Unilever #BrightFuture Initiative

From the very moment I  found out that I was to become a mother, and every heartbeat thereafter, planning for the future of my kids has become almost second nature. Schooling, healthcare, tertiary education and beyond; as parents, we strive to encompass our offspring with the very best life has to offer. Labouring endless hours to provide for them as best we can.

 

What if I told you, that we are missing an important facet to the forecasting and plotting of the bright future we so desperately desire for our kids. That  without action today, this future we are so carefully planning, and the tomorrow of future generations is looking bleak! What if I told you that a brighter future is one simple seed away and that change is very much possible if we take action today!  

 

 I don't think I was fully aware of the devastating impacts climate change has until I sat and listened to each passionate speaker at the Unilever  #BrightFuture media launch. Somehow, even with information at our finger tips, we choose to live in a bubble where the "Out of sight, out of mind" mantra takes precedence. But once you mind has been awoken, there is no turning back. Enlightenment is like a torch...once ignited within, there is only desire to ignite many such torches within every person you come into contact with. The Unilever #BrightFutureSA initiative intends to do just that! To ignite the passion within everyone to be more cognisant of the impact we have on the planet.

What is certain is that putting change into action requires inspirational leaders! After spending the morning listening to how this initiative is changing lives read more about it here, I left feeling inspired... coupled also with a sense of responsibility on my shoulders to help ignite the flame of change in others and help this initiative to reach its goal!

 

 

Deforestation is one of the leading causes of Climate change and one of the simplest and most powerful ways to combat it is to plant more trees. Unilever, together with Wildlands (one of SA's most respected environmental organisations), has pledged its commitment to take action against climate change in one of the greatest reforestation drives to date and plans to plant 1 million indigenous trees in predetermined areas in South Africa with a little help from you!

 

Because Unilever knows that good intentions alone doesn't get the job done, they have committed themselves to raise awareness of Climate change by giving every South African an opportunity to play an active part in the campaign by either pledging or tweeting.

 

Unilever South Africa’s partner in this project is Wildlands, who will make use of one of their most innovative projects to grow and plant the pledged trees. Working at a community level, through a CEBA (Community Ecosystems Based Adaptation) model, Wildlands has created a network of ‘Tree-preneurs’ across four provinces, which gives unskilled individuals in poverty-stricken areas the chance to improve their way of life by growing and bartering indigenous trees in return for livelihood support, including food, building materials, bicycles, solar panels and rain water harvesting tanks. Unilever South Africa will provide product hampers to Wildlands which will be bartered with Tree-preneurs for trees.

 

To help Unilever achieve their goal of 1 million trees:

•  simply tweet using the hashtag  #TweetForAtree  together with the hashtag  #BrightFutureSA and tag @UnileverSA

•  or pledge at www.brightfuture.co.za 

 and a tree will be planted on your behalf... As simple as that! One simple tweet has the ability to change the lives of so many people, plus we will be doing a great deal to preserve our environment, not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.

 

The time has come now, more than ever before, for change....

"If not now, then when...If not you, then who?"

A book full of inspiring stories of how the #BrightFutureSA initiative has changed lives!

 

Bailey Schneider, Andrew Venter (CEO of Wildlands) and Preola Adam



Committed to making a difference!

 

MC Jo-Ann Strauss

 

Members of the Media

 

Preola Adam

 

 

 

 

The very inspiring Queen

 

Do your part and #TweetForATree

 

 

 

"The wellbeing of the planet and its people are inextricably linked, and by addressing environmental and social issues simultaneously, we will ensure that development gains are irreversible and ecosystems are protected for generations to come"

Peter Cowan

Chairman and CEO, UNILEVER SA

 

Thanks for reading!

Hopefully these words have inspired you to make a difference !

 

Peace,

 

NAMU :)