Mobile phones are increasingly viewed as a critical means of improving life for those in the developing world, whether through employment, healthcare or social connections. Such opportunities depend on access to cellular service, however—and that’s where a new Silicon…
Continue reading " Open source phone service for off-grid areas "
One-third of the world’s population today has no access to any form of modern energy, relying instead on highly polluting fuels like wood and kerosene. Working on the premise that reliable energy is a key to fighting poverty —…
Continue reading " Microloans for clean energy in the developing world "
In most fundraising schemes, the group raising the money buys something to sell at a profit—wrapping paper, for example, or chocolate bars. California-based Newhall Coffee, however, now offers a program that lets groups sell custom, branded java blends on…
Continue reading " Coffee roaster offers custom blends for continuous fundraising "
Fair trade coffee is no longer uncommon; what’s unusual about Canadian AGRO Café is that it went so far as to create its own NGO arm to make sure it serves only coffee that’s ethically and environmentally sound. With…
Continue reading " Café creates NGO to ensure fair trade with coffee farmers "
It seems fair to say that laundry is one of the great levelers in this life, which might explain why we’ve seen pop-up laundry services on so many occasions already. There are the brand butlers that offer laundry service…
Continue reading " Tide helps disaster victims with free laundry services "
Regular Springwise readers may recall B1G1, the site that enables myriad “buy one, give one” efforts through what it calls a transaction-based giving engine. Just recently the Singapore-based site added a new offering: “the world’s first giving business card.”…
Continue reading " Business card promotes ‘buy one, give one’ generosity "
Crowd clout can be used by consumers to achieve goals as mundane as cheaper prices or as profound as social change. Aiming squarely at the latter end of the spectrum, Avaaz is a global online advocacy community that “brings…
Continue reading " Crowd clout for social and political change "
If old candy machines can be used to enable guerrilla gardening, then why shouldn’t old parking meters be used to help combat homelessness? Such, in fact, is exactly the premise behind the ParcoDon campaign, an effort in Montréal to…
Continue reading " Recycled parking meters collect donations for Montréal’s homeless "
The “buy one, donate one” initiatives are coming fast and furious. Hard on the heels of our stories about two such efforts targeting children—namely, Happy Blankie and Whitten Grey’s Project Little Grey Dress—comes news of one designed to help…
Continue reading " With every box of dog food, a meal for a homeless pet "
“Buy one, give one” initiatives are increasingly common forms of corporate generosity, but it wasn’t until recently that we began seeing them involving children. Much the way Happy Blankie lets recipients of its animal blankets help decide where the…
Continue reading " ‘Buy one, donate one’ effort lets kids direct the giving "
Fashionistas love exclusivity, but usually it’s all about who you know, or how much you’re willing to spend. Creating a twist on limited editions is The Red Rail, a new Dutch fashion label that’s only available to blood donors….
Continue reading " New fashion label only available to those who donate blood "
Stuffed animals and security blankets tend to be favourite sleeping companions among young children, but the Happy Blankie—one of the cutest innovations we’ve seen in some time—combines both into one. Not only that, but for each Happy Blankie sold…
Continue reading " Buy one, donate one plush animal blankie "
Launched at this year’s Future Everything digital arts festival in Manchester, RememberMe is a collaborative project between TOTeM (Tales of Things and Electronic Memory) and Oxfam which infused personal history into donated items by enabling people to attach stories…
Continue reading " RFID tags used to attach stories to charity shop’s donated wares "
It’s one thing to entreat consumers to change their behaviour for the better, but when corporate rewards are involved, the win-win turns into a win-win-win… or more. Much the way Plus 3 Network matches corporate sponsors with consumers who…
Continue reading " Site helps businesses reward consumers for positive actions "
Businesses can give back to the world in many ways, from making one-off donations to innovating new, socially minded solutions of their own. Opting more toward the latter end of the scale, Vai Vai is a drink brand that…
Continue reading " Drink maker features socially minded partners on its packages "
Starting a family is such a fundamental part of human life that it’s no surprise that babies are an inspiring subject for enterprise and innovation. There’s a new idea born every minute 
Here are five we spotted recently:…
Continue reading " Five business ideas focused on babies & new parents "
Much the way Catalista connects would-be volunteers with opportunities by mobile phone, so The Extraordinaries aims to enable “micro-volunteering,” whereby philanthropists with a few minutes of free time can use it to make a difference. Currently in private limited…
Continue reading " Tapping the professional skills of micro-volunteers via iPhone and web "
