Author: Hart Moede
How relevant is the phrase, “think local, act global.” I would argue, immensely and that it is important to realize that one need not have to travel to a far away land to positively impact those far away. Prior to arriving in Malaysia, I tried to act on this ideal.
My time working with Warmheart International was the most rewarding and relevant. Warmheart is a fairly new non-profit founded by a former professor and several students at Rutgers University in New Jersey. The organization started several programs, including HIV/AID’s relief and a children’s home in Pharo, a city located in northern Thailand.
For those still living in the United States, the most relevant project created a global supply chain, which brought employment to women in rural Thailand. Under the Warmheart program, a group of women work in a commune producing various textiles, such as small hand bags and scarves.
The products are then shipped directly to New Jersey, where they are distributed to college students throughout the United States.
These students, called Sales Associates, then sell these items on their respective campuses’ and take a small profit for their work. By cutting out the middleman, Warmheart is able to provide high quality, fair trade products at lower prices than one would find in retail stores.
As a Warm Heart Sales associate, I provided an earned source of income for women in a far away land without ever leaving the comfort of my college town. I sold the bags and scarves to girls all around my campus, including a few sororities.
And for my work, I even got to make a little bit of cash and developed a new relationship with members of my community.
To say the least, it was a rewarding experience. There are opportunities abound at campuses across the U.S. to participate in similar projects. Even if you cannot find one fitting your desires, you can always start your own.
If you are thinking you might consider work in the field, working locally, while thinking globally might provide a small taste of what is like to work in the international, non-profit sector.
