Far removed while deep in a rural village in Central Uganda, Kenneth Oroma—a then Teach for Uganda fellow—passed the time in the evenings by breaking out his ball for the few children that came to school that day. By the end of 2019, just three months into his...
“I want to say thank you for opening my eyes to new things and now, thanks to you, I love writing, drawing, and most of all, I love art. I love all the projects you bring every Wednesday, even though I face some challenges. Love, Kynnedi” (6th grade)One might suppose...
Every 73 seconds a woman in the United States is raped - that’s more than 400,000 women a year - and less than 1/3 of those assaults are reported. The secret that those survivors carry is wrapped in such fear and shame, it holds the power to destroy lives. As a...
Mill Hill Elementary School’s outdoor classroom began as a response to coronavirus guidelines, but it has – quite literally – grown into something much more significant for the community of Fairfield, Connecticut. For Elly Fatehi, the leader of the PTA's Green Team at...
Robin Valenzuela had spent years researching the intersection of child welfare and immigration enforcement in the U.S. when, in 2016, the election prompted her to take action. “I wanted to do something more than just write about these issues,” she recalls. She started...
“When teachers and students work authentically together to promote early literacy in communities that are underserved and under-resourced, they can help equalize education for all children.” Chris McGilvery is an educator, connector, and kindness crusader. He...
As a widow and mother of three children living in Kenya, Mary Oyier works hard in every area of her life - from family to community - to create a world where people not only understand one another, they care for each other in meaningful ways. After losing an...
Growing up, Robin Singh was an animal lover, but as he remembers “in India, when we say you’re an animal lover, we mean just dogs.” Defying this sort of thinking, he became a vegetarian in 1997 and years later, after learning more about animal agriculture, he went...
Patrick Kasele never expected to work in environmental education. After realizing that his work in corporate communications was not fulfilling his desire to help the community, he quit his job to pursue his passion for sharing and protecting the natural world. “Nature...
When Alagie Ndow was only nine, his parents divorced leaving him to be looked after by his aunt who lived in a poor, remote village. As he struggled to complete his secondary education, Alagie connected with various volunteer service programs that not only helped him...
Edith Cherotich Ndiwa was born in a small village in Kenya to parents who both attended school and it is their education that would come to play a major role in charting the course of her life. Her father, a fan of Stephen King and other authors, invited her to expand...
One of the most challenging and important things for our country and our world to try right now is to engage in conversations and hold space for people to share their stories without judgment. The ability to give full, open-heart and mind attention to people - outside...
Beatriz Carmena was a teenager when she fell madly in love with Nature. Intrigued by everything from erosion and restoration to how Nature maintains its natural order and balance, she decided to study environmental engineering. An internship in Oaxaca, Mexico where...
A thought-provoking new book by Food Engineer Camila Perussello, PhD, Food for Thought: Planetary Healing Begins on Our Plate, presents a fascinating, science-based analysis of food production and consumption that illustrates how what we put on our plate has a direct...
Using her voice and gift for teaching, Mercy Abdulsalam inspires and influences change by empowering young people in Nigeria to discover their potential and lead exceptional lives of service. Growing up, she’d been exposed to creative games and sports, however she saw...
In the heart of the Ozark mountains, just miles from the Buffalo River, lives the Human Society of Marion County, a no- kill shelter that is not only having an impact upon the lives of animals and people, they are having a profound impact on the environment as well....
Even as a child growing up in Mtakuja II, Anthony Migeka was aware of gender inequality. At an early age, he saw that girls and women in most African communities were often disregarded and had far fewer privileges than men in almost every area of life. In thinking...
Wairimu Mwangi, an inspiring woman with a love for sustainability and desire to design a balanced life, developed an incredible project that is changing the lives for street youth in the urban areas of Nairobi. In teaching youth and those living in informal...
Vulnerability. Courage. Creativity. Heart. Time and again throughout the course of six weeks, these were the qualities exhibited by the members of the first, exceptional cohort of the Greenhouse Project. The Greenhouse Project, a program developed by The Pollination...
Angela found a bird in a garbage can while throwing out the trash, it was drenched in food oil and unable to fly. The young girl, who was only six or seven at the time, ran back inside her home wondering what to do. Her Mom who’d grown up on a farm told her daughter...
Patrick Arnold created 10 Billion Strong, a leadership development organization focused on environmental sustainability, because he believes it’s unjust that more than a billion youth as well as future generations have to find solutions for environmental catastrophes...
“When you try to help someone, I think that there are no particular inspirations, you just need a little sensitivity and humanity.” Those insightful words opened a heartfelt conversation with Luca Quaiotti, the project and educational manager for ETHIKA and...
A few years ago, Fatoumatta Kassama met a woman named Sarah who would share a story that would have such an impact, it would change the course of her life. Sarah, a retired American teacher, has been working on a project that supports girls’ education in Kenya but she...
Before the Russia-Ukraine war, Every Animal, a vegan animal rights organization in Ukraine founded by Tamara Human, was focused on vegan education and protecting animals. There was an online education course. There were vegan tours and samplings. They even wrote and...
In the summer of 2019, a small group of volunteers began to notice an important need within the refugee community in Athens, Greece. Women and LGBTQIA+ migrants and asylum seekers needed a safe space where they could engage in creative expression. In such a space, art...
Isabella Hanson received her first Pollination Project grant for her work which focused on empowering girls when she was only nine-years-old. Then in 2020, at the age of 14, Isabella once again looked to empower and amplify the voices of youth, only this time it was...
Allyson Allen is not only an exceptional quiltmaker, she’s an artist and storyteller who is using her gifts to create works that inspire reflection and, most recently, stand up to censorship. In 2019, Allyson was thrilled when she won the Laguna Beach Arts Alliance...
Imagine driving along a four lane road when you suddenly come upon a dog standing in the middle of one of the lanes. Would you stop and help? When Andrea Johnson found herself in that exact situation, it wasn’t even a question as instantaneous thought gave way to...
The Mushroom Guy. That is the name the community has given to him. It might have something to do with the jacket he wears as it has a giant mushroom on the back but more than likely, it has to do with the fact that Jake Garza has done something extraordinary - he’s...
As a young girl, AnnaLise Hoopes felt overwhelmed by all the problems in the world and continually asked herself, “What can I do with my one life to make the most impact?” The answer would arrive in college, when she learned of humane education—using education as a...
When Abdel Mandili, a filmmaker from the Netherlands, returned home after working on a project that documented the threats that Indigenous people were facing in a battle over palm oil in Indonesia, he hoped things would change. However, in speaking with community...
When two, talented women with a love of technology and entrepreneurship came together to create a program that would inspire young Nigerian women to further their education and develop entrepreneurial skills, they had no idea how many lives they would positively...
Imagine dancing upon a beautiful, wooden dance deck that lives among a lush landscape of gardens and trails on a warm summer afternoon. The sun kisses your skin as you move across the floor and through the space exploring the connection between your body and the...
Perhaps it was witnessing her mother’s commitment to environmental politics and the work she did for Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley’s Solar Committee in the 1970’s that inspired her. Or it might have been her own personal experience of saving a chrysalis - the hard...
The Beyond the Classroom Foundation, an incredible volunteer-driven nonprofit working to improve access to education for children and reproductive health education for girls in marginalized communities in Nigeria, was founded by Raquel Kasham Daniel. When varying time...
Gretchen Strate had always loved animals but witnessing a terrifying incident inspired a far deeper connection to them, one that would change her life forever. On her way to a wedding reception, Gretchen watched as a car in front of her intentionally ran over a flock...
Dr. Michele Haley has a beautiful and distinctive ability to make people feel seen. The way she leans in to listen with her heart and extends genuine kindness with her thoughtful words opens the door to meaningful connections that foster healing and growth. Combine...
When the Napalese Lounge and Grille in Green Bay, Wisconsin decided to install a public art mural to foster pride and acceptance of LGBTQ+ people and host a modest celebration in its honor, they had hoped it would encourage cooperation and collaboration among...
Dear Pollination Nation, As we approach the end of 2021, we’re taking a moment to pause as we look back on the work of the everyday heroes that we’ve had the honor to serve this year. Hundreds of inspiring individuals around the globe took action in making their ideas...
While working on her Masters degree in 2019, Greshma Pious Raju had an amazing opportunity to do an internship with Earth Charter International, an organization located in the middle of a forest in Costa Rica. One afternoon, Mirian Vilela, the Executive Director,...
Faith in the Unknown Inspires One Woman to Make Life More Delicious for All Faith is what it takes to follow your heart into unknown spaces hoping that you will find your way; Diane Callaway’s life is a beautiful illustration of what happens when you take that leap....
When Tracey Glover was seven, she and her Dad surprisingly stumbled upon kittens in a flower nursery. The owner told them that they were welcome to take them and offhandedly commented that if they didn’t, they’d simply be put in bags with rocks and thrown into the...
Each week, we choose a changemaker to feature whose actions and intentions are creating a kinder, more compassionate world. This week, we want to flip the script. Our changemaker of the week is you. Without our friends and global neighbors, there would be no...
At the age of seven, Jeremy Gregory wanted more than anything to save the harp seals and blue whales. With the support of his parents, he ventured around his neighborhood conducting his first fundraising efforts; however, they would not be his last. Having grown up in...
When Lydia Guo joined National Alzheimer’s Buddies (NAB) as a neuroscience student at Wellesley College, she had no idea what a profound effect it would have on her life. Working with an Alzheimer’s patient who was largely non-verbal meant that Lydia had to be...
Bridget Saffold, a registered nurse and Superhero in the fight against diabetes, is working hard to care for diabetic patients both close to home in Iowa and across the country. With her first grant from The Pollination Project, Bridget hosted the Cedar Valley Focus...
When students need to learn how to add or subtract, we teach them Math. When they need to know how to write a paper, we teach them English but what do we do when they need to learn how to love? That is the question Irene Greaves is answering with a ground-breaking...
“Set up on a street corner, at a bus stop, in a park with my Smith-Corona vintage blue typewriter, a jar of words, and some watercolor paints, I never know what to expect or who I will meet. Some approach Poetry on the Streets with trepidation; others dive right in;...
A long career in social work gave Cecelia Rich a firsthand perspective on the many issues her community was facing: homelessness, food insecurity, opioid addiction, and disconnection, just to name a few. Realizing that nourishing food is a need that connects us all,...
In the summer of 2020, Kerry Dolan, an assistant principal at a Chicago high school, received a letter addressed to the entire body of predominantly white teachers and administrators. Signed by over 100 mostly BIPOC students, the letter described their feelings of...
Jose German-Gomez is a retired corporate accountant, environmental activist, and master gardener. Even in the smallest of spaces, Jose is able to create lush, verdant green spaces that produce plump, delectable vegetables. After calculating that his own backyard...
In 2014 Amanda Cats-Baril and Anne McGuinness were working in Nepal in the humanitarian sector when they met and decided to found The WE United Project. Anne grew up in Kathmandu and returned home in 2011, the same year that Amanda moved to Nepal from New York. Both...
Allie Gadziemski is a homeschool mother of four sons, all of whom are vegan and passionate about introducing others to a compassionate lifestyle. Realizing the influence children can have on their families and friends, Allie wanted to create a special day camp...
In the United States, the ratio of high-quality, age-appropriate books in low-income communities is one for every 300 children, facilitating a learning gap between privileged and underprivileged students. Antonette Franceschi-Chavez and Marysol Perez, both educators...
After living in the United States for more than 30 years, Rosa Sabido was facing deportation. She made the difficult decision to live in sanctuary rather than leave the community and friends she loves so much. For the past four years, Rosa has lived in a church near...
While attending philosophy school in 2013, Alysson Augusto studied the countless consequences of eating animal meat and decided to adopt a vegetarian lifestyle. Today, he is fully vegan and dedicates his time to educating others on the harsh realities of...
Since 2017, Dr. Christian Andres has worked to turn two hectares of land in Busua, Ghana, into a vocational center; the culmination of a life-long dream to build something meaningful in Africa. Promoting social entrepreneurship and a circular economy model, the...
Each year, over 3.6 billion animals are killed, sheared, or plucked to supply leather, fur, wool, down, and other materials we rely on in several aspects of our lives. The consequences of these materials are dire, both on the planet and the animals they’re sourced...
The Aarey Forest, part of the Sanjay Ghandi National Park, is home to 15,000 indigenous peoples called Adivasis, as well as a rich array of flora and fauna. Existing for more than 500 years, the forest holds centuries of native knowledge. It is also the only open...
Last week’s Fashion Week in Rome featured pieces by a designer who used a nearly extinct craft to create her patterns. The designs were made with woodblock printing, a textile technique that was once at the core of Syrian culture. This collaboration was a huge feat...
Deep in the Ecuadorian Amazon, an ancient culture is struggling to survive. The Sapara people are one of many groups fighting to preserve their roots, and their heritage is at risk of vanishing completely. Rubén Díaz, a Quito-based artist, is not willing to sit back...
This fall, the Black Girls Dive Foundation will observe its first young woman, Skye Garrett, go off to college to pursue a career in STEM. Attending Coastal Carolina University, Garrett is the first of many young Black women the foundation plans to empower for...
Each day in Uganda, 30 million people survive without access to electricity. In rural communities especially, this reality creates dire consequences for physical health and mental wellbeing. For young children trying to learn, this obstacle makes it nearly impossible...
On Sunday, June 20, we celebrate World Refugee Day; an opportunity to honor those fighting for safer lives. Millions of forcibly displaced people face treacherous conditions daily, many of whom are stuck at the Mexico-United States border. Over the past several years,...
When mental health advocate Mercy Mkandawire was invited to discuss mental disorders on a radio show last year, she received overwhelming feedback that people wanted to know more. This hunger for information inspired Mercy to create her own show, dedicated solely to...
Our Changemakers of the week are the farmers of Unadilla Community Farm in Edmeston, New York. The Unadilla River, which runs alongside the farm, gets its name from the Oneidan word for “a meeting place.” And at its very core, Unadilla Community Farm is just that - a...
“From the highway all I can see is the road, but I know that beyond this lies camps with tents and portable boxes and people who still live in limbo, waiting to know their futures. And that’s the thing about someone who witnesses that reality: once you know, you have...
Rose is from Cameroon, has a university degree in history, and is a survivor of human trafficking. She was sold as a slave by her cousin with a promise of a teaching job in Kuwait that turned into a nightmare of human exploitation. When she finally was able to return...
Northern Ghana is a region that faces many intersecting challenges: severe poverty, illiteracy, resource scarcity, a growing population, and job loss due to deforestation, just to name a few. In the face of all these circumstances, of what value is the simple act of...
Smitha Daniel was working in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation when she found an animal she had never seen before. The adorable palm-sized ball of fur was the elusive slender loris, found only in a few places in the world. These nocturnal creatures, whose Indian...
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