When I was a kid, I was never geographically challenged. If I wasn’t pouring over a world atlas, I was spending time browsing our World Book Encyclopedias. I thirsted for knowledge about any place that was further than my immediate 60 mile radius.
It also helped that one of my childhood hobbies was philately, known more commonly as stamp collecting. I can’t remember how or why I started – probably because my older brother and sister did it. But I do remember cutting out the coupon in the Sunday morning paper to send away for stamps from all over the world. For usually around two or three dollars, you could get a huge treasure trove of stamps.
Most of them were variations on Queen Elizabeth II who seemed to grace the stamps of the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. Even I got tired of looking at her monotone profile.
But many of them were brightly colored stamps that came from far off lands like Dubai and Yemen. These were places I wanted to see and know about. And as a result, my wanderlust started at a very young age.
Unfortunately, my desire to travel didn’t always match up with my life’s circumstances, both personally and financially, but I did eventually venture off across the United States, flew to Europe, traveled to Asia, sailed the Caribbean. And one thing I’ve learned is the more you travel, the smaller the world gets.
You can be sitting in a cafe in Heidelberg, strike up a conversation with a random stranger, and I guarantee that within 30 minutes, you will have found some personal connection. Because we’re all connected in some way.
That connection is why I wake up with Bolivia every morning and didn’t even know it.
Every morning, I wake up in a flurry. I’m not a morning person so it’s usually a mad dash to get my son off to school, get the dogs fed and walked, and check my email for anything urgent. And then I take a moment to breathe and try to wake up the way I generally prefer. Slowly. With a cup of strong black tea, brewed just a little too long, and topped off with organic skim milk and a single packet of Truvia.
Believe it or not, Truvia is part of the larger connection. Stay with me on this…
I fell in love with tea when I visited London years ago when I found that, when prepared with milk and sugar, it’s a heavenly drink. So in the morning, I skip the coffee and slow brew my favorite tea. But I skip the sugar. Personally, I like the taste of Truvia better (it’s made with stevia) and it dissolves very quickly and evenly so you’re not left with the last sugary swig.
I buy Truvia because I like it. Not because it was given to me. It’s just simply a product that I like and buy.
Now, if you know about my passion for social good, you won’t be surprised to know that when I found out that Truvia is actively involved in amazing corporate responsibility programs, I was eager to learn more.
I had the privilege of spending time on the phone with Matt Jacobs who is the Product Line Manager for Truvia® Consumer Products. On the call, he focused on the three key foundations of the Truvia brand:
- Sourcing responsibly
- Stewarding natural resources
- Sharing in improving communities
As a result of this commitment, the Truvia® business launched its “Sharing a Sweet Future” on World Food Day in October 2012 to help reduce childhood hunger in Bolivia and improve communities through better nutrition, safety and education through partnership with the World Food Programme. Over a three-year period, nearly $1 million in contributions from the Truvia® business will have been used to help develop sustainable communities in Bolivia, a region of critical need with one of the highest rates of nutritional deficiencies in South America.
So why Bolivia? Take a minute and find out.
While no stevia is directly sourced from Bolivia, the stevia plant is native to South America and is where Truvia’s sustainability program was developed and piloted. Bolivia was identified as a country in South America with a critical need:
-
Nearly 40 percent of the Bolivian population unable to afford adequate food for a healthy life.
- 65 percent of all rural households in Bolivia are unable to afford the minimum recommended caloric intake.
Statistics tell one story but people tell the rest. Matt and his co-workers have visited Bolivia several times. They’ve gotten to know the children that are affected by this program and can see the positive difference their work has made. On our call, he was also able to share photos that he personally took of village life and the spirit of the children they are helping. To date, the program has helped to feed 49,075 Bolivian schoolchildren.
So when you raise your next mug of coffee or tea, and maybe add a little Truvia, remember that Bolivia just might be part of your morning.
This is a sponsored post in partnership with One2One Network and Truvia. However, all opinions are my own and I only accept sponsored posts that personally speak to me, as this one does.
10 comments
I had no idea of the connection with Boliva!
And you are right, it usually doesn’t take long to find a connection with most people at all!
True story: When I went away to college to Ohio, I met an international student from Singapore who was coincidentally born in the exact same hospital I was in Maryland only 7 days before me. We are all connected!
I loved reading this, sponsored post or not. I wasn’t aware Truvia did this for Bolivia. I grew up in Bolivia and have lived here for nearly 37 years total. With your permission, I’d like to share a lead-in to your article on my website. (Webmaster – http://www.boliviabella.com)
I’d be honored for you to share this post. It’s one thing to know where corporations are putting their money but it’s another thing to hear the people who are vested in making a difference. It was truly an amazing story. I hope you watch more of their videos!
Thanks for the article. I found out about Truvias CSR initiatives in Bolivia from SarahFit a fitness Blogger a number of months ago. I live in Bolivia and work in community development and am interested to know what organization deliveres the breakfast or meal program that Truvia finances? Do you have any idea? Would be great to know the areas in BOlivia where the program is offered by all of their videos it looks like the highlands of western Bolvia. Any info would be appreciated! Thanks. Vanessa
From what I see in the article its the World Food Program that manages the program. Truvia makes a donation to them and the UN-Bolivia does the work on the ground…or am I mistaken?
Truvia works in partnership with the World Food Programme but there’s more to the program. I’m getting specific answers for you. Thanks for asking these questions!
Great! Thanks!
The world really does get smaller and smaller and we seem to be navigating it with much more ease as we age and discover what is truly important … great post Fadra!
Very interesting! I’ve never tried it but now I have a reason to do so:)