read about people changing the world, I am introduced to strong-willed women who would give their life to make the world a better place. As a 2016 Fellow with the Pollination Project’s East Africa Hub, I have met an incredible woman who is transforming the world of mental health, one blog, video, or training session at a time.
Sitawa Wafula is a rare bird. As a rape survivor living with a dual diagnosis of epilepsy and bipolar disorder, she has dedicated her life to providing people in Kenya and Africa with the vital information and support that they need to handle mental health conditions and deal with everyday life.

The story of the Pollination Project is one that is often best told through the stories of its grantees. This is certainly the case for Kenya, and a good place to start is with the story of Vincent Atitwa.
Born as the 11th child in a family that survived largely on subsistence farming in rural Western Kenya, Vincent grew up with little access to basic needs like food and education, and even suffered from malnutrition throughout his childhood. As a young man, Vincent realized that “for many people in the world, no matter how hard they choose to work, they cannot achieve the same level of security and access to resources.”

Admit it: Sometimes as adults we are just not in the mood to eat our vegetables and become bored...

At the age of 4, Kim Ponce’s son, Thomas, said to her that he wouldn’t eat anything with a face....

Are you amazed when someone actually does something to help others? I mean, how many times do you...

I recently sat “virtually” with ­­­­Stephanie Klempner, co-founder of The Pollination Project­­...

After nearly three years of thoughtfully and tirelessly working through regional, cultural and...

On February 20th 2016, Tropical Cyclone Winston hit Fiji. The strongest storm ever to make...

Sometimes trying to see how we can make a positive impact in the world is daunting. It is easy to...

In Part 1 of this interview with Adriana Bueno, Founder of Habitat Sur, in the Colombia Amazon,...

Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Adriana Bueno, the young founder of “Fundación...

Jacqueline is the founder of 365give, an innovative educational program that teaches elementary...

I met with Travis Hysell on an overcast day in late May. We spent the afternoon talking about the...

A Profile of Pollination Project Program Associate, Jamila Banks Are you curious to know about the...

Have you ever known you had to make a certain choice without knowing exactly why? Somewhere,...

Did you ever wonder what pushes people to start a non-profit whose primary purpose is to help others? I am in awe of the change makers like our grantees at TPP. I wonder who and what gives them the strength to get started, the energy to keep going, what inspires them, what scares them.
I spoke recently with Jenny Lowrey, founder of From the Ground Up, a young non-profit organization in Chico, CA, that is about growing and sharing healthy food as well as educating about it.

The Pollination Project recently won a Passion Award for being one of the most passionate nonprofits in the Bay Area, CA! Want to know what we really passionate about?

You know the “Be the Change You Wish to See in the World” quote attributed to Mahatma Gandhi? At...

In early 2014, there was a breakdown. An applicant was waiting nearly 3 months to get a response...

The 21-Day Kindness Challenge launched on September 11th. 98 countries. 6000 people. And a collective tidal wave of good that inspired many — including young rapper-activist “Nimo” Patel at the Gandhi Ashram in India. Nimo wasted no time channeling that inspiration into an infectious music video.

Imagine driving down a busy street in a bad mood and seeing a lighthearted happy flash mob holding...

This Spring, we funded Shodo Spring, a Zen monk, and a team of people walking from Hardisty,...

Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it....

We gave Maïa a Pollination Project grant to help her make a documentary about Professor Noam...

Pollination Project grantee, Nikki Meyers, recently wrote this post for Mind Body Green about her...

Recently, grantee David Sidwell produced the first- ever Solutionaries Congress.  Building on the...

Jennie Kay, a Detroit native, set out to do something really ambitious.  She is organizing an army...

Our 100th Grantee of 2013 is Thomas Ponce, a Florida 12 year old who recently launched Lobby for...

This past weekend I attended parts of the Wisdom 2.0 Conference in San Francisco.  The Conference,...

by Stephanie Klempner Recently, I had the sincere pleasure of chatting with Keith McHenry, a...

The Highlander Center, credited with training Rosa Parks and some of the greatest social justice...

By Peggy Hilden Watch the Trailer for "Seagulls" Each week we read through incredible applications...

Want to learn more about why we do what we do?  Check out Alissa Hauser's article...

by Mark Morrison As a physical therapist, José Ramon Gonzales had always been interested in the...