My name is Gina and I'm a 26 year old female from Sydney, Australia. I am leading the Not-For-Profit ONE CAN GROW Educational Program.

The ONE CAN GROW Educational Program will empower our children, so that they can excel in their personal lives and in their careers, and then learn how to empower the world. We're going to teach groups of Sydney high school students practical business and investment skills. HOW? We'll help them start their own business from scratch, make and sell a product, and generate a profit. READY FOR THE BEST BIT? We're then going to teach them how to use those profits to Lend small loans to underprivileged people around the world to start/expand a small business. Through websites like Kiva www.Kiva.org, Good Return www.GoodReturn.org and Opportunity International www.opportunity.org - we can lend as little as $25 to people like Luvuno Ngala from Kenya, who is running a cereals business, and in 6 months, get our money back so we can either withdraw the funds (to buy ourselves a new pair of shoes) OR lend it to someone else!

HOW DID THIS START? WHAT'S MY STORY?

I did a degree in Business and IT Management at University. Worked in it for a while, joined the corporate race. I've been brought up to believe that the ultimate end goal for me (and for everybody for that matter) SHOULD be to get a high-paying job and make lots and lots of money.
I then went traveling around the world for 2 and a half years, and I realised, "That's not what I want. I don't necessarily believe that will make me happy." I know that I CAN get a job I don't really feel passionate about, and make lots of money. But so what?
In determining this, I also realised how lucky I am compared to many, many people around the world to HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY to choose what I want to do in life...Fast forward... and as a result, ONE CAN GROW Inc. was born…

We want to reach 201 high schools in Sydney in the next 3 years, and grow this program to reach every school in Australia, and eventually, the world.

Our actual goal is AUD$20,000.

We need enough money to approach 50 schools in Sydney within the next 4 months, so we can do market research - present our education program proposal to the schools, get them on board, interview the kids and get their feedback so we can continually improve the program.

We also need to build a One Can Grow website (we have already purchased the domain name www.onecangrow.org.au) and need to build a brand/logo - and need funds, staff and support to establish our project. With enough funds and support, One Can Grow plans to launch the first Pilot program in early 2013.

The Impact

If we assume each Sydney school gives five $100 loans within 3 years, that's $100,500 towards the eradication of World Poverty!

With just One Loan, students in Australia will learn vital and practical business skills, investment techniques, personal development, and will help them to help hundreds of -Underprivileged Entrepreneurs--Their Families--and Their Communities- Around the Globe.

We're going to show the world that Australia CAN make a difference...that we Australians DO care...that we WILL help... and that we WILL empower them as we empower our kids, who are our future. ONE.LOAN.AT.A.TIME.

Help us start. Help us grow. Fund our Future. ONE CAN GROW

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can't contribute funds to the project, don't worry! There are many other ways you can help us out!

You can help by getting the word out about our program and make noise about our campaign!

Please share the One Can Grow story on Facebook and Twitter!

Twitter: @OneCanGrow

Facebook: One Can Grow Inc

PLEASE break the cycle of our CATCH 22:

"We need support to gain funding - but first, we need FUNDING to gain SUPPORT."

Sincere thanks,
Gina