MEETCHANGEMAKERS MEDIA RELEASE – OCT 2021

MEETCHANGEMAKERS – The innovative Swiss NGO platform that supports everyday heroes

By leveraging global support through travel, philanthropy and ambassadors, MEETCHANGEMAKERS is helping social entrepreneurs to transform their communities. The NGO also proposes a solution on how to travel to third world/ developing countries in a more socially conscious way.

MEETCHANGEMAKERS has rolled out its pilot project in South Africa and is making waves as an NGO that is ‘doing something different’ to help make a difference in the world. The MEETCHANGEMAKERS network identifies, promotes, and assists grassroots South African heroes who have turned adversity into opportunity. 

They include a cancer survivor who became an agricultural pioneer to feed her community to a graffiti artist who is transforming neglected neighbourhoods, and inspiring children through creative arts. Other inspiring Changemakers include coders, environmentalists, bookworms, reformed gangsters, and advocates for justice.

Pioneering an NGO with a difference  

MEETCHANGEMAKERS was pioneered by François Rüf and Gisela Piercey from Switzerland. Gisela lived in South Africa for the past 16 years and MEETCHANGEMAKERS is her way of ‘giving back’ to the country that made such an impact on her life. 

Coming from the travel industry, she identified a unique way to leverage tourism to help support the Changemakers. MEETCHANGEMAKERS is proposing a “Social Compensation” charge for travellers to third world countries who wish to travel in a more socially conscious way. This would be similar to the carbon-offset compensation that many travellers have happily adopted. The social (S) compensation would go towards a Changemaker and their cause, and at the same time, the tourist would be given the opportunity to meet the Changemaker and get first-hand experience of their community upliftment project.   

Social compensation can easily be implemented as part of companies’ social investment budgets – ensuring that their travel expenses have a positive social impact. 

MEETCHANGEMAKERS is calling on philanthropists, travellers, supporters, and the public in general to visit their website to read more about some of the incredible South African Changemakers supported by their pilot project. There are various ways to get involved – from financial contributions to volunteering and creating public awareness. 

Find out more about MEETCHANGEMAKERS: www.meetchangemakers.com 

CONTACT
Gisela Piercey, Director MEETCHANGEMAKERS, Zurich, Switzerland.