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Dr. Bronner's Launches Crowdfunding Campaign For Mosquito Nets
I've been a fan of Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps for a long time. The company makes bar and liquid soaps, plus lotions, with only natural ingredients that are organic and fair trade certified. Family owned by fifth generation soap makers, Dr. Bronner's launched a crowdfunding campaign called, "Help Dr. Bronner's Fight Malaria in Eastern Ghana" on Indiegogo.com. The campaign's goal is to raise $25,000 to buy mosquito nets for thousands of families in the Asuom region of Ghana to help prevent the spread of malaria.
Dr. Bronner's also launched an animated video titled, "Dr. Bronner's Fair Trade Palm Oil: Animated" to educate consumers about its fair trade palm oil project. Serendipalm, based in Asuom, Ghana, is described by Dr. Bronner's as its "sister company." The company makes the organic and fair trade certified palm oil used in the Dr. Bronner's bar soap.
The company launched the video and the crowdfunding campaign at the same time to "provide an opportunity for our customers and the public to contribute to the positive life-changing work that fair trade initiatives are fueling in producer communities," said David Bronner, President of Dr. Bronner's. "Ultimately we want to raise more awareness and build a movement of conscious consumers dedicated to making all trade fair," David Bronner added.
"Our partners in Ghana have singled out malaria prevention as a top priority for their next community project and Dr. Bronner's crowdfunding campaign seeks to raise enough funds to provide 5,000 bed nets to cover a shortfall in the government's distribution program," said Michael Bronner, Vice President of Dr. Bronner's.
The crowdfunding concept used to fund the mosquito nets is "simple," as Lisa Bronner, sister of David and Michael, put it. "Every donation of $10 covers the cost of one bed net for a family in need," Lisa added.
Dr. Bronner's will give everyone who donates $10 or more a bar of soap with a commemorative label. For various other donation amounts, the company is giving away t-shirts, DVDs, a gift basket, a tour of the company's soap plant, and a trip to Ghana to visit a palm oil mill. Dr. Bronner's will match each amount raised in order to generate a minimum of $50,000 to fund mosquito nets.
Image credit: Flickr user, fireballsedai
Gina-Marie is a freelance writer and journalist armed with a degree in journalism, and a passion for social justice, including the environment and sustainability. She writes for various websites, and has made the 75+ Environmentalists to Follow list by Mashable.com.
