We all have different reasons for wanting to start One7days. Three examples are pasted below. As for how One7days started; the story really is that we all worked together for many years in the corporate world. Amy sold the business and started a financial services consulting company, and Kate and Sarah came along. One day, Amy asked the girls if they wanted to do something totally different, something that would have a long-lasting effect on the world. Naturally their answers were absolutely they do, and she mentioned the initial concept of a micro-donation app that is affordable for anyone with a smartphone. We discussed it and built on the idea, until we all had a clear vision of where we wanted to take it. Roles were formed based on our individual strengths and here we are, with a brilliant app built and about 30 global charities on board as partners.
Amy
Kate
Sarah
Apart from the above three examples, there are so many other reasons we want to do this, and why we are targeting some specific charities and causes.
We have a couple of cancer research and cancer care charities like Cure Brain Cancer and Kids Cancer Project and, as that is near and dear to Amy. Most people know someone who has passed away from cancer. Amy’s aunt died of cervical cancer about 12 years ago now, and it really affected her as she was like a mother to her. “From the time she died I remember wishing so hard that I could do something in my life that helped cure cancer as to me it just wasn’t fair that she was gone”.
We have Headspace which supports mental illness for youths, and this is extremely important to us. At Lifebroker, the previous business Amy owned, it was full of young people and so many of them had some kind of mental illness like depression, anxiety, substance addiction and even a couple with bipolar disorder. We personally supported many of these people by giving them access to counsellors and psychologists, rehabilitation hospitals, as well as running the business knowing this fact and allowed people to have ‘wellness days’ off work to maintain mental health.
Then we have partnered with some charities that support communities in need in developing countries like Oxfam, Water is Life and Amref. Kate has visited Africa and India and saw firsthand how dire the situation is in some places and has become very passionate about it, especially knowing how empowering women in these countries is absolutely key to improving their situation. Amy has sponsored 2 children from World Vision since they were babies, and received letters from them just about a month ago with updates and new photos, they are now 15 years old – so having World Vision on board, after witnessing how they have helped her sponsor kids, is a privilege.
Of course, we are so proud to partner with UN Women. Being three independent woman with the luxury of having human rights here in Australia, we know so many women globally don’t, and this is unbelievably important to us to try and raise awareness.
We have sourced research, and conducted our own research on who gives most to charities, and for those who don’t, why they don’t. Essentially, the older people get, the more generous they become with charitable giving. This doesn’t mean that younger people don’t want to however. Majority of younger people do want to give but ‘can’t afford it’ and ‘find it too difficult to choose who deserves it most’.
We believe that by giving younger people the opportunity to become a philanthropist at an earlier age, will mean that they will continue that way as they age and become even more generous. Its not only about the money. It’s about raising awareness, about showing people that if we want to solve some of the world’s problems, or at least contribute to solving them, then getting our youth to instigate the change is imperative.