Amanda Maitland worked for WE Charity until June 2019. She says a personal speech she was supposed to deliver during an anti-racism tour was largely rewritten by a mostly white team of staff.

A former employee of WE Charity says a speech she wrote for a WE Schools tour about her experiences as a Black woman was changedwithout her consent by a mostly white group of staff members.

Amanda Maitland told CBC News that the speech was supposed to be delivered on an anti-racism tour of schools in Alberta in February and March 2019. She said WE staff initially made minor changesbut later told her to deliver a different speech altogether, largely written by them.

"I felt like I was sinking in sand. I felt anger," said Maitland.

"They took my story, and they wanted me to elaborate on things that were just, I guess, more socially accepted."

Maitland told CBC News that when she tried to speak up about some of the problems within the organization at a WE town hall a few months after her tour, she was "aggressively" shut down by WE co-founder Marc Kielburger in front of a room full of her peers.

WE is an international organization that operates educational and social justice programs in Canada and internationally. WE Charity is the non-profit arm of the organization, with programs like WE Schools. Me to We isits for-profit social enterprise. Last week, WE Charity stepped back from a $19.5-million contract to administer a $900-million federal government student grant program amid criticism of the sole-source nature of the contract and WE's ability to carry it out.

WE said in a statement to CBC News, it "stands firmly for inclusion, diversity and the equitable, open treatment of all."

"We have directly and publicly apologizedto Amanda and to all current and former BIPOC [Black, Indigenous, people of colour] employees for past instances involving unconscious bias," the statement said.

But Maitland's story which she first shared on Instagram has sparked widespread discussion on social media about WE. Some have begun sharing their own experiences while working at the organization, and a petition signed by 150 current and former employees is circulating, calling on WE to take specific anti-racist measures.

CBC News has spoken to 15 former WE employees, some of whom confirm Maitland's speech was changed, and some who were at the town hall where Maitland spoke out publicly. Most described a "culture of fear" within the charity when it came to challenging or criticizing decisions.

Maitland said she was hired by WE as a motivational speaker and leadership facilitator in the fall of 2018. She was asked to deliver a speech about her personal experience with racism on an anti-racism tour in Alberta in early 2019.

"I have a lot of experiences when it comes to racial injustice. So, I was excited I was over the moon," said Maitland.

Shebegan writing thespeech, initially going back and forth with a WE Charity team who made minor edits, she said.

She said she delivered her speech several times on the tour, but on a brief return trip to Toronto, WE Charity staff gave her a different speech to deliver.

"I was literally ... told that there had to be changes made," said Maitland, who said it was the first she'd heard of any issues with her speech.

"I had no emails while travelling. I had no phone calls. No messages of anything within, like, an update that a speech may have to get changed."

Maitland claims her personal experiences with racism as a Black woman were largely erased and watered down with subjects she hadn't written about.

"It wanted me to talk about cornrows, and it wanted me to talk about the Oscars, and the language was just completely different. I pride myself on being someone who's very raw with how I speak. So, they completely shredded that."

Most of the former WE employees whoCBC News spoke with asked not to be identified over fear of backlash from the organization. Most have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that precludes them from speaking.

Four former employees told CBC News they were aware of the speech change, including Brianna Polden, who was in Alberta at the same time as Maitland, on a parallel but separate speaking tour for WE Schools.

"It became really obvious to me that this was done without her consent and also without her knowledge, and that it had kind of been forced on her," said Polden.

She said Maitland told her about the changes to her speech made by the leadership team, "who I knew to be primarily white."

Raia Carey, who was on a different speaking tour in Alberta at the same time as Maitland, was also aware of the speech change.

"I said, 'Do not read that speech,'" said Carey, who resigned from the organization a few months later.

"That was the final straw for me. Especially because it goes against our standard protocol that our speeches are supposed to be collaborative."

Maitland said she tried to amalgamate the WE team's version and her version, but ultimately decided to deliver the speech she'd written.

"I wasn't willing to shut down my story for anybody definitely not WE," she said.

Maitland also resigned, a few months after the anti-racism speaking tour, but not before attending a staff town hall with Kielburger to talk about issues related to workplace culture. Maitland said she was one of the first to speak.

"I began to speak about the culture of fear. I began to share that what is happening in this organization is that employees are having siloed conversations," said Maitland.

"There were a lot of people nodding their heads, and Marc Kielburger immediately kind of stepped forward and shut me down."

CBC News spoke to four former WE employees who were at that town hall. They all confirmed Maitland spoke up, and that Kielberger tried to quickly end the conversation.

"The automatic response was her being shut down by Marc Kielberger, and him being visibly angry," said one former employee.

"Sitting in that room during the town hall, you could feel it," she said.

"Most staff at least my group of peers have talked about the things that we're uncomfortable with and don't feel we can bring up, or have brought up and have felt silenced."

Maitland said she decided to post a video account of her experience on social media more than one year later because of the discussions about race following the death of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. She said she wanted to highlight that Canada is not immune to racism.

"[Racism] happens within the charitable spaces. I felt like I need to share, as a Black woman that was hired to go on an anti-racism speech, why it is not OK for a panel of white women and men to rewrite a Black woman's story."

"I didn't want to just be another person that was OK with being silenced."

Most of the former employees CBC News spoke to said there was a "culture of fear" within the organization.

Carey said she was felt she was penalized when she tried to speak up and push back on decisions by management.

"Never in my life before had I felt unsure about my opinion,my values and where I stand because of how they made it seem like I was negative or bad," said Carey.

A former manager of the WE Schools team told CBC News: "People were afraid to speak out because they didn't want to lose their jobs."

Another former employee of colour on the WE Day team said: "I was so scared to speak up. If you ever said anything that's out of line, or questioned anything [which they didn't like], you would end up not being in [my former supervisor's] good books. She would find any way to get you kicked off her team or fired.

"The explanation to the wider team would always be: They weren't a 'good culture fit,' a 'positive team player,' or 'It just didn't work out.'" WE Day is a recurring celebration of youth empowerment, hosted by the organization.

In response to such allegations, WE Charity said in a statement to CBC News: "WE members can anonymously submit on a 'feedback portal' any concerns or issues they have. They can also request a phone call or in-person meeting with any of the human resources or leadership team."

WE Charity did not respond to a request for an interview from CBC News.However, about12 hours after CBC News submitted its request, Kielburger and his brother,Craig, the founders of the WE organization, apologized publicly on their personal Instagram pages.

"We want to start by unreservedly apologizing to you," the apology said in part.

"You shared in your video that the words of your speech were altered. It simply should not have happened."

An apology was also posted on the WE website.

In the statement to CBC News, WE Charity said it has publicly released a list of actions on how it can "do better" and has launched what it described as a listening tour to hear the experiences of its current and former BIPOC employees.

Maitland confirmed WE also reached out to her personally last week prior to CBC News contacting the organizationand said she's taking time to process the apology.

"I need to know that it's coming from a genuine place," she said. "I need to understand that it's not coming because there's havoc on social media."

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Former WE Charity employee says staff tried to silence her by rewriting anti-racism speech - CBC.ca

Leading Natural Herbal Products Brand Helps Connect People, Plants and Planet Through its Gaia Roots Small Grants Program

Gaia Herbs, a leading natural herbal products brand in the United States, is now accepting applications for $5,000 grants via its social impact program, the Gaia Herbs Roots Initiative (Gaia Roots). Open through July 31, the program is exclusive to organizations based in the United States that are working to increase herbal access to drive community empowerment and health. The four winners of the $5,000 grants will be announced in August.

"Gaia Herbs has a strong foundation of advocating for farmer prosperity and environmental regeneration through our Gaia Roots program," said Alison Czeczuga, Sustainability and Social Impact Manager of Gaia Herbs. "This year, we have broadened the emphasis for our small grants program to focus on projects expanding herbal access to underserved communities, supporting health and personal empowerment in these regions. There is a critical need in this area and our grants program will help communities develop and strengthen programs that bring herbs and herbal products to marginalized populations in a time when they are most urgently needed."

"This year within Western North Carolina, weve given away over 16,500 certified organic vegetable and medicinal herb seedlings to both non-profits who are fighting food insecurity, as well as our own employees. The Gaia Herbs Farm provides for not only our supply chain in creating herbal products, but also for our team and communities. In seeking to expand that powerful impact beyond the footprint of our own land, Gaia Roots was born," said Angela McElwee, President and CEO of Gaia Herbs. "Our Gaia Roots small grants program represents the heart of our social impact work, enabling us to connect people and plants in meaningful, empowering ways. As a Certified B Corporation, we remain committed to using business as a force for good and are proud to be able to award financial grants to organizations providing greater herbal access to those in need."

The Gaia Roots small grants program is open to U.S.-based social enterprises, non-profit organizations, small businesses, individual herbalists, and naturopaths. To apply for the small grants program, focusing on projects supporting herbal access, organizations must complete the official application and provide a quarterly progress report on their project. In an effort to advance herbal knowledge and education, establishments must also be willing to allow Gaia Herbs to share its story. Examples of the types of projects that the initiative will fund include herbal educational programs, free clinics, mobile clinics, herbal farming and community garden projects.

Gaia Roots was created to form partnerships with like-minded, purpose-driven individuals and organizations to develop programs that have a positive social and environmental impact in communities throughout the world. Guided by our purpose of connecting people, plants, and planet to create healing, our work is focused on the three key pillars of this initiative:

All Gaia Herbs products are sold through natural and independently owned health food stores across the nation as well as through gaiaherbs.com and other trusted online retail sites. To find a store near you, visit gaiaherbs.com/stores.

About Gaia Herbs

Since 1987, Gaia Herbs has been connecting plants, people, and planet to create healing. Today, Gaia Herbs is a leading herbal brand in North America with more than 200 liquid extracts, functional powders, teas, and patented Liquid Phyto-Caps. Our dedication to quality and integrity is unparalleled and meticulously proven by science. We use organic methods to cultivate more than 3 million plants each year on our farm, and we screen the plants in our analytical laboratory to pinpoint the exact right time to harvest and extract in our state of-the-art processing facility. All of that leads to products exceptional in their purity and integrity. We offer the industrys first comprehensive herb traceability program, meetyourherbs.com, which allows us to share complete transparency with our customers. We are proud to be a Certified B Corporation using business as a force for good. Our mission to nurture healthy connections with nature extends beyond our herbs through the Gaia Herbs Roots Initiative, which champions environmental and social sustainability on our farm, our community, and around the world. Learn more at gaiaherbs.com and join in the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200601005532/en/

Contacts

Alyssa Hayes Rachel Kay Public Relations 929.337.0638 Alyssa@rkpr.net

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Gaia Herbs Offers Grants to Organizations Expanding Herbal Access for Underserved Populations in the United States - Yahoo Finance

Amidst a global pandemic and growing research which suggests women are severely affected by COVID-19, it's an opportunity to make big strides in our effort to address larger societal issues such as equality and justice, reproductive rights, poverty and domestic issues like financial abuse, as well as income security and retirement. It is estimated that 46% of women are "not too confident" or "not at all confident" about their ability to live comfortably after retirement, compared to only 31% of men who feel that way.

After my husband died unexpectedly, leaving me a 31-year-old widow with two small children, I realized that all women need to have a firm financial identity. I also found my voice in raising awareness about women's financial empowerment and issues such as financial abuse, as well as the importance of gender equality, diversity and financial inclusion. Women's rights have become my passion, and I realize that, globally, we can't fully achieve holistically wealthy communities if women don't have access to the same opportunities to thrive and be successful. This is especially the case, given through COVID-19. Indeed, women can't be fully empowered, if they're not financially empowered.

Financial abuse is often the first sign of dating violence and domestic abuse. However, it hasn't received the attention and profile that it ought to. According to Allstate Financial, one in four women experience domestic violence in the United States. 99% of those cases also include financial abuse. Financial abuse is one of the main reasons why victims are unable to leave an abusive partner or have to return to one as abusers typically control the finances to ensure that their victims can't leave.

As a trained Economist and bestselling author of Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons to Help You Find Purpose, Prosperity and Happiness, I have embraced a mission of raising awareness of female economic empowerment. After all, women can't be fully empowered if they're not financially empowered.

Financial abuse is the act of controlling someone's ability to acquire, use, and maintain financial resources. Those who are abused financially may be manipulated and sabotaged and thereby prevented from working. Victims of financial abuse may also have restricted access to their own money or bank accounts or have their funds stolen by the abuser. When they do have money, they often have to account for every penny they spend.

Financial abuse is one of the main reasons why victims are unable to leave an abusive partner or have to return to one as abusers typically control the finances to ensure that their victims can't leave.

In this video, I discuss the signs of financial abuse and outline some strategies to overcome it.

Violence against women and women's economic security are highly-interlined. Public policies that enable increased pay equity to boost women's access to resources and support, including counseling, will be effective.

Equally as important as educating women about recognizing the signs of financial abuse is giving them the skills to protect themselves from it. This has to start in high schools and universities. We can't afford to wait until after it happens. This is why the messages and strategies outlined in my book, Holistic Wealth: 32 Life Lessons to Help You Find Purpose, Prosperity and Happiness, are so important to teach women how to create an empowered financial identity that protects them from abuse, boosts their confidence and leads to improved mental, emotional and spiritual health. A key part of this strategy is embracing a "Holistic Wealth Mindset," and this stems from the "Holistic Wealth Method," which I've also developed. Having a curriculum designed to introduce students to the signs and strategies to overcome financial abuse is key.

Empowering women financially is critical to preventing financial abuse. Gender-based violence is rooted in gender inequality. Violence against women and women's economic security are highly intertwined. According to WomenAct, "Abuse often results in economic costs for survivors, including health costs, lost wages, and relocation expenses. Survivors can experience long -term economic consequences that make it difficult to rebuild economic security and resilience, including barriers such as debt, poor credit, housing instability and a diminished ability to work." Initiatives that enable increased pay equity to boost women's access to resources as well as supports, including counseling, will be effective.

In this video, I discuss developing personal mission statements for women.

The Holistic Wealth Development Index that's presented in my book Holistic Wealth, contains a modern framework that allows public policy experts a tool for evaluating the effectiveness of public policy interventions. It is a model that allows societies to develop resilience in the face of setbacks. As a result, it encompasses a model for societal resilience that is also necessary for societal growth. It takes into consideration the necessary supports that are required for individuals to be able to achieve holistic wealth even in the face of adversity, tragedy, and setbacks (including domestic and financial abuse). A more resilient society is a more prosperous and successful and holistically wealthy society. The Holistic Wealth Development approach is the counter theory we need in a time of urgent human problems and economic and social inequality.

Empowering women financially is critical to preventing financial abuse.

My approach also entails a list of holistic wealth functionalitiesand the idea that societies that embrace holistic wealth for all embrace these opportunities for individuals without humiliation and loss of dignity, as is the case in domestic and financial abuse. In times like these, where we are faced with a crisis, the choices we make now will affect the holistic wealth of generations to come.

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Women Cant Be Fully Empowered If Theyre Not Financially Empowered. Heres Why. - SWAAY

LOS ANGELES, June 2, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Healthfully, an enterprisehealthcaresolutions provider that addresses multiple health and wellnesstouchpointsin the patient journey, andNextGate, the global leader in healthcare enterprise identification,today announced a strategic partnership to meet increasing consumer demand for reliable access to personal health data.

Healthcare organizations rely on Healthfully's comprehensive platform to simplify the health experience for all involved.Its ability to provide communication between caregivers and patients, deliver targeted health programs, and much more all depend on accurate patient data from a variety of sources. By integrating NextGate's cloud-based Enterprise Master Patient Index (EMPI), Healthfully's personal health and wellness record gains robust patient identity matching technology.

NextGate's market-leading EMPI solution, which manages patient identities for more than two-thirds of the U.S. population, seamlessly links data across the continuum for a trusted, unified health record.

"Incomplete or inaccurate data in one's health record can be detrimental to patient safety and a major impediment to patient empowerment," said Andy Aroditis, CEO of NextGate. "We commend Healthfully for prioritizing patient identification as a key component to consumer engagement and data access so individuals can make the most informed decisions about their health."

"Our solution integrates, clinical, social, wellness and patient-generated information," said Paul Viskovich, CEO of Healthfully. "Leveraging NextGate's EMPI as part of the Healthfully platform will give our users access to trusted, high-quality health data for informed decision-making, better outcomes, and a greater patient experience."

About Healthfully

Healthfully simplifies the healthcare experience for everyone, so patients can get the care they need, the support they want, and the inspiration to achieve better health. The company provides enterprise organizations with a white-labeled, digital consumer health platform to engage and empower people on their health and wellness journey. The platform blends compelling and valuable functions, intelligence, and content for patients, consumers, and communities, creating a great patient experience and helping achieve the goals of value-based care and population health management. For more information, please visit http://www.healthfully.io.

About NextGate

With over 200 customers in four countries, NextGate is the global leader in healthcare enterprise identification. Committed to helping organizations overcome the clinical, operational, and financial challenges that result from duplicate records and disparate data, our full suite of identity matching solutions connects the entire healthcare ecosystem to drive critical improvements in quality, efficiency, and safety. NextGate's market-leading EMPI currently manages 300 million lives and is deployed by the nation's most successful healthcare systems and health information exchanges. For more information, visit http://www.nextgate.com.

Media Contacts:

Don Fallati Marketing, Healthfully Inc. don@healthfully.io 914-833-9157

Stephanie Fraser Director of Communications and Media Relations, NextGate c: 734-233-1483 | o: 734-399-9336 stephanie.fraser@nextgate.com

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Healthfully and NextGate Partner to Give Patients Safe, Reliable Access to Personal Health Data - thepress.net

June 3, 2020

By: Leslie Pollard, Oakwood University

On May 31, 2020, Oakwood University president Leslie Pollard wrote the following letter to the schools community following the death of George Floyd. Oakwood University is an historically Black Seventh-day Adventist school in Huntsville, Alabama, United States.Editors

Since I first shared my feelings about recent eventsin our nationon last Thursday morning [May 28, 2020] during the InsideOakwood radio segment,Ihavecontinued toreflect on the tragic circumstances that led to the death of Mr. George Floyd.The only words and emotions that come to mindareanger, outrage, andexhaustion.Exhaustion because we can only wonder how longwe will asBlackpeople have to grapple with the incessant devaluation ofBlack lives.

Anger, because on a personal note I am angry at the relentless psychological and physical assaults upon people of color. Yes, I am angry the one emotion that is usedby society to stereotypically dismiss the voices of angry black men and angry black women.I am angry about Mr. Floyds murder.And Im outraged when Ifeelforever doomed to wonder whether black young men will survive a routine traffic stop.Im outraged,wondering whetheryoung Blackwomen willbe safe in their own homes or strolling through Central Park.It is almost impossibletobean African -American andnothave, or to not know someone who has had negative encounters involving race everything from being followed in stores, tobeing pulled over while driving a luxury car, or driving in a certain area, tobeingignored indepartmentstoresbecause you dont fit thewealthprofile of otherpatrons...and the list goes on.

But in the wake of Mr. Floyds unnecessary andsenselessdeath, I am also determined.I am determined that the Oakwood community will continue to be a center of empowerment and witness to the lives and work of a generation of student standard bearers. Students who will, in the words of Jesus love theleast of these (Mat. 25:40). I am determined that the faith that has guided OakwoodUniversitysince 1896, and the cultural legacy handed to us as a Historically Black College and University, will continueto produce generations of Black attorneys,physicians,social workers,dentists,teachers, mediaand business professionals thatcombatthe ills ofour people perpetuatedby systems of oppression.Amidgreatturmoilwe must remainfocusedonour continued intellectual and moral development. I am determined that the least of these will be able to financially accessan Oakwoodeducation, so that from the blood-soaked sod of this former slave plantation, a new generation of moral activists will be launched.Greatthinkers will leaveOakwoodssacred groundstonot simply make a dollar,but to make a difference. Mr. Floyd, and all of the Mr. Floyds of the past 400 years, deserve this commitment from our institution. Moral passivityis notan option!

The Oakwood University community extendsour sympathiesto the family of Mr. George Floyd, and all of the other families who have been touched by the tragedy of unexpected and unnecessary death.We further call upon the thousands of devoted law-enforcement officers, who everyday serve and protect communities, to decry andjoin efforts toroot out this violence perpetrated by bad actors in blue from the police forces across our land.And to the parents who entrust their treasure to Oakwood University, be assured that our impactful work with your young people has only just begun. To the administrators, faculty, staff, and alumni of Oakwood University, we commend you for standing strong on behalf of the ministry of justice on our campusevery day.

Finally, to the students of Oakwood University, be it resolved, that youare thegeneration who will pick up the torch handed to you by the pioneers of civil justice, and we who lead and serve at Oakwood will facilitate your indispensable work and witness. This is your moment!Let no one tell you that the work of standing for the right, though the heavens fall is incompatible with the life of faith! Those voices, however sincere, are misguided, because He has [already] shown you, O man, what is good.And what does the Lord require of thee,but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?(Mic. 6:6-8). May God bless you, and may God bless the transformative work and mission of Oakwood University!

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'I am determined Oakwood will continue to be a center of empowerment and witness.' - Adventist Review

NEW DELHI: Education across levels is the best form of empowerment that can be extended to women to positively impact the state of their being, their status and position in the society and build a solid foundation for their holistic growth and development. With an aim to create an ecosystem that empowers women and equips them with knowledge, skills and self-confidence, UPES has declared 2020 as the Year of Womens Empowerment and has launched Shakti.

Despite constituting 48 per cent of Indias population, women are often underrepresented in institutions of higher learning, particularly in STEM courses. Lack of financial resources is one of the major reasons that prevents girl students from pursuing quality higher education and fulfilling their dreams. To equip girls with quality education and training to boost their participation across levels, the University has, among other key initiatives, also announced an unconditional 25% scholarship on tuition fees of complete program duration to all female students applying for all under-graduate and postgraduate courses starting with the session of 2020.

Students also benefit from a cutting-edge learning management system, Engineering+, Coursera, advanced labs, learned faculty, international exposure, and top-notch recruiters. With over 150 specialisations taught in the eight schools of UPES, students can easily opt for the course of their choice.

Beyond the scholarship, UPES has also been working towards empowering women of all age groups through its CSR wing. It has undertaken several initiatives that help women focus on their development through formal education, skill training, and personality grooming. The Shakti program part of the Shakti initiative trains women in adaptive skills, business and professional communication, emotional intelligence, and team management. Five modules, each meticulously designed for holistic development, cover areas of personal assessment, leadership training, and personal branding.

Having declared 2020 as the Year of Women Empowerment, UPES is committed to providing world-class, industry-ready education and an inclusive social and academic environment that inspires girls to strive for their ambitions, lead by example, and break the glass ceiling.

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UPES has given more Shakti to all girl students with 25 percent scholarship - Careers360

Sponsored content: Thank You for the Rain, a film about a Kenyan farmers struggle, has helped to catalyse change nationally and internationally

A documentary, which follows a struggling family fighting the impacts of climate change, has become a case study for how a films impact can bring about a global movement and a real change within communities.

Released in 2017, Thank You for the Rain is the personal story of a Kenyan farmers journey from hardship to empowerment in the rapidly changing climate of his home.

When documentary filmmaker Julia Dahr approached Kisilu Musya to see if he would be interested in telling his story, he agreed, but with one condition; he wanted to shoot parts of the film himself in video-diary format.

In one scene, Kisilu examines the damage done to his land after a bad storm and the camera lingers on him; the other season we were crying, no rain now we are talking of flood. Everything is being contradicted.

With interjections like this, Kisilu becomes a compelling narrator throughout the film. This gives the documentary a far more personal touch than most climate change films and inspires audiences by linking climate action to powerful human themes of community and family.

With time and after training I learnt that there was something I could do to adapt and contribute to a better planet, which is what inspired me to start planting trees and reach out to my community members, said Kisilu.

I agreed to be filmed because I understood that that was how my story and the work I am doing could reach everyone around the world and inspire future generations, he added.

Kisilus farm, where he grows mango trees and crops like cassava, relies on increasingly unpredictable weather for irrigation. The rest of his community has been facing similar climate-induced challenges, but it was Kisilu who helped them understand the problem and explore solutions.

Kisilu began mobilizing his community through small group conversations and training sessions on climate-smart agriculture. These progressed slowly at first, but with the help of the film, he has since turned these local activities into a national movement across Kenya. The film has been screened in hundreds of secondary schools, at many community gatherings, and in several national government ministries.

Having received a $325,000 grant from the Climate Justice Resilience Fund, Docubox, the East African Documentary Film Fund, has been working to expand the documentarys impact and social change strategy, using it as a springboard for action, both on policy advocacy and grassroots initiatives.

The films story tackles one of the biggest global human threats of our time, which is also an injustice, said Emily Wanja, Thank You for the Rains impact producer, who has worked to implement and run the advocacy campaign based on the film.

Our campaign goal has been to sustainably manage climate change and achieve climate justice, as those who have done the least in contributing to the effects of climate change suffer the most she added.

The campaign has aimed to build on Kisilus initial work in his community and bring grassroot climate resilience to the national and global climate agenda. In addition to screenings by Docubox in Kenya and nearby Tanzania, the film has been screened in over 50 countries.

Kisilu has spoken at both Cop21 and Cop23 two UN annual climate change summits as well as at TED in 2018. In Stockholm, he gave a presentation at the EAT Forum, a global platform for food system transformation, where he was able to talk about his work as a farmer battling climate change.

Members of Kisilus Kyavonda CBO (Community Based Organisation) work on climate resilience and adaptation activities (Photo: Julie Lunde Lillester)

The personal story that Kisilu tells has helped international governments and stakeholders realise the need to include voices of those most impacted by climate change in decision and policymaking conversations.

Docuboxs campaign also worked to engage local leaders in implementing resilient farming methods such as water harvesting and drought resistant crop and seed variations. Community group discussions have been key for making these changes, using the film as a conversation starter.

In Kitui county, Docuboxs campaign led to the first ever meeting between Kisilus local community group and the county leadership. The community was able to discuss specific ideas for county interventions that would reach the communities in the region hardest hit by both drought and flooding.

Perhaps the most tangible impact the films campaign has had, has been the construction of an earth dam in Mutomo, Kisilus village. Once complete, the earth dam will be a stable source of water for the roughly 1,750 people who live locally.

Although its been three years since the films release, Thank You for the Rain continues to be shown all around the world as a tool to create awareness on the climate crisis and the injustice it brings with it.

The film is important because it tells a story about a proactive man and community leader in Kenya, but also in the way it is created through collaboration with Kisilu and with a focus on his intimate video diary footage, said Dahr.

It strips away the layers between the family and the audience and allows his point of view and inner reflections to be at the centre, she added.

Thank You for the Rain provides an example of how a personal climate story grounded in unique experience can engage audiences and inspire action.

Moreover, by actively building a campaign around the film, Kisilu, Dahr, and Wanja have magnified the power of a social change documentary to bring about important conversations, strong relationships, and concrete actions.

This post was sponsored by theClimate Justice Resilience Fund.See oureditorial guidelinesfor what this means.

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How a Kenyan climate change documentary inspired the world - Climate Home

May 28, 2020 08:00 ET | Source: TransUnion

CHICAGO, May 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The global COVID-19 pandemic has hit small and mid-sized businesses hard, with 31% closed in the last three months and 62% citing government or health authority orders as the cause.i

As states around the country begin to lift shelter-in-place orders, small business has an enormous sense of urgency to re-open and play their important role in helping some of the 20.5 million newly unemployed consumers get a paycheck.ii Thats why TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) today announced its plans to support the hiring ecosystem by offering small businesses and their prospective employees free access to certain of its ShareAble for Hires employment screening tool packages, now through the end of July 2020.

By implementing TransUnions web-based ShareAble for Hires small businesses can safely and securely conduct background checks on prospective employees within minutes vs. days. The solution is completely transparent and provides job applicants with a copy of reports obtained.

Small businesses and those previously employed by them are among the groups facing the greatest financial hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, said Steve Chaouki, President of U.S. Markets at TransUnion. TransUnion is offering ShareAble for Hires for free to small businesses so they can get back up and running quickly, and help people get back to work fast. Thats the power of Information for Good.

Small businesses and their employees facing greatest challenges

While many Americans are facing financial challenges, small businesses have been among the groups most negatively impacted by the pandemic. TransUnion research found that the volume of employment screening for small businesses with 50 or fewer employees declined by 65% in mid-April compared to average volumes observed in prior months during 2020. This is a reflection of small businesses hiring at a lower rate than what was observed prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As of early May, employment screening has only recovered to a 55% to 60% decline. Comparatively, TransUnion found that large businesses experienced a 35% decline at the apex in mid-April and have, as of early May, recovered to levels that are 20% below what was observed earlier this year.

As small businesses face challenges, so do the people who work for them. A recent TransUnion survey in May found that 70% of consumers working for a small business (with under 50 employees) said their household income was negatively impacted by COVID-19.

Of this group, 17% said they have lost their job as a result of the pandemic. Additionally, 69% of those persons who stated their income was negatively impacted, said they are concerned about paying their current bills or loans. In fact, 86% of impacted small business employees state that they will not have money to pay their bills within three months.

Small businesses are resilient and once they come back, we anticipate so will jobs, said Jason Norton, vice president of emerging global solutions at TransUnion. Last year, alone, 44% of hires in the U.S. were performed by businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Our intent is to help this major employment engine run once again by providing this important screening tool at no cost.

ShareAble for Hires allows small businesses to hire immediately

ShareAble for Hires is unique in that it is the only such online background check tool that 100% of small businesses can use with no waiting period or setup fees while delivering reports within minutes. Transunions Basic and Plus packages, which normally cost between $35 and $50, will be free of charge through July 2020.

Information about the packages can found here. Small businesses interested in using ShareAble for Hires will simply need to click on the following link and conduct a three-step process.

First, the hiring manager at the small business creates a free account and sends a screening request to the prospective applicant. There is no waiting or membership process. Then the applicant receives the request to fill out their personal information, consents to share their reports with the employer and their identity is authenticated. Finally, reports are delivered within minutes to both the small business and applicant.

We are confident in all of our ShareAble for Hires offerings and the types of screening small businesses choose to use is completely dependent on their individual situations. Whats most important is that small businesses are able to make timely hiring decisions with employees they can trust to help them succeed, said Norton.

More information about ShareAble for Hires and this special offer can be found here. Businesses interested in learning how to navigate the impacts of COVID-19 can gain insights from TransUnion webinars, blogs and more here. Additional resources for consumers looking to protect their credit during the COVID-19 pandemic can be found attransunion.com/covid-19.

About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) TransUnion is a global information and insights company that makes trust possible in the modern economy. We do this by providing a comprehensive picture of each person so they can be reliably and safely represented in the marketplace. As a result, businesses and consumers can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good.

A leading presence in more than 30 countries across five continents, TransUnion provides solutions that help create economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for hundreds of millions of people.

http://www.transunion.com/business

iState of Small Business Report, Facebook, May 2020

iiDepartment of Labor Report, May 8, 2020

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Free Access to Employment Screening Helps Small Businesses and the Unemployed Get Back to Work More Quickly - GlobeNewswire

When I originally set out to write this column, I wanted to share the unexpected benefits of cutting back on my online shopping habit.

At the beginning of the year, I set a personal challenge to reduce my online orders from several times a week (insert embarrassed emoji) to a few times a month. As time passed, I realized I had fewer deliveries to track and more money left in my bank account at the end of the month.

But then Covid-19 happened. And now eliminating online shopping is more than a fad or a New Year's resolution. For millions, cutting things out of the budget is an absolute necessity.

If you're having to scale back on discretionary spending, whether that's shopping, travel or something else entirely, here's how to give up that financial habit without feeling deprived. SEE THE SILVER LINING The news is filled with fear, worry and sadness. But it helps to see the silver lining, says Denise Downey, a certified financial planner and owner of Financial Trex LLC, based in Spokane, Washington.

Depending on where you live, you may be forced to stop some spending on travel, sporting events, haircuts, entertainment and more. This involuntary saving can help you make changes you wouldn't have otherwise made on your own.

``Those decisions are being made for us right now,'' Downey says. ``It's not a matter of, `Do I cut the vacation this year or not?' It's cut. There's no decision to be made with that.''

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It's all about perspective. So, if you can, focus on the benefits. For instance, you may find you're feeling a positive boost as you watch your bank account grow and your credit card bill stop climbing.

So sure, my deliveries of clothing, makeup and the newest scented candles aren't as frequent. But much like the thrill of getting a delivery, I'm finding that not spending is also appealing. GET YOUR POWER BACK It's probably obvious that placing fewer online orders equates to saving more money, as long as you don't substitute an expensive activity in its place. The same goes for other types of spending. Cutting back any spending habit can lead to savings.

It can also give you a sense of empowerment, says Drew Harris, CFP, senior financial advisor at Greenway Wealth Advisors LLC, based in Charlotte, North Carolina.

``It's a good way to gain back some control by taking ownership of our spending,'' Harris says.

Cutting back means you're giving something up. But you're also gaining freedom from the financial stress that discretionary spending can cause, as well as the buyer's remorse that so often accompanies spending.

This sense of empowerment can help you feel better. L. Kevin Chapman, a licensed clinical psychologist, says you may ``adopt a sense of mastery when eliminating something that has led to financial strain.''

Basically, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment, which allows you to feel positive (rather than negative) about the changes you're making.

LEARN A NEW HABIT Don't get discouraged. Your decreased spending won't have to last forever.

But then again, you may find you don't necessarily want to return to your pre-pandemic spending habits. And that's OK, too.

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Take this time to learn some new habits in place of your old costly ones. Harris suggests going for a walk, talking with family and friends or finding some other inexpensive activity you enjoy doing.

Another example? Downey says her children were constantly busy with extracurricular activities _ activities that cost money. But since the family has been home, she's noticed they're happy and entertained, even with a not-so-busy schedule. That has led her to rethink enrolling them in quite as many activities in the future.

Regardless of the specific substitutions you make, the changes you're implementing during these unprecedented times will help boost your savings and emergency fund. Best case scenario, when life returns to some degree of normalcy one day, hopefully that fund is more than you ended up needing, Downey says.

In that case, you can reward yourself by buying something you're putting off right now, and paying for it in cash.

26 May, 2020

26 May, 2020

26 May, 2020

26 May, 2020

26 May, 2020

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No buyer's remorse, increased bank balance, more control: The many perks of cutting back on spending in a post-Covid world - Economic Times

ATTLEBORO, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--If you spend time every day checking email, multiple online trackers, and several different collaboration and communication apps because every client or project collaborator uses a different way to share documents, status updates, and communicate then you need LifeStarr, the worlds first Life Empowerment Technology.

Staying on task is more important than ever before, as many remote workers continue to work from home offices and kitchen tables due to the aftermath of COVID-19. This new normal is straining usual methods for staying organized and communicating effectively about both work and personal tasks, and in fact, sheds light on the need for a more effective solution.

LifeStarr is a new and free task management app in which all details, responsibilities, deadlines, documents, and communication are securely maintained. Clients, colleagues, or other collaborators can be easily invited into all or part of a project, with notifications and daily reports to keep everyone on task. There is no fee or subscription required just start using by creating tasks, assigning responsibility, and inviting people to join.

LifeStarr Founder Joe Rando, a Boston area tech entrepreneur, had his team accelerate the development of the platform to make it available for people and teams as many companies extend work-from-home policies indefinitely. He explains in this video how the app drastically reduces stress to the user for any task, big or small easily and at no cost.

The need for remote work tools and training in great. HubSpot Academy is now offering free remote leadership training, How to Manage a Remote Team a 40 minute on-demand resource in which Rando offers best practices.

Kodi Traver, an investment advisor for Marcus & Millichap in New York City, has tried other project management tools like SharePoint and Microsoft Project, but felt they lacked the ability to track if he and others were accomplishing the right tasks at the right time something that impacts productivity. Thats what I love about LifeStarr. You can specify what needs to be done, when, and by whom, and its easy, he said. We need tools to streamline how we communicate, and this is where LifeStarr excels. Its the only tool that allows you to work with anyone, whether they are within the company or not.

Remote workers, small businesses, freelancers, and independent consultants can benefit from LifeStarr to make sure projects are completed on deadline without time wasted pulling together information from different sources. All communications, files and notes are contained in the task automatically. The platform is intuitive, easy to use, secure, and most of all, time saving, eliminating the frustration that comes with juggling multiple assignments. Its as easy as signing up.

Investors in LifeStarr include West Coast angel investor Shawn Fanning, founder of Helium and Napster, as well as several New York and Boston-based entrepreneurs, including real estate developer Peter Bassett.

About LifeStarr

LifeStarr is the only system that lets you work with anyone, anywhere, on anything for free. The platform makes it possible for users to focus on "doing" rather than "organizing". LifeStarr puts professional and personal tasks and communication where they belong, automatically, saving valuable time so attention can be put toward being strategic, creative and productive. The LifeStarr app is free and always will be. For more information, visit https://www.lifestarr.com/. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/LifeStarrApp and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/company/lifestarr/.

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The Only Task Management Platform You Need Launched to Help Remote Workers, Freelancers, Small Business - Business Wire