How to Find Your Gift and Give It Away
“The meaning of life is to find your gift, the purpose of life is to give it away.” Pablo Picasso
The impact you are trying to make begins with the idea that you have something to give to the world. How you find that gift and how you give it away shapes how you are able to help others.
Jasmine Fuego found both activism and self-restoration through art and permaculture. “I know that real systematic change starts with ones self, yet I see so many of our change-makers burning out from over work, self doubt, or poor organizational structure.” She teamed up with Abrah Dresdale to start Regenerative Design For Change Makers, which teaches activists to bring the permaculture design, mindfulness and art to create a more natural and sustainable flow to the work they are doing. Jasmine and Abrah have chosen to give their gifts by helping other change-makers find and give their gifts in a way that is sustainable and kind to oneself.
Xzun Bellefant and Shakenya Wardlaw are on the same path but in a different way. Based in Detroit Michigan, they are determined to change the face of a community damaged by poverty, drugs and crime by helping selected youth find their gift of leadership and service. It Takes a Village will train 100 youth that will mentor and tutor 200 children and their families living in the City of Detroit’s most impoverished areas. “Mentoring does not just help youth aspire and learn, mentoring saves lives,” explains Xzun.
While some are teaching others how to find and give their gift away, Yuniya Khan wants to celebrates the ingenuity of grassroots Black leaders in South Africa that are using their limited resources to generate change in their communities by showcasing them in films through The Emergence Project. Her gift of film is being used to shine light on other change-makers often unseen.
There are so many ways to find and give our gifts to the world. Here are 11 other examples to inspire you:
Alako, Itaya Aidah, Asibo Lillian created Sister Keeper, Change Makers, a grass-root initiative teaches single mothers in the Uganda, bakery and business skills in order to overcome severe poverty that usually results in their children succumb to school drop-outs, early marriages and poor health.
Tah Kennette, Tata Charity and Vera Nongey Oku started Children’s Education and Welfare Empowerment Center to offer educational and social support to vulnerable children by supporting educational activities and resources.
Colectiva Yomo Ijtkuy started HechA en Chiapas, an online store that that helps people who help producers and distributors of the products in Chiapas, Mexico. The purchase of products will contribute to decrease in economic marginalization and invisibility in for these communities.
Paul Okot began Christ the King Vegetable Demonstration Project to create a sustainable livelihood, through planting vegetables, for vulnerable elders, orphans, widows and sick that come to the parish seeking assistance.
DC Peace Team Partner started Grounding & Sustaining the DC Peace Team trains communities on implementing ideas on human rights, social justice, biodiversity protection, environmental sustainability and human welfare through activities in Washington DC and beyond.
Parbati Chepang and Bibek K. Pandit started The Karma Project to train the women of the Chepang people, one of the most vulnerable and marginalized groups in Nepal, in modern farming techniques to help generate a living.
Paul Okot started Christ the King Vegetable Demonstration Project to support livelihood through planting vegetables for vulnerable elders, orphans, widows and sick that come to the parish seeking assistance.Randall Mosley started the Amistad Reading and Music Programto teach basic reading skills to develop a thirst for learning among early elementary age school children challenged by an urban environment in Michigan.
Madeleine Bair started El Tímpanoproject (Spanish for “eardrum”) to support Oakland’s Latino immigrants through a reporting initiative that will bring conversation to surface and amplify their voices on local and national affairs, and provide information relevant to their concerns.
Tariq Tarey and Amanda Erin started dis[place]d: seeking refuge , a two-part project that builds empathy and understanding between two communities that have little contact: refugees and rural people, specifically in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
RESPECT Begins when the VIOLENCE Ends started The R.E.S.P.E.C.T. initiative to combat teen violence by providing underprivileged youth behavioral techniques and interventions to reduce the occurrence of violent behaviors.
Neidy Lucio Contreras founded The Casa Colibri’s rainwater harvesting. A project that consists implementing rainwater harvesting to supply a community orchard located in Jalisco, México so they can have access to alternative medicine through herbalism based on sustainable practices.
