The May Issue: People Doing Good Things

PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS EDITION

THE LIFE STYLE EDIT YO U R C U R AT I O N O F L I F E & S T Y L E

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DOING GOOD, IS A SIMPLE AND UNIVERSAL MISSION. - SHARI ARISON

© Copyright 2018 The Life Style Edit.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, scanning or other electrical or mechanical methods, without prior written permission of the publisher, except where noted.

All imagery supplied by Interviewees. Direct credit given where supplied.

COVER PHOTO: MITCH HORROCKS TWO | 02

IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

THECONTENT

MEET

OUR PEOPLE. 04

EDITOR’S LETTER Heidi Albertiri

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MELANIE NODEN The Hunger Project

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AIMEE MARKS TOM Organic

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SIMON GRIFFITHS Who Gives A Crap

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MITCH HORROCKS 663 To Zero

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HAYLEY CLARKE ONYA

AND OUR TEAM. EDITOR Heidi Albertiri editor@thelifestyleedit.com.au @heidi_albertiri

ART DIRECTOR Emma Cheg. emma@thelifestyleedit.com.au @emmacheg

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WE’VE MADE THIS EDITION FREE. WE HAVEN’T ATTACHED A PRICE TAG TO THIS ISSUE, CHOOSING TO MAKE THIS ONE FREE. WE ASK INSTEAD, THAT YOU DONATE AND SPEND WITH ONE OF OUR FEATURE STORIES.

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IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

PAY ITFORWARD

PAY

IT FORWARD.

FROM $30.00 (OR 31c A SHEET)

FROM $7.00

FOR $15.95

FROM $35.00

FOR $15.00

> ORDER SOME TOILET PAPER, WITH WHO GIVES A CRAP > PRE-EMPT YOUR PERIOD, WITH A BOX OF ORGANIC TAMPONS FROM TOM ORGANIC

> CARRY YOUR FRESH FRUIT AND PRODUCE IN REUSABLE PRODUCE BAGS FROM ONYA

> EMPOWER WOMEN AND MEN LIVING IN RURAL VILLAGES IN COUNTRIES LIKE INDIA AND AFRICA, TO TRANSFORM THEIR LIVES WITH THE HUNGER PROJECT > YOU CAN HELP 100 PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER THROUGH 663 TO ZERO

CLICK ON THE LOGO OF YOUR CHOOSING TO DO A GOOD THING, AND SPEND A GOOD DOLLAR.

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IRI RT E B

@H EID I_A L

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HEIDI ALBERTIRI

FOUNDER + EDITOR, THE LIFE STYLE EDIT

A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE

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HEIDIALBERTIRI

IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

DAY BY DAY THEY KEEP CHIPPING AWAY, MAKING CHOICES TO STAY IN THE GAME. THEY SHOW UP, AND GET SHIT DONE.

I took some time out to review this months digital magazine over a coffee. We’ve been busy moving and going through another bout of change at TLSE, as we let go of the old and make way for the new. Yet again evolving and growing through the chaos.

This issue really has had an impact on me and got me thinking about how we get so caught up in our own bubble of existing and often overlook the impact that one good deed, or kind act can have. We still high five every time we sell another issue of our digital magazine. The small token of appreciation you show by choosing to spend a mere $3.25 on us goes a long way, and means so much more than just some small change. It means, you get it, you support us, you appreciate what we are doing and you want to show that to us. So thank you.

This month, we share with you some people who are doing good things on a daily basis. People really making a difference in a big world. The common thread I found that bought tears to my eyes was that the task ahead of them was enormous, yet day by day they keep chipping away, making choices to stay in the game; they show up and get shit done.

I mean, did you know that 30,000 people die each week due to drinking unsafe water? 30,000. Just sit with that number for a bit to grasp the enormity of this. And yet, this story is cast aside and gets little or no media coverage. How is such an enormous hit to humanity still existing on our planet in 2018 with so many people turning a blind eye to it?

So today, we ask a very important favour from you.

Instead of purchasing our mag we ask that you read all the way to the end and then donate to who you resonate with the most. It is a small act of generosity that will make a huge difference to the people who tirelessly work to make an impact on these issues,x- whilst we sit here in our safe little bubble of the daily grind.

Love + Gratitude, Heidi.

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AIMEE MARKS FOUNDER, TOM ORGANIC AUSTRALIAN ORGANIC BUSINESS OF THE YEAR, 2017

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AIMEEMARKS

IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

TOM Organic was founded on the philosophy that women should never have to compromise their wellbeing or the health of the planet with the products they buy.

We seek to enrich women’s lives by exercising social and ethical responsibility in every aspect of our work—from where we source our organic cotton to the way we run our business.

[ TLSE ] YOUR PRODUCTS ARE FOR WOMEN, YOU SUPPORT WOMEN ON A DAILY BASIS IN YOUR WORKFORCE, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT HAVING A STRONG TEAM BEHIND YOU TO SHARE YOUR MESSAGE AND MANAGE YOUR BEAUTIFUL BRAND? [ AIMEE ] One of my biggest learnings as a business woman was to be selective about the kinds of people you work with every day. It’s about the people you want constantly challenging you and the people you want to celebrate with.

I’m incredibly proud and grateful for The TOM Co team. We’re an empowered workforce – currently a team of 13 females, of which eight are mums, and all have had such a positive impact on where we have landed today.

BY CALLING OUT THE CURRENT STATE OF AFFAIRS OF THE PESTICIDES AND SYNTHETIC INGREDIENTS USED IN TRADITIONAL TAMPONS AND PADS, YOU MUST HAVE RUFFLED SOME FEATHERS. TELL US ABOUT HOW IT HAS BEEN FORGING AHEAD IN THIS INDUSTRY AND WHAT HAS KEPT YOU ON TRACK AND TRUE TO YOUR MISSION? Everything about this business comes from my heart. There’s been such a huge amount of hard work that’s gone into what I do. Australian female consumers are some of the most savvy in the world and this is one of the most difficult markets to be in and create success with products. So I felt an overwhelming responsibility to have these intimate yet very natural and normal conversations with our community to build a strong foundation of trust. It’s fair to say that our community keeps us on the straight and narrow!

To continue that level of trust we have had to work really hard at maintaining organic certifications and the right sort of distribution partners to practice what we preach. Every business decision is a carefully considered one.

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WE KNOW THE IDEA CAME TO YOU WHEN YOU WERE WORKING ON A SCHOOL PROJECT, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUSHING THE BOUNDARIES TO TAKE AN IDEA TO MARKET AND SOMEONE WHO FINISHES THEIR ASSIGNMENT AND MOVES ON? TELL US ABOUT THAT MOMENT WHEN YOU KNEW YOU JUST HAD TO MAKE THIS BIGGER THAN A SCHOOL ASSIGNMENT?

Last year we ran TOM’s first ever Female Empowerment Grant where we did a nationwide call-out for females that demonstrated an ability to empower women through their business mission. Sometimes all it takes is an unconditional act of kindness from one woman to another to change their universe – after all, it took one person to really believe in me once! This idea of women lifting each other up is integral to our business mission.

WHAT IS A NON-NEGOTIABLE IN YOUR BUSINESS? Realising that women use over 12,000 tampons in a lifetime in the most intimate and absorbent part of our bodies was enough to make me reconsider what I would do with my life and put my life work into a solution for female health, as well as environmental impact. I felt a sense of responsibility to create an alternative. It was all about standing true to myself and knowing very deeply that this was a product that simply needed to exist. And most importantly, we discovered that this product had the power to garner a real community of women who very quickly became fiercely loyal and the strongest of advocates for our brands.

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOU TO BE A POSITIVE LEADER AND ROLE MODEL?

Our business tagline is to create beautiful products that inspire positive impact for life. We have a commitment to providing Australian women (and their families) with the purest products imaginable. In 2016 with the arrival of my twins Poppy and Ivy, we launched tooshies by TOM, our planet-friendly range of eco nappies and biodegradable baby wipes. In the product development process for both TOM Organic and tooshies by TOM, there was never any question to stand by our values and our commitment to the most premium, conscious choice for our end consumer.

WHAT IS YOUR WORD FOR 2018?

Empowerment.

Mentoring is so important. For me, mentoring works both ways – it’s an opportunity for me to pass on what I have learnt and in return I always learn something new. The dream for me is to be able to shortcut some of the mistakes I’ve made (which turn into part of the successes) with a view to helping fast track budding entrepreneurs.

I’m currently pregnant with my third bubba, and so grateful to have a team who are completely loyal and trusted around me. I just know without a question of doubt that they’ll carry on with the business flow and allow me to focus on my family.

That empowers me. It also empowers my team. @TOMORGANIC | WWW.THETOMCO.COM

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AIMEEMARKS

IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

I FELT A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY, TO CREATE AN ALTERNATIVE.

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MITCH HORROCKS FOUNDER, 663 TO ZERO AND DESIGNER OF ‘OKU-Zi’, A PRODUCT BORN TO CREATE CLEAN WATER IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

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PHOTO: MITCH HORROCKS

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MITCHHORROCKS

[ TLSE ] FOR ALMOST ONE THIRD OF THE WORLDS POPULATION, A CRUCIAL CHOICE HAS TO BE MADE EVERYDAY, ‘DO I DIE NOW FROM NOT DRINKING WATER, OR DO I DIE LATER FROM THE WATER I DRINK?’. 663 TO ZERO IS A MOVEMENT BASED IN UGANDA DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER, FROM 663 MILLION TO ZERO.

NO-ONE QUITE TELLS YOUR STORY AS PASSIONATELY AS YOU DO…HOW DID UGANDA AND IT’S COMMUNITY COME TO CAPTURE SUCH A LARGE PART OF YOUR LIFE. [ MITCH ] Well, the first time I visited Uganda was actually a High School trip during our Christmas holidays in 2008. Me and 12 friends had the opportunity to visit Uganda, volunteer for a week in an orphanage and then travel across Uganda doing safaris. It was my first small taste of the country and I certainly felt like I had to return to see more of it. Once I graduated from High School, I was accepted into what was then called ‘Industrial Design’ at the University of Technology, Sydney but I deferred the course for a year. I decided to return to the orphanage organisation as a volunteer for a 6 month period, teaching Cricket, Rugby and Athletics (all sports I am passionate about) in the children’s village. I fell in love with the lifestyle in Uganda, the people of the country, the vibrance of Kampala as a city and more importantly, thoroughly felt like I could make a difference to the children’s lives in these orphanage villages.

After studying for 18 months back in Australia and fundraising at the same time, I returned to the orphanage in Uganda with $10,000 to build cricket nets in the villages and continued volunteering. I also played semi-professional Cricket for Uganda at that time which was a crazy experience going on tours around the world representing my adopted country In a sport I loved! I returned in 2013 and decided to focus on my studies a bit more until I had at least finished my Bachelor course.

Once I had graduated with the Bachelor degree, I had the opportunity to study an Honours in Product Design. I took this as an opportunity to return to Uganda in late 2015 and live in some rural communities, researching and observing the people and their way of life, so that I could use my Honours year to

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IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

design a product that would benefit these rural communities.

I was focusing on the biggest problem, which I saw as the lack of clean drinking water and the processes to be able to allow these people to access clean water. The product I ended up designing was not only designed FOR these people, but WITH these people so that it actually worked and could be incorporated into their day-to-day activities. The end product is a simple sheet metal product that sits on top of their pot of food as it cooks over the fire, and using the steam being produced from this food, boils another pot, this time filled with dirty water, on top of the product.

YOUR PRODUCT SOLVES ONE OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES FACING RURAL COMMUNITIES IN UGANDA. COSTING ONLY $1.50 TO MANUFACTURE, HOW DOES IT WORK, WHAT IMPACT DOES IT HAVE, AND HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO GET PRODUCTION COSTS DOWN?

The World Health Organisation (WHO) released statistics in 2017 that state there are ‘663 million people in the world without access to clean water’. 30,000 people die each week due to unsafe water sources and 90% of those people are children under 5 years of age. These were the statistics that struck me and forced me to ask myself “Is this right and can it be helped?”

The product was given the name ‘Okuchumba Amaizi’, which means ‘something that boils water’ in the Rutooro language in Western Uganda. Recently I shortened the name to ‘OKUZi’ which is catchier and a lot easy for people in Australia to pronounce!

The product is extremely simple; it purely channcels the steam being produced from the food to the base of the pot of water.

This steam being produced from the food is so intense it actually ends up boiling this pot of water (95 degrees) within 30 minutes of the food cooking, killing two birds with one stone kind of thing! Incorporating the product into their daily routines was a big part of my design.

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30,000 PEOPLE DIE EACH WEEK DUE TO UNSAFE WATER SOURCES, AND 90% OF THOSE PEOPLE ARE CHILDREN UNDER 5.

THESE WERE STATISTICS THAT STRUCK ME AND FORCED ME TO ASK MYSELF, “IS THIS RIGHT, AND CAN IT BE HELPED?” I wanted to make it so easy for these mothers to use the product that it would be more effort to not use it rather than use it! It also means that they use less firewood, because instead of removing the pot of food once it’s cooked, adding more firewood and then placing the pot of dirty water on the fire, both tasks are completed at once.

My second semester of the Honours year was actually spent refining the product to reduce the cost of the product and enable it to boil the water quicker. Reducing manufacturing costs, means that the money that I raised during 2017 goes much further and we can give these products to more families in these rural communities. From the results of my surveys when I was in the field, each household has roughly 10 people living in it, and you only need to give one ‘OKU-Zi’ to a family, therefore for $1.50 you have helped 10 people have access to clean drinking water.

IN THE LAST 18 MONTHS, YOU’VE RECENTLY FINISHED AN HONOURS YEAR IN PRODUCT DESIGN, HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CROWD-FUNDED OVER $60K FOR THE MOVEMENT, AND ARE CURRENTLY LIVING IN UGANDA FOR 2018 SETTING UP YOUR FIRST MANUFACTURING WORKSHOP. HOW IS THE MONEY RAISED BEING USED, AND WHY IS HAVING THE VILLAGE COMMUNITY INVOLVED IN THE PRODUCTION PROCESS A CRUCIAL COMPONENT IN ENSURING THE LONGEVITY OF THE PROJECT? I arrived back in Uganda at the end of February and will be here for at least the next year. I’ve already put in the paperwork to register my organisation ‘663toZERO’ as an official NGO which is an exciting step. This will allow us to be recognised a bit more in the charity sector and to be able to apply for funding from donors around the world.

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So far, the money raised during my fundraising last year has been used to set up our workshop in Kampala, where these

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products will be made. We are also already employing 5 Ugandans in different roles in the organisation, whether it is as Water and Sanitation experts or Artisans creating the products. The rest of the money will be used to pay for purchase of the sheet metal used to create the products and the distribution of the products to the remote villages where our facilitation team will teach the mothers how to use the product and the importance of clean drinking water.

YOUR GOAL IS PROVIDE 100,000 PEOPLE WITH ACCESS TO CLEAN DRINKING WATER WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF PRODUCTION….HOW DO YOU STAY ACCOUNTABLE TO THIS GOAL, AND - TOUCH WOOD ! - HOW ARE YOU TRACKING IN MEETING THIS?

With the $60K raised, I believe we can produce 10,000 of the ‘OKU-Zi’ products within a year of operation, It’s a big task but our workshop is already producing over 300 products each week and there are only 3 artisans. As we grow and become more efficient, I believe we can make up to 500 each week.

The next step is obviously to find 500 families in the villages each week to distribute them to, but as we become increasingly well known in the Kyenjojo district, we believe we can grow the distribution to be 500 products given to families a week as well. Documentation and reporting is extremely important when you make statements like this, which is why every week we are employing more facilitators in the village to move from house-to-house conducting intimate sensitisation sessions with the mothers on the importance of clean water, and recording how many people stay in the house, so we have clear figures on how many people we have been able to help so far.

MITCHHORROCKS

IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

MITCH DEMONSTRATING THE OKU-Zi, IN SYDNEY. PHOTO: OHH SNAP PHOTOGRAPHY

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I DON’T PLAN ON STOPPING, ANYTIME SOON.

PHOTO: MITCH HORROCKS

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MITCHHORROCKS

YOU’VE COMBINED YOUR DESIGN TRAINING WITH SOMETHING YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT, INVENTING A PRODUCT AND DESIGNING A BUSINESS MODEL THAT SOLVES A REAL WORLD PROBLEM; I’M CURIOUS, WHAT IS THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE BEEN GIVEN IN ESTABLISHING 663 TO ZERO, AND WHAT IS THE ONE PIECE OF ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE OTHERS WHO WANT TO PURSUE PROJECTS THAT THEY ARE TRULY PASSIONATE ABOUT?

I think you have hit the nail on the head there, combining my design degree with something I’m passionate about. When I was deciding whether or not to enrol in the Honours course, I first had to think about what kind of product I wanted to create, and If I couldn’t think of anything I was passionate about to spend a year of my life designing, well I wasn’t going to enrol. Connecting my love for Uganda, to being given the opportunity to spend a whole year designing a product of my choosing! I doubt many people in their product design careers get to have that freedom even in their first 10 years of being a product designer!

I think the best piece of advice that I have been given during this period is to be open and honest with people and let them always see your love for these people. Be a representation of the love and passion you have to change the lives of those in vulnerable situations. I’ve always been somebody that has wanted to help those who can’t necessarily help themselves.

Being transparent with my organisation and being honest with donors and supporters about where the funds are going and what my goals are, is also extremely important.

My one piece of advice for people wanting to pursue projects that they are truly passionate about is to just go out and bloody do it! So many people these days are scared to do what they truly want to do because of so many reasons. Don’t get me wrong, so far I’ve had enough ups and downs, but knowing that we are changing peoples lives with the work we are doing, is enough to keep me going and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. @663TOZERO | WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/663TOZERO

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MELANIE NODEN CEO, THE HUNGER PROJECT

THE HUNGER PROJECT’S MISSION To end hunger and poverty by pioneering sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their widespread adoption in countries throughout the world.

[ TLSE ] THP EMPOWERS WOMEN AND MEN LIVING IN RURAL VILLAGES IN INDIA, AFRICA, BANGLADESH AND LATIN AMERICA TO END THEIR OWN HUNGER. IN IDENTIFYING EACH INDIVIDUAL IN THESE COMMUNITIES AS THE SOLUTION TO THE HUNGER EPIDEMIC AS OPPOSED TO THE PROBLEM, HOW DOES THP WORK WITH THESE INDIVIDUALS TO UNLOCK THEIR CAPACITY, CREATIVITY AND ULTIMATELY IGNITE LEADERSHIP, SO THAT THEY MAY BE EMPOWERED TO CHANGE THEIR SITUATION? [ MELANIE ] The Hunger Project believes that everyone has the capacity and power within themselves to transform their lives – even if most people don’t think of themselves as that powerful! Our work is to unlock this creativity and leadership, and enable people to see what they’re really capable of.

We take women and men living in rural, remote villages globally through a process we’ve designed called ‘Vision, Commitment, Action’. It interrupts the idea that the future must look like an extension of the past.

Through participating in the ‘Vision, Commitment, Action’ process, people discover that they can create a vision for their future (that looks different to the past), make a commitment to themselves and others around them that they’ll do something about it, and develop an action plan to bring their vision to life.

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It’s an incredible process, and really awakens people to their own leadership. To date we have delivered this workshop to 1.6 million people!

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WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THP FACES IN CHANGING THE MINDSETS OF THE COMMUNITIES IN NEED, SO THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN MAY BE EMPOWERED AND EDUCATED THROUGH RESOURCES AND SKILLS TO BREAK THE POVERTY CYCLE THEY ARE IN? One of the biggest challenges is dealing with people’s resignation that ‘this is the way it’s always been, so this is the way it will be forever’. Imagine that you had always lived in hunger: why should the future be any different? Shifting that mindset to one of empowerment and optimism is a huge feat, and requires people to dig deep and deal with their own cynicism.

I must point out that the same is true for us in the Western world! How resigned are we to the way things are? We often see ourselves as insignificant and unable to make a difference.

That’s simply not true! People involved in The Hunger Project community understand that they can contribute to global transformation – from right here in Australia.

MELANIENODEN

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805 MILLION PEOPLE CURRENTLY LIVE IN HUNGER, AND THAT’S SIMPLY UNACCEPTABLE.

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MELANIENODEN

THP ISN’T ABOUT SIMPLY GIVING FOOD HANDOUTS TO END HUNGER. FROM THP COUNTRIES YOU’VE VISITED, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE STORIES THAT HAVE STUCK WITH YOU - AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, MADE YOU REALISE JUST HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE THP IS MAKING THROUGH THE POWER OF EDUCATION, TO FEED COMMUNITIES AND CHANGE LIVES.

We have successfully partnered with 24 communities across Africa to teach self-reliance. What self-reliance means is 415,000 people have demonstrated they are confident and capable of taking charge of their own development, and can continue and enhance the work started in partnership with The Hunger Project. So we know that our model and methodology works, and is sustainable!

Hunger is about more than just food – it’s about a lack of food, or the right kind of food. It’s also closely linked to lack of education, clean water, sanitation and more.

Our challenge now is to mobilise sufficient resources (particularly funding) to enable us to do more of this worldchanging work, and to scale it up, so that even more people have the opportunity to shift their own mindsets about what’s possible for the future – and to end hunger and poverty for themselves and their families.

ELECTED WOMEN LEADERS IN INDIA WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED BY THE HUNGER PROJECT. CREDIT: ANNA ZHU

So that’s right, we’re don’t use band-aid solutions like giving food handouts. Instead, through education, training and providing access to resources, we enable people to make longterm, sustainable change.

I’ve now visited 4 countries where The Hunger Project works: India, Senegal, Ghana and Uganda. On those visits, I met incredible local leaders whose stories have stuck with me.

Alicia is one of those people. Alicia lives with her extended family – 10 adults and 10 children! She struggled to support them with what little she had. Accessing microfinance loans and financial literacy classes through The Hunger Project has now transformed her life. With her loan, she bought a sewing machine and sewing supplies, and now her tailoring business has grown so much that she employs 3 apprentices. In addition to supporting her own large family, she has given her 3 apprentices the opportunity to do the same for their families too. I love that she looked beyond how she could make a difference to her family, and to how she could enable others’ to change their lives also. Alicia is just one example of the 34,000 women who were trained in microfinance and financial literacy by The Hunger Project in Africa last year.

ENDING WORLD HUNGER IS NO SMALL TASK. WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THP FACES, IN WORKING TOWARDS THE INTERNATIONAL DEADLINE OF ENDING HUNGER BY 2030.

ON THE BEST PIECE OF PERSONAL ADVICE YOU CAN SHARE WITH OUR READERS……

In Senegal I met a woman leader called Coumba who had been trained by The Hunger Project. We asked her what her advice was for us in Australia. She said, ‘yeewu, yeewu, yeewu’ or ‘awake, awake, awake’. So that’s my advice to you too!

Ending hunger is an immense task, and we absolutely need to overcome our own resignation about that so that we can tackle the task head on. I channel the strength of our village partners who overcome huge obstacles on a daily basis and bring that through to my work for The Hunger Project.

For example, when I speak to people about investing their resources into our work, it can be uncomfortable to try and shift their mindsets around what they are able to commit to.

I’ve learned from the women and men trained by The Hunger Project about being bold and having important conversations so that together we can achieve something special: a world free from hunger and poverty, where every woman, man and child leads a healthy, fulfilling life of self-reliance and dignity. @THEHUNGERPROJECTAU | WWW.THP.ORG.AU

Yes, ending hunger can seem like an overwhelming goal!

However, 805 million people currently live in hunger, and that’s simply unacceptable.

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SIMON GRIFFITHS CO-FOUNDER AND CEO, WHO GIVES A CRAP (WGAC)

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SIMONGRIFFITHS

[ TLSE ] TOILET HUMOUR ASIDE, YOU’VE TURNED A NECESSITY THAT MOST OF US DON’T GIVE A SECOND THOUGHT ABOUT, INTO THE FOUNDATION OF A SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL BUSINESS. HOW DID THE A-HA MOMENT COME TO DEVELOP BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR TWO CO-FOUNDERS, TO GIVE BACK IN SUCH A POWERFUL WAY THROUGH SUCH A COMMON HOUSEHOLD PRODUCT? [ SIMON ] While studying at uni, I spent time in Asia and Eastern and Southern Africa looking at different development organisations to gain an understanding of what ‘good development’ looked like. I became really taken by the idea of turning a product that everyone could buy into a scalable social business.

One day I had that classic business idea epiphany – I walked into the bathroom, saw a 6-pack of toilet paper and thought, why don’t we sell toilet paper, use the profits to build toilets and call it ‘Who Gives A Crap?’

I immediately called three friends and they all said I had to do it...and Who Gives A Crap was born!

WHO GIVES A CRAP EXISTS TO GIVE BACK; WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MORE MEMORABLE WAYS IN WHICH WGAC HAS CHANGED THE LIVES OF THOSE WITH WHOM YOU WORK WITH? It’s amazing to see the benefits of sanitation in different communities. When people don’t have access to a toilet, it can cause some pretty serious disease. But more than that, it means people can’t go to school or go to work, making it harder for them to lift themselves out of the poverty cycle.

This is something that I think most people don’t necessarily think about – the long term effects of not having a toilet can be devastating.

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Danny (one of the other co-founders) and I have both spent time with various sanitation impact organisations in Africa and Asia which have greatly inspired us with their innovative approaches (and also prompted us to donate to them!). Last year, our team went to Timor-Leste and visited a number of villages who have had their lives changed by having access to toilets and clean water. And this month we’re taking the whole company to see WaterAid’s work in Cambodia, so we can better connect everyone to the purpose of our business – seeing the impact we’re having in the field is a truly incredible experience!

WITH POTENTIAL TO KEEP GROWING AND POSITIVELY IMPACT MILLIONS - OR BILLIONS AS YOU’VE BEEN QUOTED - OF PEOPLE THROUGH TOILET INSTALLATION AND SANITARY HEALTH, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS WGAC’S BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS IN INNOVATING AND ACCELERATING YOUR SCALE OF GROWTH - AND ULTIMATELY YOUR REACH?

In order to reach our mission of getting toilets to the 2.3 billion who don’t have access to one, we’re going to have to get our product into the bathrooms of a huge number of houses. It’s going to be a challenge to convince everyone that environmentally friendly toilet paper isn’t as scary as they think. Some people have a lot of hang ups; they think it’s scratchy, it’s not strong, that their husbands won’t like it (it’s always fussy partners!) which isn’t true. It’s also a matter of encouraging people to change their habits of shopping for toilet paper in the supermarket and switching them to buying online (which is actually much easier – no more lugging TP home from the supermarket!).

Lastly, we need to branch out into new countries so we can expand our reach, which is what we’re working on in the US and UK now!

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2.3 BILLION PEOPLE, DON’T HAVE ACCESS TO TOILETS.

ON THE 3 BIGGEST LEARNING CURVES EXPERIENCED IN STARTING A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE... AND ON STARTING ONE WITH FRIENDS!

1. Learn by selling We’ve found that the best feedback comes once we’re selling our product in real life, instead of surveying or asking questions to a focus group.

2. Everything is marketing Even our packaging! It’s a mini billboard that’s displayed in bathrooms at home, on social media, in cafes, on door steps, and sometimes even used as wrapping paper for presents!

3. It’s ok to start a social enterprise with friends Just make sure you have a strong enough relationship that you can be totally honest with each other. You have to be comfortable pushing each other to improve - and knowing what your own strengths and shortcomings are. It’s also worth defining who ultimately gets to make decisions for each part of the business. Laying that out at the start will help with faster decision making down the track. But it’s great, seriously!

AND….WHAT’S NEXT FOR WGAC We’ve recently launched in the UK and US. Combined, these two countries give us the potential to reach nearly 400 million customers, versus 24 million in Australia. Our goal is to build as many toilets as possible, so the bigger the market size, the more we can donate. Both countries also offer us some unique opportunities to start testing markets beyond the UK and USA fairly easily – we can ship to most of Europe from the UK which opens up hundreds of millions of more potential new bathrooms! @WHOGIVESACRAPTP | AU.WHOGIVESACRAP.ORG

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LISAMESSENGER

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IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

THE MAY ‘18 ISSUE

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HAYLEY CLARKE MANAGING DIRECTOR, ONYA AUSTRALIAN DESIGNED REUSABLE BAGS, COFFEE CUPS AND MORE

A CURATION OF LIFE + STYLE

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HAYLEYCLARKE

IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

[ TLSE ] YOUR PASSION LIES IN HELPING TO TAKE THE ISSUE OF PLASTIC POLLUTION TO THE MAINSTREAM, PROVIDING TANGIBLE REAL WORLD SOLUTIONS TO TACKLING THE PROBLEM OF SINGLE USE PLASTIC. WHAT DROVE THIS PASSION SO MUCH SO, THAT YOU FOUND YOURSELF BUILDING A BRAND AND A BUSINESS AROUND THE ISSUE OF SUSTAINABILITY AND PLASTIC WASTE?

IN EXPLORING THE LIFE CYCLE OF A PRODUCT FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE, NOT ONLY DOES ONYA PROVIDE A PRODUCT THAT SERVES TO CREATE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS HABITS AND ELIMINATE PLASTIC WASTE, WHERE POSSIBLE THE PRODUCTS THEMSELVES ARE MADE FROM PLASTIC LANDFILL WASTE WHICH IS TURNED INTO RPET, A FABRIC PRODUCED FROM OLD WATER BOTTLES.

[ HAYLEY ] In a previous life I was a multi-site retail store owner and most of modern retail is about creating landfill, even if it is unintentional. Consuming by its very nature means that we have to replace the resources we use, but if you become a conscious consumer, you have the power to choose products or services that both you and the planet benefit from, which in my opinion makes for a much more satisfying purchase!

WHY IS THIS [EXTENDING THE LIFE CYCLE PROCESS AND MANUFACTURING WITH RECYCLABLE MATERIALS] SO IMPORTANT TO THE ONYA BRAND AND THE ONYA MESSAGE?

What I found most appealing if I could call it that, with the issue of plastic pollution, was that it was something that was tangible and I could see the positive changes in my daily life through the choices I made to avoid single use plastic.

I believe this is also the reason why the plastic free movement is growing so fast. Just a few simple changes in your daily life and you are positively impacting the planet by producing less waste.

We can often feel powerless when it comes to the massive environmental challenges facing the world today; I like to say however, that there are many things in the world you may not be able to change, but plastic pollution isn’t one of them.

Creating an eco friendly product in this way – from an already existing material rather than straight from scratch – saves on energy and resources and also means there is less plastic polluting the natural environment or wasting away in landfill.

We are also proud to be able to offer “closed loop” products; we do this by providing an end of life solution for our products via our Onya old product recycling programme, all done though our partnership with Terracycle.

It is these processes and products that will help us build a more sustainable planet and way of living, rather than simply churning through resources and living beyond our means.

The great thing about Onya rPET products is that unlike single-use alternatives, they have a long lifespan, and so also help to lessen the planet’s burden.

While eco friendly products are becoming more popular and available, there is still a lot of work to be done to make sure they become a completely integrated part of everyday life around the world. Consumer culture and behavior can change to be more sustainable with the more eco friendly products that are available.

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EACH STRAW YOU REFUSE, OR EACH COFFEE YOU DRINK FROM A REUSEABLE CUP, CAN BE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF REDUCED SINGLE-USE WASTE.

MORE THAN EVER, THE CONSUMER HOLDS INFLUENCE IN THEIR PURCHASING DECISIONS AND THEIR ABILITY TO INFLUENCE COMPANY STAKEHOLDERS. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THE NEEDS AND WANTS OF THE ONYA CONSUMER, THROUGH THE ITEMS YOU PRODUCE? We listen to our customers as they are often the inspiration behind new products. We are also very connected to the community around plastic pollution, and so if we can see a way to provide a reusable alternative for something that is currently single use, we investigate this further and create a product around it if it is needed.

One of our main goals is to provide highly functional products that are not only beautiful but are also solving a problem and replacing a single use item where a reusable alternative might not already exist or is not widely available.

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST PROBLEM FACED IN EDUCATING CONSUMERS WHEN IT COMES TO WAYS THEY CAN MINIMISE THEIR WASTE ON A DAILY BASIS? AND WHAT ARE THE EASIEST WAYS WE CAN REDUCE OUR WASTE WITHOUT THINKING TOO MUCH ABOUT IT?

In order to make waste reduction changes, you need to build new habits to how you have been living. Habits allow you to continue a behavior for an extended period of time becoming almost automatic. It can be overwhelming so the best thing for most people to do is to take it slowly, one step at a time. Start with the easiest items to find reusables for. Then build up from there to help you build a zero-waste habit and mindset. Before you know it, waste reducing opportunities will be appearing everywhere in your life.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR ONYA; WHERE DO YOU SEE THE BUSINESS AND THE ETHOS IN 5, 10 YEARS? As the more of the world wakes up to the issue of plastic pollution, ever increasing amounts of people will be looking for reusable alternatives, and it is our job to provide them with sustainable, responsibly sourced and ethically made innovative products that they can rely on to reduce their impact on the planet. We don’t see this need ending any time soon! @ONYALIFE | WWW.ONYALIFE.COM

Having people realize that each and every waste reduction step they take, regardless of how insignificant it may seem, really does make a difference. Each straw you refuse or each coffee you drink from a reusable cup can be a tremendous amount of reduced single-use waste when combined with the efforts of others across the globe each and every day.

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IN PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS

CREDIT: CREATED BY THE LIFE STYLE EDIT, FOR ONYA

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THE MAY ‘18 ISSUE

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