More and more, people are seeking greater purpose in their lives and in the work that they do. I found myself in this place and jumped at the opportunity to join ME to WE’s social enterprise in February of 2017. I worked alongside Roxanne Joyal, CEO of ME to WE. Roxanne is big hearted, tenacious and fiercely competitive, all traits required of someone determined to make positive change in the world.

Our focus, each and every day, was to support the Mamas, gifted jewelry-makers in Kenya and Ecuador. By giving these Artisans access to the North American market, we were able to provide them with sustainable income and funding toward WE Charity projects in their villages. As a result, they were able to carry on their jewelry-making traditions, look after their families and become leaders in their communities.

Seeing WE Charity in action on the ground, transforming lives and empowering so many people across the globe, has been a life-changing experience for me. I delighted in hearing about the first baby born in the Baraka Health Clinic which WE Charity established in the Narok District of Kenya. I volunteered with like-minded corporate partners in building the first girls’ college in the Maasai Mara and marveled at the progress being made in bringing stability to cacao farmers in Ecuador when we launched ME to WE Chocolate.

Before I left ME to WE to pursue other important goals, I was humbled to have had the opportunity to contribute to a new initiative called WE Well-being. In collaboration with the Hudson’s Bay Company, we launched a limited-edition bracelet, in the HBC stripes, handmade by our Mamas, that will empower young people across Canada to promote their own positive well-being and well-being in their communities. I worked with incredibly committed people to bring this to life in a short amount of time, it was hard work, but we knew that what we were doing had purpose and really mattered.