Mother's Day is only ten days away and what better way to celebrate Mom than with a gift that does good? We are pleased to feature the Somaly Mam Foundation and the amazing work that they are doing to empower survivors of slavery throughout the world. See how you can make a difference this Mother's Day and learn more about SMF:

The Somaly Mam Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to the eradication of sex trafficking and the empowerment of its survivors as part of the solution. Founded by two 24-year old American men and Cambodian survivor and activist Somaly Mam, the foundation takes a multi-tiered approach to the issue by supporting victim services for rescue, recovery and reintegration, empowering survivors as advocates and activists, and mobilizing a passionate network of young professionals, students and supporters to say 'no more' to modern day slavery via grassroots campaigns and events.For Mother's Day, the girls in the center for the youngest rescues personalized 300 cards with drawings and poignant messages. They did this during a visit from a team of cyclists: SMF supporters who fundraised in advance of a 10-day cycle challenge through Cambodia's cities and countryside. When the team showed up at the Kampong Cham center, they brought packages of blank cards ready to be given a final touch by a survivors' creative hand.

As part of the recovery process for a woman who may have spent many of her developmental years in a brothel, residents of the centers learn to make silk beaded necklaces, woven bracelets and scarves: handicrafts that are then sold on SMF's online Empowerment Store. Part of recovery also offers choices when they formerly had none: a girl starts to learn independence and self worth when she realizes her choices - and life -is of value.

You can support these brave survivors by buying a gift or card (or both) for Mother's Day. 

Since our earliest days, we have committed to setting aside 10% of revenue towards the empowerment of entrepreneurs in the developing world through micro-loans. By building this into our business model, our ability to loan has scaled as our business grows.

There has been a lot of discontent and frustration among American youth in the past few years. Having graduated from college in 2010, I can remember the pessimism that existed in the job market my friends and I entered into very vividly. I know people who struggled (or are still struggling) to find a job and even more who are underemployed or took a job they didn't want for the security of a position. The frustration that fueled Occupy Wall Street from the get-go is still felt strongly by many. Especially with the weight of student loans and other debts, many young people are finding it difficult to gain a solid footing. The problems are not new to us and have been vocalized many times over; however, we have yet to see a real conversation on sustaianble and tangible solutions that we can get behind. 

That's why I am so excited about the passion and mission behind #FixYoungAmerica. I had the pleasure of speaking with Scott Gerber of the Young Entrepreneurship Council and could not help but be energized by the passion in his voice about this project. The idea is to engage and activate a community of people who are annoyed with the way things are--by empowering youth to respond and claim a better future for themselves. Basically: Frustrated? Do something. Just like the Manifesto promotes--If you don't like something, Change it. 

Fix Young America is a multifaceted solutions-based approach bringing everyone across all sectors to the table: government, academia, the private sector, and everyone in between. From our personal perspective, Holstee has been such a privilege for us as entrepreneurs to connect with other amazing entrepreneurs and we truly believe that promoting entrepreneurship is a surefire way to drive the economy forward. Fix Young America sets to increase the momentum to support opportunities for entrepreneurship and remove the barriers that often dissuade many from making their dreams a reality. Driving the movement is a 10-city bus tour currently in the works, a book of essays from America's most talented voices on youth entrepreneurship on the way, and a massive campaign to spread the word. 

Check out the IndeGoGo campaign for more information and to discover how you can support the project.

Right now I am in the process of training for my second year running the World Vision Half Marathon. As I push myself to prepare for the 13.1 mile stretch through Queens' Flushing Park at the end of March, I gain more and more appreciation for the people who run the full 26.2 marathon. The half seems manageable to me (even though the motivation to get myself running on these cold winter mornings has been a little slow coming this time around). However, the full thing? Just don't think its going to happen for me.

That is why I am so incredibly impressed with Robert Reffkin. As you can see in the video, Robert has set the goal to run 50 marathons in 50 states in order to raise a million dollars to empower young people with the resources and tools to realize their dreams. In a sincere and inspiring effort to pay it forward, Robert writes:

My motivation for this stems from the fact that throughout my life I have received help and guidance from my loving mother, inspiring mentors, and outstanding organizations. I am deeply grateful for the assistance that I received and have combined my desire for personal achievement with a commitment to giving others the opportunities that were given to me.

He has already completed marathons in 48 states (that's 1257.6 miles!) and has raised over $750,000! To learn more about Robert, his organization New York Needs You, and how you can donate to his amazing mission, visit Running to Support Young Dreams.

Hopefully one day I will get myself up to Robert's level. Till then, 13.1 it is. :)

It was Friday afternoon and my To Do List was excruciatingly long, filled with boring administrative tasks: produce monthly journal entries, reconcile credit cards, calculate sales tax, order supplies, etc. When I reached “Kiva loan transfers” on my list, I was prepared to tackle it with my signature speed and efficiency. After all, the quicker these things were accomplished, the sooner my weekend would begin! 

And in fact, I had already identified thousands of dollars of eligible loans before I grasped the enormity of what I had been assigned to do. Here I was prepared to distribute nearly $14,000 worth of micro-loans as if I were simply paying a bill or moving money between bank accounts. So used to breezing through administrative transactions, I had forgotten what each of these loans signified.

Holstee has made a public commitment to “paying it forward” by loaning 10% of sales revenue to entrepreneurs throughout the world. When customers purchase a Manifesto Poster, Black Wallet, or Alpaca Hat, they trust Holstee to act in good faith to fulfill this promise and help contribute to sustainable social change. For Holstee, these loans are one of the concrete ways that we live our values, put our money where our mouths are, walk the walk, etc. Making these loans isn’t something we have to do to stay in business; it is reason why we want to stay in business.

For the recipients, these loans often mean the creation or expansion of a business, creating an opportunity for self-sufficiency and better lives for their families and communities. Even for those receiving their first loan of only a few hundred dollars, the impact can be significant. Micro-lending is certainly not a panacea, but it can provide tangible improvements in real people’s lives without a lot of red tape and middle men.

Ashamed that I had been so flippant and rushed with this responsibility, I took a deep breath, put away my To Do List, and started over. Once I had given myself the time, the stories I found were truly inspiring:

Seamstresses from Togo, Benin, Senegal, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Lebanon, Colombia, Ecuador, and Honduras:

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Emiliana from Bolivia and Sughran from Pakistan, both mothers and shoemakers:

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Fayzamad, a cotton processor in Tajikistan:

Women selling textiles and sewing supplies in Costa Rica and Togo:

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Used clothing and shoe sellers in Rwanda, Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Paraguay:

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And many, many more... Check out Holstee’s Kiva page to see all of our loans http://www.kiva.org/lender/holstee

**Note to Holstee Friends & Family: Although we made loans to entrepreneurs in many different industries, I did try to focus on those working in the apparel, footwear, and accessories supply chain. Next time we disburse loans, are there particular activities or industries in which you would like us to invest? Are there regions or countries you feel passionate about supporting? I would love to hear your feedback!

The power of human ingenuity never ceases to blow us away. A Liter of Light is a sustainable lighting project that harnesses the power of the sun to transform the lives of millions of people living without light in the Philippines. It is absolutely incredible to witness the solutions that are empowering people around the world by bringing them something that we so often take for granted: the light that comes on when we flip a switch. 

Speaking of harnessing the power of solar energy, check out the word on Changers, a personal solar charging kit that we are excited to be in partnership with (and stay tuned for more info! :).

One of the greatest things about our work at Holstee is being able to connect with other entrepreneurs following their passion and seeking to make the world a better place. We are so inspired and amazed by the beautiful people who are blowing our minds with their creative innovations, empowering ideas, and genuine love for the work they wake up to every morning.

Saba Gul is a wonderful example of the people that we are taking about. With a passion for the education and empowerment of young girls worldwide, Saba co-founded BLISS, Business & Life Skills School. Since 2009, BLISS has been empowering grils in rural Pakistain to claim their education, gain life skills, realize their potenial, and lift themselves and their families out of poverty. 

While many girls worldwide cannot stay in school due to the financial and familial pressures they face, BLISS allows for financial incentives that make it possible for girls to be educated and make money at the same time. These incentives are supplied by profits made from the beautiful handmade bags that the girls design and create themselves. Embracing the reality that a hand up is more effective and sustainable than a hand out, BLISS is truly an amazing example of change that endures. 

We are so impressed by Saba and the wonderful opportunities that she is helping to provide for girls in Pakistan. To discover more about the great work BLISS is doing, check out their website and this 4-minute wonderful clip that was aired as an NBC Nightly News Special. You can also see the beautiful bags made by the girls here (I think this one is my favorite :).

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