How these 14 social initiatives address the UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, global leaders convened at the United Nations General Assembly to address issues such as poverty, hunger, health, education, global warming, gender equality, water, sanitation, energy, urbanization, environment and social justice. Governments agreed to take collective actions, therein supporting a more equitable, sustainable world. A set of 17 goals were established and became known as the Sustainable Development Goals.
When Paul van de Moosdijk thought to start things4.life, he wanted to do more than create a livelihood for himself; he wanted to create a social enterprise that had impact. Paul aligned his business’ efforts directly to the Sustainable Development Goals. Along with his co-founders, Irina, Patricia, and Edyeni, the team is creating a scalable platform that provides safe drinking water at reasonable prices.
Things4.life has brought their Kohler Clarity filters to a Peruvian school in Huancavelica that will serve 120 young girls. Leveraging a grant from The Pollination Project, each child will be equipped with an aspirational bio-plastic water bottle.
Children who have safe water have more opportunities to learn, be healthy and live safely. Hence, from the Sustainable Development Goals, things4.life addresses:
Goal #1 “End poverty in all its forms everywhere.”
Goal #3: “Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.”
Goal #5 “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”
Goal #7 “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.”
Similarly, in Nigeria, HelpMum’s work directly addresses Goal #1, Goal #3, and Goal #5.
HelpMum provides sterilized, ultra-affordable delivery kits containing essential supplies required at childbirth to ensure a clean, safe and hygienic delivery. Their delivery kits provide women with sterilized scalpel blades — an important tool because many women in Nigeria only have rusty blades and glass to sever umbilical cords.
Founded by Abiodun Adereni, the organization has mobilized volunteers to help them achieve their goal of gifting 2,000 birthing kits within the next year. Abiodun wsa inspired to start HelpMum after losing a very close friend who died during childbirth. Now, because of HelpMum’s efforts, fewer women are subjected to dangerous birthing conditions.
Many social entrepreneurs don’t even recognize that their efforts are contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, but nonetheless, we’re all in this together! Here are projects that The Pollination Project recently funded that are making an impact:
Phil Dierks, College 4 All, Berkeley, California, Goal #4 and #10. Provides high school students of low socioeconomic backgrounds with free resources and information, with the aim to raise their achievement on standardized test scores and make college achievable for everyone.
Solace For She And Child Care Initiative, Period Poverty Intervention, Asaba, Nigeria, Goal #3 and #5. Subsidizes the high cost of menstrual pads and teaches women how to make and manage reusable pads. This ensures that girls and women can remain in school.
Paul Alala Obura, Art and craft for livelihood, Kenya, Goal #4 and #8. Provides arts and crafts skill-building for vulnerable, disabled, and orphaned youth between the ages of 14–34 so they can earn a living and become self-reliant members of society.
Justus Nyongesa Wanyama and Rhoda Otieno, Ricep — Korogocho, Kenya, Goal #4, #5 and #8. The project rescues, trains, and empowers teenage mothers and youth in Korogocho slums.
The Wild Buffalo Defense Collective, Wild Buffalo Defense, Michael Bowersox, West Yellowstone, California, Goal #15. Mobilizes to shut down Yellow Stone National Park’s buffalo capture facility and expand habitat for the wild buffalo.
Kopoi Primary School, Construction of pit Latrine at Kopoi Primary School, Awanya Central Ward, Uganda, Goal #3, #4, #5. Provides a separate latrine for girls attending Kopoi Primary School, which provides a safe and clean place for girls when they are menstruating and increases their school attendance rates.
Amy Williams, Suzanne Campbell, and Holly Doden, One Thread Project, Kinshasa, Congo, Goal #4, #5, and #8. Empowers women in the Democratic Republic of Congo through education, job training, and holistic wrap-around support. This lifts women out of poverty and offers them a life of hope.
Pamela Adie, The Equality Hub, Under The Rainbow, The Documentary, Lagos, Nigeria, Goal #10. Produces a documentary that addresses misconceptions that Nigerians have about LGBT people.
Kepha Abongo- Boya Women’s Support Group, Loom Machine for Stitching Orphans glitches, Muhuru Bay, Kenya, Goal #5 and #8. Provides care and support to 200 Orphans through weaving carpets, blankets, shawls, and sweaters by use of a loom machine.
Let’s Spread Compassionate Kindness, The Abundant Love Project, Oceanside, California, Goal #10. Creates small stones with a heart on one side and the words “You are Loved” on the other, and leaving them in public spaces for people to find.
Abdulhakim Abdalla and Hindu Abdulalim, MASKANIyetu, Kenya, Goal #4. Creates safe spaces for young people to thrive through interactive learning, innovations, arts, and technology.
Joseph Christophe Kone and Mohaned Lamine Bangura, The courage women project of MARTADI, Feruh Village, Guinea, #4, #5, and #8. Improves the quality of life for widows and other marginalized rural women so that they have access to a better future.
Do you have a social initiative making our world a more equitable and sustainable place? We, at The Pollination Project, want to hear your story and consider you for a $1,000 seed grant. Tell us your idea.
