The driving force behind Etica is solely to make a difference. We are tired of thinking about doing something and so we are doing. Our world exists in a polar manner. Some of us live very well and some of us exist in desolate poverty. We, at Etica believe that our fortunes are not our birthrights and that true happiness can only be achieved when we are helping others and being part of our world community.
Etica will donate 50% of the proceeds of each canvas towards a variety of local and international charitable organizations and NGO's, and will fund the planting of one tree in Western Australia in a quest to increase community development in underpriviledged areas of our world, reduce poverty and environmental degredation. Read more.....
Poverty in this world can be defined as a shortage of common things such as food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking-water, all of which impact on our quality of life. In what we have seen and learned, poverty can be described as the result of an unjust world.
In an equally unjust manner, increasingly the developed world has exploited a significant portion of the world’s resources in over-consumption and waste. This has had a major effect on our ecological impact, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and a significant increase in levels of carbon emissions. As a result our world will continue to change drastically: already in recent times we have witnessed freak weather, floods, fires, hurricanes and waves. The devastation of these events is inextricably linked to our actions and we seek to create awareness of these and to be part of positive change.
Of particular interest to Etica are some issues in society which when eased can help to reduce poverty.
Etica aims to support various organizations in these specific areas;
Our aim is to slowly build our business to permenantly fund worthy community and environmental projects on every continent. We aim to build lasting friendships and to visit places far and wide to bring inspirational stories and images back to our home and to our customers homes. We aim to bring the knowledge of Etica and the essence of living ethically, with compassion and with conscience into everyday life.
Etica seeks to be the most holistically sustainable business that it can be. Whilst providing a great product, donating a significant amount of proceeds to charitable, community development organizations, and planting one tree in western Australia for every canvas sold, Etica will also;
In light of the unprecedented tradgedy of the Victorian Bushfires, Etica will be donating the proceeds of its first two weeks of business towards the Red Cross 2009 Victorian Bushfire Fund to assist individuals and communities affected by devastating bushfires.
Poverty remains widespread in the country despite efforts to reduce it. Official figures suggest that around one third of the total population live in poverty, defined as the inability to afford a basket of basic food and non-food items. Many others are very close to the poverty line. In fact, increasing the poverty line by only 10.0 per cent leaves well over half of the population in poverty. Whatever figure is chosen, the poverty reduction challenge facing the country is significant indeed.
In July this year Ben and Carla will travel to Mongolia, where they will visit local NGO's to ensure that the Etica funds will be received by the correct hands. Etica has already identified one NGO's to support within Mongolia's capital Ulaanbaatar, The Lotus children's Centre.
The Lotus Children's Centre is a Mongolian non-profit, non-government organization working with vulnerable children and families to provide the basic human rights of shelter, food and education. The centre cares for up to 150 abused, orphaned and abandoned children that would otherwise have been left roaming the streets of Ulaanbaatar.
In addition Etica is investigated various NGO's in rural areas that offer support the beautiful and inherently sustainable way of life that the traditional nomadic Mongolians possess. Unfortunately economic and agricultural hardship in the country has meant that many of these people of the land have migrated to the city. Etica will keep customers posted as to the second NGO that will be supported.
In January 2008, Carla and Ben travelled to the North-Eastern region of India, Rajasthan, to be part of a 2 week voluntary programme for an NGO. Upon arrival at Delhi, the appalling living conditions quickly became apparent but the people no less friendly. Carla and Ben travelled through Agra to visit the infamous Taj Mahal before arriving at Lalsot, a small remote rural village that would be their home for the next 2 weeks. Their initial intention was to teach underprivileged children English and other skills but at the risk of breaking a close bond with the children it was decided that their time was best spent ‘beautifying' the local schools to make them a more desirable place to learn for the Indian children. Together with their fellow volunteers from around the globe, Carla and Ben cleaned and painted the inside of multiple classrooms with colourful educational images, the alphabet, numerals, animals, etc… Through this process, relationships with the local children blossomed as well as their interest in these classrooms. Over a 2 week period these drab, depressing classrooms were transformed into a bright, stimulating learning environment.
As part of the programme volunteers were asked to perform in a play to the local community attempting to convey and educate them on the equality of man and woman and the importance for woman to get an education in today's society.
Whilst "beautifying" the local schools Carla and Ben discovered an old, unused, twenty meter deep well that a particular school had been dangerously built around. With children as young as 3 running around this well with certain death only a clumsy stubble away, and with no help coming from the local community, Carla and Ben decided to use their own funds to buy materials from Lalsot to build a fence around this hazard. Perplexed at our motivation, upon completion the community realised our reasoning's and thoroughly appreciated our efforts.
This programme, as well as travel throughout India, gave Carla and Ben exposure and understanding of these underprivileged communities and a knowledge of how to best help them in the future.
In January 2007, Carla traveled to southern Vietnam to be involved in a small community development program run by a local government organization and a global volunteers network. The purpose was to assist locals to build a safe home for an underpriviledged family. The family was an elderly couple who were living in a damp and rotting timber and tin shelter. The dwelling was situated in a quiet area outside of `My Tho` and very close to the waters edge of the Mekong Delta, which frequently overflowed. Together with the local community builders and five other volunteers Carla assisted through funding and labour to build a simple yet solid two bedroom brick home for the family.
The project one of the first in the area and served as a catalyst for positive change in the area and inspired Carla to persue similar projects.
