Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. For me, civil society means producing sustainable and collective work for a common goal with a belief that you can actually make a difference. I got acquainted with... More

By nature of what I do as a fashion model, as an ex MTV VJ (video jockey), and celebrity often in the spotlight, I feel the need to be a vocal role model. I need to let it be known that I am a bold giver so that I can encourage and inspire others to do the... More

I grew up in Ogdensburg New York, in a business-oriented family, where our business was one of the main employers in the small town. My father was an executive at the Newell Company and my mother a home maker. After my father died at 48, my mother took his... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. Story of cARTveli (a not-for-profit Art foundation established to promote contemporary Georgian artists worldwide) and its founders: Elizabeth Chachkiani,Ekaterina Moniava... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. In 2013 I did something somewhat out of the ordinary in Romania. My husband and I donated all cash gifts from our wedding to charity. It amounted to 10,000 euros and it... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. Yes, philanthropy. But what is it for me? Philanthropy is to give something you can in the moment when you feel that you must do it. It needs to come from the heart. And in... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. “Mom, why is he so big and yet unable to talk?” My four-year-old son is looking at me with all the trust and sincerity the children at his age are capable of. We... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. On November 26, 2013 I invited about 60 of my friends to celebrate my birthday. I bought prosecco and macarons as a treat. I reserved the large room in a fancy new downtown... More

I was once a theoretical physicist. Now I'm an anarchist and opposed to the growing division of rich and poor. I'm 82 years old. A few years ago I left my old life behind, put my house in a trust to benefit the community, and moved to Oaxaca, Mexico, where... More

My philanthropic journey began when I was around 14 or 15. I thought I might find a cure for AIDS or invent something as great as a malaria vaccination. I’m not sure where these desires came from; but it occurred to me that if I wanted to make the... More

I am an only child, born in 1922. I attended a Quaker school, was a conscientious objector in WW2, and joined the Quakers in 1942, sharing Quaker concerns for social harmony and social justice. My father built up a successful grocery business from 1907, which... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. A life’s meaning comes from the difference one has made.Thirty five years ago I told my prospective wife about my dreams of engaging in charitable activities if my... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. Happiness stems from sharing. I came to realize this through my teachers’ teachings and volunteering my time building gardens and constructing schools in underserved... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. When people ask me about my motivation for giving I always think that to give altruistically is taught in a family and cannot be acquired afterwards. This is a value taught... More

Music for Peace Foundation came to existence as we were thinking about the question; “how can we change this unjust world, what can we possible do?” My faith in music triggered this initiative. I can say music is an instrument that can realize my... More

Written as part of Bolder Giving's Global Givers initiative by our regional parter. I consider philanthropy to be my job and a vacation. My real motivation is to make the next generations in Bulgaria realize that hard work brings happiness, especially if... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. How to help refugees to help themselves?My name is Nikola Gazdov and I am 33 years old. In 2009 I was one of the founders of the Bulgarian Photovoltaic Association and in the... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. A few years ago, during an exercise, someone asked me: What would you like to leave behind, how do you want to be remembered? ... I think it's important to be a good... More

Written as part of Bodler Giving's Global Givers initiative by a regional partner. The first event I attended as a donor was called Gift leading to Gift, an auction of abilities where I bid for and won a barista class (barista is the specialist in... More

I grew up in what we call a joint family, in Mumbai, India. There were ten of us sharing the house: my parents, brother, grandparents, my uncle and his family. That connectedness is what I missed most when I moved to the West at age 18 to attend Yale... More

I grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba in a Jewish Family. My father and his five brothers grew up working class. They established SAAN stores/Gendis and were successful financially. My life however, was complicated. I grew up as a survivor of violence, abuse and... More