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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

ReWrite Our Story

Purpose on the Planet Foundation (
Philanthropic organization
)
#SDGAction47972
Description
Description

Purpose on the Planet Foundation is committed to developing effective and economical solutions for the intertwined environmental and socioeconomic issues of our time.  Our process of engaging vulnerable communities in the planting of trees and restoration of landscapes represents sustainable development in its simplest and most impactful form. 

Since 2021, donors in over 20 US states and across the UK have provided unparalleled support for our flagship ReWrite Our Story, which has significantly accelerated our core efforts to:

  • Alleviate extreme poverty
  • Accelerate vital reforestation initiatives
  • Tackle climate change and global inequality
  • Raise awareness around the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals

ReWrite Our Story: Providing sustainable livelihoods for vulnerable communities in Africa, through the restoration of mangrove forests, to fight the worst impacts of global poverty today and climate change tomorrow.

The interactive Handbook at the link below demonstrates how even a modest donation can start a positive ripple effect of change that ultimately impacts 12 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

The 2030 Global Goals Initiative: Impact 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 

For as little as $10 a month, members create a combined environmental and social impact, at home and overseas, through adopting a unique "Employ-to-Restore" global reforestation initiative, and our interactive materials, dedicated to carbon literacy and sustainable lifestyle choices.

The interactive Impact Report below provides an informative overview of recent progress at our project location in Madagascar, as well as the important work being done through the ReWrite Our Story initiative.

Nonprofit Impact Report: An Interactive Introduction to the ReWrite Our Story Program 

A central premise of the ReWrite Our Story program is that every $20 donated will unequivocally be used to:

  • Create one day of work and fair income for people in extreme poverty
  • Plant 45 mangroves (per donor) to remove around 1 metric ton of CO2 in a typical maturation period
  • Empower program members to reduce future emissions and adopt low-carbon lifestyle choices through the 12 modules of our carbon-literacy certified series, “Sustainable Solutions

As former educators, our founders are deeply committed to raising awareness of the full scope of the Sustainable Development Goals. We are therefore immensely proud of the fact that the ReWrite Our Story program enables our members to impact 12 of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. 

That’s why we therefore provide all of our donors with the 12-part Sustainable Solutions monthly series, and why each module contains specific insights on how supporting our project site in Madagascar directly impacts one of these 12 Global Goals, starting with Zero Poverty all the way to Life on Land! 

In each monthly module, we also provide practical insights on how you can support the same Global Goal right here at home too...simply by adopting a more sustainable lifestyle!  Drawing on our own Carbon Literacy Certification, we'll share practical ways you can further influence global prosperity and a sustainable future just through your own daily choices and habits. 

Further Background and Collaborative Partnerships

Our established relationships with best-of-breed organizations have provided the operational foundations for the ReWrite Our Story initiative.

As a member of the Accelerated Restoration Collaborative, we are able to draw upon a proven and tested “Employ-to-Restore” mangrove reforestation methodology — a truly pioneering approach with a proven record of transformative success in this region since 2012.

Native to Madagascar, mangrove trees exert a powerful impact on carbon capture, making the reforestation of this particular species an especially effective means to combat climate change. At the same time, our reforestation projects provide a concrete means through which indigenous cultures can support themselves and their families—by planting trees and restoring landscapes.  For these vulnerable communities, our work represents sustainable development in its most essential form.

Future Plans and Priorities

Purpose on the Planet will now be focusing all employment and reforestation efforts exclusively in the village of Antsanitia in Madagascar.  The community of Antsanitia is a fishing village that historically relied on the presence of healthy mangrove and coastal ocean systems for food and income. The local communities were also dependent upon the adjacent dry deciduous forest that provided an abundant supply of clean water to sustain life and to irrigate their farms. 

By working closely with the local village community in this location, we will be able to provide extremely granular reporting on the number of trees planted and the number of days of fair wage employment that have been created in this dedicated project site. 

Looking ahead, and based on the recent availability of quantified carbon impact statements, our environmental objective is to provide increasingly informed and scientific assessment of the tree sequestration levels created through the program in this location.

The combination of the above elements provides a high degree of confidence that Purpose on the Planet  will be able to align with the SMART criteria recommended for all projects listed on the SDG Partnerships Platform.

Expected Impact

ReWrite Our Story has 4 primary objectives to mitigate global inequality and climate change:

  • RELIEVE POVERTY
    Create both work and fair income for communities living in extreme poverty in Africa through a unique “Employ-to-Restore” program 
  • RESTORE NATURE
    Make a tangible contribution to reforestation in countries that are already feeling the severe impacts of climate change, even though they contributed the least to creating global warming.
  • REMOVE CARBON
    Accelerate the reforestation of mangroves, which sequester carbon at a rate that is up to 5 times greater than mature tropical forests
  • REDUCE EMISSIONS
    Raise awareness and inspire action by providing the latest insights on circular approaches and a carbon-sensitive lifestyle through our monthly Sustainable Solutions newsletters

Our members create an environmental and social impact in both a global and local context.  

GLOBALLY

Initiate Climate Action and Influence Inequality

  • Mitigate Global Warming
    Remove carbon through large-scale reforestation in a location which has seen the deforestation of 90% of native forests.  We focus exclusively on mangroves, which sequester carbon at a rate up to 5 times greater than a mature tropical forests.
  • Transform Lives and Land
    Our “Employ-to-Restore” methodology provides sustainable work and fair income for villagers in Madagascar, which is also currently enduring the world’s first climate-change-induced famine
     
  • Impact 12 of the UN 2030 Global Goals
    Contribute to 12 areas that are viewed as critical to a prosperous, sustainable future
    • Poverty and Food Insecurity (Goals 1, 2, 3, 4),
    • Human Potential and Empowerment (Goals 5, 6, 8,10,12)
    • Environmental and Wildlife Conservation (Goals 13, 14, 15)


LOCALLY 

Inform Yourself and Inspire Others

  • Become Climate Positive
    Planting 600 mangroves will remove around 14 metric tons of CO2 from the atmosphere on your behalf, which is more than the current carbon footprint of the average US inhabitant.
     
  • Become Sustainably Savvy
    Receive a one-year subscription to our engaging monthly series of carbon certified insights, Sustainable Solutions, so you can reduce future emissions with personal lifestyle choices that will directly protect the planet.
     
  • Become a Next Generation Global Citizen
    Be among the first to “Rethink Our Take, Make, Waste Consumption” habits for a more sustainable and equitable future and "nudge your neighbors" to lead the way for others!
Partners

Everyone at Purpose on the Planet is grateful for the close collaboration that we enjoy with our key partners:

Accelerated Restoration Collaborative
Donor Perfect/Softerware
Google for Non-Profits
Microsoft for Social Impact

Further support and important educational resources have also been provided by:

The Carbon Literacy Project
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation
Project Drawdown

Additional information

The following links expand further on the key services and themes summarized above:

Explore our Interactive Playbooks:

Program Support Options

Educational Videos & Resources

Recent Articles & Blogs

Create Sustainable Livelihoods to Mitigate Climate Change - Purpose on the Planet
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Impact 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals - Purpose on the Planet Foundation
Fight Poverty in Madagascar: The World's Third Highest Rate of Extreme Poverty - Purpose on the Planet  Foundation
Support Biodiversity on Madagascar: Fourth Largest Island on Earth - Purpose on the Planet Foundation
Action Network
SDG Acceleration Actions
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Timeline
15 December 2020 (start date)
31 December 2030 (date of completion)
Entity
Purpose on the Planet Foundation
SDGs
Region
  1. Africa
  2. North America
  3. Europe
Geographical coverage
Madagascar and USA
Other beneficiaries

General public and established community members across the United States

Local community members in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and Amelia island in Florida

Local environment/inhabitants in the community of Antsanitia in northwestern Madagascar

Photos
Impact 12 of the UN Sustainable Development Goals - Purpose on the Planet Foundation Fight Poverty in Madagascar: The World's Third Highest Rate of Extreme Poverty - Purpose on the Planet  Foundation Support Biodiversity on Madagascar: Fourth Largest Island on Earth - Purpose on the Planet Foundation
More information
Countries
Madagascar
Madagascar
United States of America
United States of America
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Canada
Canada
Headquarters
Shenandoah Valley, VA / Amelia Island, FL
Contact Information

Genevieve Powers Adams, Community Director