From Small Acts to Big Impacts.
Ever since I can remember, volunteering has been my passion. There’s nothing like the feeling of being part of a group dedicated to making a difference and improving lives.
I never wanted to lead the charge or run the projects; I just wanted to be there, helping out and connecting with people.
Being pragmatic and down-to-earth, I never saw volunteering as a way of life, just something to fit in when I had the time. But every time I volunteered, it lifted my spirits and reminded me that life is about more than just making a living.
Yoni would joke that if it were up to me, I’d move to Africa and build villages out of mud bricks.
He’d tease me about having the potential to do more, insisting I should run the entire organization.
Despite my protests that I preferred hands-on work, he believed I could make an even bigger impact from a leadership position.
In those days, I didn’t have the luxury to pursue these dreams full-time, so I didn’t argue much. But once OCA became profitable, we began donating 10% of our profits to educational causes close to our hearts.
In 2013, we found a perfect blend of my volunteering passion and Yoni’s dream of meeting one of his heroes, Richard Branson.
We were invited by Sir Richard Branson and Virgin Unite to mentor young entrepreneurs at the Branson Centre. Along with advising the centre’s leadership and mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs, we donated $75,000 to help support the next generation of South African business leaders.
We spent two weeks in South Africa, enjoying a safari with Thom before she returned to the Netherlands.
We then stayed for another ten days, advising young entrepreneurs and staying at Richard Branson’s private game reserve.
We even had the chance to relax with him and discuss ways to make a global impact.
For me, the highlight of the trip was on the last day when we joined the Starkey Hearing Foundation and met their founder, William F. Austin.
We had the incredible privilege of fitting hearing aids for deaf children, witnessing the priceless moment when they heard for the first time.
Their astonished and joyous reactions were unforgettable—I could have stayed there forever.
But, alas, we had a plane to catch.
Since then, for five years, I’ve funded various projects through the Open Circles Foundation, donating money to causes that allow me to experience the joy of giving and making a difference. Each year, this wonderful gift of giving continues to inspire and uplift me, reinforcing the belief that there’s so much more to life than just making a living.
Open Circles Foundation other projects:
2016 – Save a Girl in Nepal
2015 – Schools For Laos
2014 – Light to Madagascar
2008 – 2012 – URDT Girls School Uganda
