GET READY… this is a LONG one! 🙂
So, just in case you haven’t heard about this little project we’re taking on… we wanted to throw out this idea to all of our boudoir photographer friends out there! We have had this crazy dream – and a crazy goal – to raise money for women entrepreneurs in Malawi, Africa… and if this idea sparks excitement in your heart, then we want YOU to join with us! Why Malawi? Why this project? Why small business loans? Well… here’s just a little explanation, to share with you why it’s something we feel really passionate about. Marissa and I recently took a trip to Uganda, Africa, to document the stories of women and children living in poverty.
We had the amazing opportunity to talk with these resilient women, to hear their stories, and to see first-hand HOW they have been able to survive – and thrive – despite the horrible circumstances they’ve been faced with, being born into poverty. It was incredibly humbling to see these women, and to hear the HOPE in their voices, despite what they are facing on a daily basis. Most of them women we met have been able to change their situation, and get OUT of poverty… and it was really cool to consistently see that a small business loan had helped them do this. We saw women with tailoring businesses and little shops – they’ve been able to make a living for themselves, and all they needed was a little hand up, to help them get started.
We are so blessed… we have been born into a society and a country that gives us SO MUCH opportunity. Marissa and I run a successful business, and we have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams, knowing that we are able to live OUT this dream of ours with The Boudoir Divas! We just want to give back, even though this seems like a small way. But we want to give a few women the opportunity to start a small business in their hometown!
One man we spoke with in Uganda defined poverty as “helplessness plus hopelessness.” It’s not about material goods or wealth. It’s about having no hope… no possible way for you to change your life… because there is absolutely no way to pull yourself out of your current situation. This is how a majority of the world is living. So when a small opportunity is held out to someone who is helpless & hopeless… their situation is now given new meaning as they are given an opportunity to change. They are no longer in poverty because they DO have hope. They DO have an opportunity to change, to do something about their situation. They are no longer helpless.
HOW IT WORKS…
We would ask that you commit to giving $5 from each boudoir shoot that you do, put that money aside and then the first of every month (or a date you choose) you update our donation page http://www.optinnow.org/fundraisers/boudoir . We have been doing this same thing with our clients, and we have labels we have printed that we stick on their invoice so that our clients know that a small portion of what they have paid is going to an amazing cause. Here is an example of what the label could look like. You can adapt ours (right-click and save the image below), or just make your own!
MORE DETAILS…
*If you commit to the pledge email us at [email protected] and we will add your link to the Opportunity International post. Note: You do not have to be a member or Boudoir International to participate, you don’t even have to be a boudoir photographer. You can just commit if you love the cause.
*There is no written contract saying that you are going to participate. If you even need to stop donating we will completely understand. If you are more comfortable making a one time donation we welcome that as well.
*Our studio (www.theboudoirdivas.com) has earned $3500 in the past for World Vision’s Girls in Crisis Fund and now we are ready to push with fellow boudoir photographers for a larger goal. We love to dream big and believe that God will meet us halfway if we humbly trust him and are in line with what he loves. So let’s do this together everyone! BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHERS UNITE!!!
*ALL of the details can be found here!
***ALSO…… If you’d like to see the finished product of one of the videos we worked on while we were in Uganda, click below!
Thank you so much for helping us move forward in our big dream. If you have any questions about this, or would like to know more about how to get involved, CLICK HERE and visit the Opportunity International page. Not sure what we are talking about when we say “Boudoir International“? It’s just a little referral website for photographers – click here for more info.
