Waves of Grace - experience the impact of Liberia's Ebola crisis in VR

Virtual Reality is quite possibly the most powerful educational tool we have. In this 360 experience by Gabo Arora and Chris Milk for Within, I spent 10 minutes of my Sunday afternoon walking alongside Eboloa survivor Decontee Davis in Liberia, where 11,207 people have died (including neighbouring Guinea and Sierra Leone) since the outbreak began in December 2013.* To put this number in to perspective, in the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York, USA, in 2001, 2,996 people were killed (including the 19 hijackers).

When we are so removed from health crises such as those that plague Africa, it is difficult to comprehend the reality. Virtual Reality is able to break down the barriers of distance and teleport users directly into the shoes of others, raising empathy and ultimately cultivating compassion thus becoming a powerful tool in education.

For a full immersive experience, watch Waves of Grace in a VR headset on the Within VR app.

*Source: Reuters

Nepal Trek for Domestic Violence Awareness

Registration is now open to join our First We Walk Nepal Himalaya Expedition to trek the Gosainkunda Lake region, November 2017, for Domestic Violence Awareness.

From November 15-27, you can join me, my ninja turtle kids, and like-minded trekkers from around the world on an incredible expedition in the Nepali Himalayas. Our trekkers will all be fundraising throughout the year leading up to the trek, with 100% of public donations going to Her Farm Nepal, a non-profit women's agricultural refuge in Nepal growing hope for the Himalayas.

Objectives

• Raise funds to finance a new Greenhouse for Her Farm Nepal, and a women's micro-finance fund;
• Host a 3-day 'thrive' retreat at Her Farm (limited spaces available) following the trek, to share skills and stories as a global community (yoga, meditation, Wim Hof Method introduction, agricultural farming, storytelling for film making, holistic therapy);
• Raise global awareness for domestic and gender-based violence;
• Inspire unity consciousness.

The Trek

12-days from Kathmandu through the Gosainkunda region and return to Kathmandu.

The Gosainkunda area has been delineated as a religious site. Hindu Mythology attributes Gosainkunda as the abode of the Hindu deities Shiva and Gauri. The Hindu scriptures Bhagavata Purana, Vishnu Parana and the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata refer to the Samudra manthan, which is directly related to the origin of Gosainkunda. Its waters are considered holy and of particular significance during the Gangadashahara and the Janao Purnima festivals where thousands of pilgrims from Nepal and India visit the region. Gosainkunda is believed to have been created by Lord Shiva when he thrust his holy Trident into a mountain to extract water so he could cool his stinging throat after he had swallowed poison.

The main inhabitants of Gosainkunda region are Tamang and Sherpa (of Tibetan origin), whose religion, culture, language and dress are similar to the Tibetan people. Gosainkunda trekking offers an incredible opportunity to experience Nepal's unique combination of cultures, landscapes, stunning mountains and diverse wildlife and vegetation.

For full details and to download the trekkers information PDF, visit: http://www.theaniccaway.com/nepal-2017/

There will then be limited spaces are available for trekkers to join us at Her Farm following the trek, from November 27th to host a 3-day workshop with the women, sharing skills and stories. We will practice yoga, meditation, and breath work, hold a storytelling for filmmaking workshop, learn agricultural techniques from the women, and share stories and sacred space as a global community of women (and men!)

Register your involvement today ad join us to make a change and help end domestic and gender-based violence worldwide.