Making a difference in the world takes a lot of work and talent. Many non-profits are staffed by individuals who are interested in making positive change, but frequently non-profits don’t have a large enough budget to be concerned with marketing. Microsoft and Fast Company have teamed up to connect excellent creative talent with three non-profits making a difference in the world. Guiding their decision making process Microsoft and Fast Company wanted to provide the resources to the non-profit which would benefit the most.
All this good will stems from the Create GOOD initiative which was announced in April. The final three for this competition are the following:
The Paleo-oncology Research Organization (PRO), which was founded by Kathryn Hunt, a bio archeologist who is a cancer survivor. PRO studies the history and possible origins of cancer using archaeological, historical, clinical, and bio-molecular methods of analysis. Hunt’s current research lies in the global history of human health, the bio-cultural factors leading to the evolution and development of disease, and specifically the study of cancer and other neoplastic diseases in ancient societies.
The Rainforest Partnership is Create GOOD’s second finalist. Melissa Matherne leads this organization’s efforts to develop sustainable economies among indigenous rainforest communities to preserve tropical rainforests around the world. One business the Partnership helped create tapped the Sani Isla community in Ecuador. Funding enabled a group of women there to apply their traditional craft-making skills to make jewelry and baskets made from rain forest materials and to teach them how to manage their businesses. This project has provided money for food, medicine, transportation and education in their community and helped stop development by big corporations. Ultimately, these efforts help to combat climate change by preserving the rain forests.
The third finalist, L’Ecole de Choix (the School of Choice), is a privately funded school in impoverished, rural Haiti whose curriculumis taught in English, French and Creole. Its certified teaching staff focuses on developing the next generation of leadership for the country through rigorous academics, ethical decision-making and critical reasoning skills.
This is only one part of the overall mission of Create GOOD which aims to pair people who want to do good by the world with top notch creative thinkers. Along with programs like this one Create GOOD will be hosting other events where non-profits can be connected to creative professionals. This initiative highlights a great way Microsoft and Fast Company can contribute to positive change around the world without needing to create more and more competing non-profits.
