Since launching our site a little over six weeks ago, I’ve been asked many times how I came up with the concept for ESPEROS. As I try to succinctly answer that question, I often find myself more clearly explaining “why” than “how.” So, why was ESPEROS created?
Imagine living your life on less than $2 per day. What would you have to whittle out of your daily expenses to make it work? That trip to Starbuck’s? Not happening. Eating out? You’d have to get creative to make it work even on the dollar menu. More likely, you’d be forced to go on fewer meals than you’re used to and you’d no doubt have to change your diet. And we’re just talking about nourishment. Now imagine raising a family on under $2 per day. Where would you even begin?
ESPEROS was born of a desire to help break the cycle of poverty in developing countries. We believe that education is one of the fundamental pillars of human dignity and empowerment and therefore one of the single most important factors in helping end poverty. What we noticed as we looked to developing countries, though, was that many children lacked access to even basic education due to a lack of financial resources.
At ESPEROS, our goal is to provide a new, wide-reaching solution to that problem. To reach the greatest number of children possible, we decided to use a social business model that is both sustainable and impactful. Tying our product to our mission, we decided to sell backpacks and help send a child in need to school for a year with each bag we sell. We knew we wanted to keep our donation plan simple in order to make it as meaningful as possible, so we did just that. With every bag we sell, we send 50% of gross profit directly towards funding one child’s yearly tuition. One bag. One child. One year. Simple.
As we were looking at potential partners, it was hugely important to us that we work with organizations that have a sustained commitment to helping build up the communities in which they operate. More than anything, ESPEROS is about giving children and their communities a sense of hope for a brighter future. We believe in the enormous potential of the people we are helping, so it is crucial that our partners also have a vested interest in developing the communities we’re working in. It is our pleasure to say that our first partner, Fonkoze, has an incredible reputation for doing just that.
In the weeks that have passed since our launch, we’ve received an incredible amount of support from those who have been exposed to our message and the movement we are starting. It is exciting, encouraging, and incredibly humbling to know that people are so readily embracing our product and our message. We believe in the immense power of people coming together over a shared purpose. In this case, our goal is to provide children with access to the education they need to raise themselves out of poverty. With every backpack purchased, our customers are not just donating to a cause — they are joining an impassioned group of people seeking to promote prosperity and change in some of the poorest regions of the world.
Please feel free to get to know us better at www.esperosbags.com and learn more about our partner, Fonkoze, at www.fonkoze.org.
