If you're reading this, chances are you were born into circumstances that allow you to afford the phone or laptop you're using. It's likely you're in a comfortable place, not worried about your next meal or where you'll sleep tonight.

Returning to East Africa and living here always opens my eyes to the different ways people live. I’m staying in a comfortable AirBnB, fully serviced (someone even washes our dishes daily). Looking down from my apartment balcony, I see a mother and her son (her son has an illness) who have been staying under the same tree for the past week.

It saddens me to see how the mother and her son live, knowing that many others here share similar living conditions. I would bet that most people in these conditions aren't there due to substance abuse (though alcohol is a problem here), but rather due to lack of access to basic necessities we often take for granted in the first world.

It’s crazy how our birthplace, something we have no control over, can shape the rest of our lives.* This puts into perspective the 'problems' I think I have on a day-to-day basis. The stress I face from building CloudSafaris isn’t stress, it’s a privilege to be in the situation where I can get the chance to build it.

<aside> 💡 It’s crazy how our birthplace, something we have no control over, can shape the rest of our lives.*

I understand why my parents and many parents chose to move to North America and out of third world countries. It’s to give us, the kids, a better chance.

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This whole situation makes me think about how I can help the people I see here who are born into these situations. Personally, I would love to give them what I can, and I do from time to time - but I don’t believe charity actually helps in the long run. Charity can help in the short term to help bring people out of dire situations, but it’s not sustainable. I believe you need to create the circumstances and experiences to help empower people so that they can take themselves out of a situation and stay out of it.

How I’m planning to help:

We’re building CloudSafaris, connecting travellers to local tour operators in Africa. CloudSafaris is committed toward building a better Africa.

As we build, we’ll dedicate sustainability and growth projects toward helping the locals here. Educating, empowering, teaching, and providing jobs.

As we grow, our team is dedicated to making product and business decisions that empower locals in the countries where we operate.