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THE JOURNAL
The most important event in recent years remains systematically unreported in mainstream media and so completely escapes our collective attention. This is the spectacular rise of civil society initiatives around the world and the millions of people behind them. Active in 150 countries, OLBIOS JOURNAL is the first platform dedicated to bringing together exceptional people and many more anonymous heroes, in all sectors, anywhere in the world. Join them at OLBIOS and become an agent of change.
DO TANK
Explore and get involved in thousands of extraordinary projects around the world.
HUMAN STORIES
Discover the world’s most inspiring personalities and their achievements.
THINK TANK
Learn about innovative proposals, solutions, and new approaches to global challenges.
Getting children to think about a common past
Never Such Innocence, spearheaded by Lady Lucy French, connects young people around the world and inspires them to think creatively about conflict.
by SPYROS PETROUNAKOS
Helping children but also their communities
Rosalie Tieges spoke to OLBIOS from Thailand on how caring for children also creates much-needed jobs for their local communities
by ROSALIE TIEGES
Immersing ourselves in other cultures
Katy Kavanaugh, founder at 360.tv, spoke to OLBIOS from San Francisco on how travel is a great teacher and the gift of being able to immerse ourselves in a culture other than our own.
by KATY KAVANAUGH
Giving vulnerable people tools for empowerment
Mahmoud Riyad, Social Innovation Specialist at Jordan River Foundation, spoke to OLBIOS from Jordan on the importance of providing tools that allow people to serve their communities and beyond.
by MAHMOUD RIYAD
The meaning of Home
Antigoni Alexiou talks from Greece on her work supporting asylum seekers, refugees and migrants that have faced torture, violence and abuse.
by ANTIGONI ALEXIOU
Foreign aid, reparations, and community investment
Dr. Christopher Stanfill, international development professional in New York, writes on how we need to rethink the lens through which foreign aid is viewed.
by DR. CHRISTOPHER STANFILL
Creating Businesses out of Problems
Julien Verzier, Co-Director at BroadLeaf Group, spoke to OLBIOS from Cape Town, SA, on how the economy can benefit only if its direct environment benefits also.
by JULIEN VERZIER
When information flows halfway
Amaya Alexandra Ramos spoke to OLBIOS from Washington, D.C., on puncturing the barriers preventing the flow of vital information to people like herself who work with human trafficking, forced migration and trauma.
by AMAYA ALEXANDRA RAMOS
A new approach to humanitarian assistance
Antoine Richards highlights the work of Peacebuilding Solutions and its new approach in re-stabilizing the livelihoods of people who have become refugees or internally-displaced persons.
by ANTOINE RICHARDS
Can a bank be based on Christian values?
Tommy PIemonte presents at OLBIOS the exceptional work of BKC
by TOMMY PIEMONTE
The fight against common and fundamental diseases
Nick Sireau, the founder of Orchard, spoke to OLBIOS from London on the lack of funds for OCD research and on how nature reveals its secrets ‘apart from the beaten path’
by DR NICK SIREAU
No future?
Environmental extinction and COVID-19: How children and teenagers fight worldwide for a better future and how social structures may prevent this.
by MERLE BüTER
Taking care of the disabled in Iran
From Teheran, Samaneh Shabani, OLBIOS Correspondent in Iran, presents the Tavana association
by SAMANEH SHABANI
Is it possible to be optimistic about the future of Turkey?
Human rights activist Baris Bayram, founder of the EPE Movement, talks about unjust hardships, challenges, and minor or major achievements.
by BARIş BAYRAM
Creating a ‘national story’ of solutions
David Laurent, Head of Climate & Resources department at EpE, tells OLBIOS from France about business issues that weren’t even on the table a year ago.
by DAVID LAURENT
An ounce of humanity goes a long way
New Delhi: The pandemic has seen extraordinary levels of mutual help, according to Alokesh Sharma, Founder of Kayantar Foundation, interviewed for OLBIOS.
by ALOKESH SHARMA
Learning from the past how to protect our future
USA: Stacy Gallin, Founder and Director at MIMEH, presents in her interview with OLBIOS her work and insights on the most pressing issue: the need for a new moral ethos.
by STACY GALLIN
Adapting to the rules of the Earth’s Ecosystem
ECONOMY - EDUCATION - SOCIAL ISSUES
Alexandre Lemille, Director of Anthesis Group (France), spoke to OLBIOS on the challenge of an economy with the least amount of energy and how linear leaders become circular laggards.
by ALEXANDRE LEMILLE
From street-smart to street-educated
The learning environment for some kids is the street. Arnoud Raskin presents Mobile School and its pioneering outreach strategy based on empowerment, as opposed to merely assistance.
by ARNOUD RASKIN
Facing the Corona challenges with local power
PUBLIC HEALTH - INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Benjamin Wolf, Founder of the Stay Foundation, writes at OLBIOS on why he has not followed the classical approaches in volunteer work and development aid and the two flaws in the fight against the coronavirus in Africa
by BENJAMIN WOLF
Listening matters: poor people are not mere beneficiaries
France: Clinical psychologist Adrien Cascarino writes on how empowerment requires a high dose of self-confidence, which is undermined when individuals are regarded as mere beneficiaries.
by ADRIEN CASCARINO
Educating the orphans
OLBIOS Correspondent Nicholas Sandoval in Tijuana, Mexico, presents the work of Create Purpose.
by NICHOLAS SANDOVAL
Meet the Global Voices of a Child
Rayan Ezzedine, OLBIOS CORRESPONDENT in Lebanon, tells us about her work with Global Voices of a Child.
by RAYAN EZZEDINE
Defining Oneself and Changing the Narrative
Australia: In his article for OLBIOS, Mohammed Semra, UN Humanitarian Affairs Peace Ambassador, writes on the challenge of defining oneself as opposed to being defined by others, the importance of role models and opportunity.
by MOHAMMED SEMRA
If you want to change the minds, change the infrastructure
Precious Ebere, OLBIOS Correspondent in Nigeria, Founder of « Do Take Action », presents the organization
by PRECIOUS EBERE
Food excess is the neglected issue in the hospitality industry
Thailand: The food waste hacker Benjamin Lephilibert, writes on why food waste is the elephant in the room, especially in the hotel sector.
by BENJAMIN LEPHILIBER
We are faced with a climate emergency. Can art help?
The artist Kito Mbiango contributed to OLBIOS this interview by Jill Van den Brule, In it, Mbiango points to the crucial role of art in communicating risks, but also motivating people to act.
by JILL VAN DEN BRULE
Bridging the gap with classical music
A very special choir presented by Sara Soltani, OLBIOS Correspondent in Austria.
by SARA SOLTANI
Saving the lives of the prematurely born
Tanzania: Doris Mollel, Founder of the Dolis Mollel Foundation, writes at OLBIOS about how she is taking care of thousands of babies
by DORIS MOLLEL
Success in Finland
Helinä Piik shares her experiences with an outstanding educational system
by Helinä PIIK
Tracking real needs, in real time
Canadian Natasha Freidus, Founder of NeedsList, tells OLBIOS that donations often come without a clear beneficiary and how the factor determining longevity is your postal code
by NATASHA FREIDUS
How can we face growing levels of poverty?
Italy: Davide Carimati reports on his work with the exemplary project Insieme and on how to allow women and men to regain their human worth.
by DAVIDE CARIMATI
The youth as active citizens
Ornella Nana, OLBIOS Correspondent in Ireland, highlights her work at the International Youth Empowerment
by ORNELLA NANA
The empowerment of data
Steve Hollingworth, President and CEO at Grameen Foundation, talks to OLBIOS from the US on how the ‘fifth revolution’ may be harnessed in the fight against poverty and become an agent of empowerment
by STEVE HOLLINGWORTH
New Zealand’s mental health crisis: what society can do to prevent it
Oliver Carrington shares his experiences and explains why a thriving mental health charity sector could make a real difference in New Zealand.
by OLIVER CARRINGTON
Learning to see like an anthropologist
California, USA: Jeff Katcherian, Founder at Culture Academy, talks to OLBIOS on underrepresented students and how to expand their understanding of the world and their worlds.
by JEFF KATCHERIAN
THE OLBIOS TEAM
OLBIOS is a meeting place for changemakers from 150 countries bringing you fascinating projects and new ideas. Join them and become yourself a Correspondent or an Author.
THE NEXT STEPS
A second astonishing development has emerged in recent years : this is the phenomenal rise in the number of people that want to become involved in socially oriented initiatives (94% of millennials according to a recent Gallup research). Yet, only a small part manages to become actively engaged. Just imagine the tremendous gain in social capital if all these people who have the desire to enter social action had for once all the necessary tools to do it.
In an attempt to address this most important of issues, we are also working on the design of a Social Network and a Funding Platform that will provide anyone with the partners and the resources that they need to make a real difference.
BECOME A FUNDING MEMBER
Your involvement is vital in the realization of this vision. As an independent project open to all, we at OLBIOS would prefer to cover our funding needs through the participatory support of everyone who believes in OLBIOS’s mission, before seeking any other financial support.
This is why we have also created a small selection of gifts for our funding members.
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