The document details the author's travels from 2012-2014 where they encountered difficulties finding affordable and direct volunteer opportunities. This inspired the idea for Help-In, a platform to connect volunteers directly with grassroots organizations. The author developed a prototype with an Indian company in 2014 and is now preparing a crowdfunding campaign, building a website and content, and assembling a team of trustees to launch Help-In. The document outlines the author's journey from the initial idea to the present day work to create an online platform to make volunteering more accessible worldwide.

1. The Story
It all started with what should have been a years travels,
to find out what it is I should be doing with my life

2. California Aug – Sept 2012
• An epic climb up the Half Dome at Yosemite
• An amazing road trip down Route 1
• The space ship discovery flew overhead in Big Sur on a 747
• Monterey, Santa Cruz, amazing Redwoods and LA
• Burning Man Music and Arts Festival
• Where everyone participates and has something to
contribute
• Everyone has strengths and weaknesses
• Everyone can help with their own uniqueness

3. Nov 2012 - Feb
2013
• Bought my Beetle Bug Mira in Mexico and
drove all over Mexico and onto Guatemala
• Volunteered for Rising Minds in Lake Atitlan,
Guatemala
• Excellent charity helping in Sustainable
Building, Gardening, Nutrition, Education,
Community Enrichment and Health Training
• This was the inspiration for wanting to
volunteer more as part of my travels
• Their focus on “Hand Ups” as opposed to
“Hand Outs” was a really powerful message
www.risingminds.org
My Beautiful Beetle Bug Mira bought in Mexico City The stunning Scenery of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala
The stunning Scenery of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala The stunning Scenery of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala

4. Why Help-In is needed
I wanted to volunteer as part of my travelling experience
I found it really difficult to find opportunities that didn’t cost
the Earth
Met countless people who shared my frustrations and paid a
lot of money via middle men organisations
Stories of £2,000 for 2 weeks and on arrival the grass root
organisation said it would have been £400 if they’d have
gone direct
So where did the other £1,600 go?......to line the pockets of
profiteering middle men rather than the organisation they
wanted to help?
Many of these organisations did have their own websites but
were very difficult to find due to poor Search Engine
Optimisation (SEO)
Their web presence just wasn’t strong enough. No hits or
traffic meaning they were practically unsearchable on google
unless you knew their exact address

5. May 2013
• My 33rd Birthday was an awakening to
channel my energy into doing something
about it
• I decided to stop travelling and pitch up in a
hostel La Tortuga Booluda in Leon,
Nicaragua
• Because my laptop and all my belongings
were stolen in Guatemala, I stayed up late
into the morning every night using the
hostels computer to do my work
• It was a shared computer open for all to use
and this was the only time it was free
• I got the basic principle of my idea down on
paper and began to map out how it needed
to be laid out and work
Mira at the Tortuga Booluda, Leon, Nicaragua The computer where the Help-In idea was written
My friend Santos at the Tortuga Booluda The Hammock where the Help-In idea was drafted

6. June 2013
• I worked tirelessly every night/morning to
get all of my work done
• The hostel staff became my Nicaraguan
family
• I had met so many people on my travels
who shared my frustrations about a lack of
web presence for volunteering and
connecting with organisations online
• I decided I needed to do a survey to capture
those results
• I met some amazing people while in
Nicaragua working on my project who
completed my survey and offered support
My friend Carlos (Rubbish at Pool  ) My dear friend Carolina who I gifted
my car Mira to
The hilarious Maria Elena….The best
cleaner in the world
The night porter who’s snoring was a
challenge as I was working away on
the computer 

7. July 2013
• July 17th 2013 saw the start of my
first Vipassana 10 day silent
meditation retreat in Costa Rica
• Being the only person working on
the Help-In idea meant I had a very
busy mind and I had become a bit
overwhelmed
• Meditation was well needed to
clear my mind and prepare for the
road ahead
• Vipassana was a life changing
experience that helped me focus on
my objectives with a fresh strong
will and determination
Vipassana as taught by S.N. Goenka
in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Global Vipassana Pagoda,
Mumbai at Maharashtra

8. August 2013
• The time had come to take my
project to the next level, the
foundations had been laid in
Nicaragua
• I decided to fly to the tech capital of
the world San Francisco
• This meant I had to say goodbye to
my beautiful Mira Beetle Bug
• Carolina had become a good friend
and her family were amazing
• I decided to gift my car to her and
her family
One of my favourite shots of Mira at Lake Atitlan Mira at the Tortuga Booluda, Leon Nicaragua
A very happy Carolina when I gifted her Mira Carolina’s beautiful daughter with Mira

9. Sept - Dec 2013
• Arrived back in San Francisco,
California the tech capital of the
world to get support for my idea
• After 3 months of trying in this
ultra-competitive tech start up
environment all I found were
people who were more driven by
the next big money making start up
or app
• This experience cost me a lot of
money, time and energy but also
gave me some valuable lessons
• I needed a prototype as well as an
idea to get in front of the right
people
View from twin peaks of San Fransisco Women's refuge, San Francisco
Union Square The Palace of Fine arts

10. Dec - Feb 2014
• After researching the tech hotspots of the
world being Malaysia, Taiwan and India. I
decided to go to India as it was the best fit
and English speaking
• I lived in the silicon valley of India
Bangalore with my Indian family the
Mohans
• The experience of San Francisco was quite
soul destroying and I needed to clear my
mind again
• Thankfully modern Vipassana originates in
India. I sat another 10 day meditation
retreat on the outskirts of Bangalore
• This was exactly what I needed and meant
I was again fully motivated with a strong
will and determination to continue
My amazing Indian family the Mohans Full sized meditation Pyramid at Pyramid Valley
Harohalli near Bangalore (my sanctuary)
The amazing Art of Living Ashram near
Bangalore another sanctuary from the city
The colours of India at the flower market in Bangalore

11. Mar - May 2014
• I went out and held meetings with Indian
tech companies and put my project out to
tender to get an idea of costs
• I disguised it as a job searching platform
to protect the idea as much as possible
• I formulated my marketing plan and
figured out how I was going to gain
funding
• I decided that this is a platform for the
masses for the benefit of humanity and
felt the best way was to go for
crowdfunding
• I needed to figure out a strong way to get
the crowdfunding campaign in front of as
many people as possible
One of the many temples of India Another sanctuary in Bangalore the beautiful Botanical
gardens
Scenic views of India Thali…oh how I miss Thali

12. June - Aug 2014
• I had a chance meeting with the
Global head of the World Pranic
Healing Foundation
• Following that meeting they agreed
to help to develop my idea as a
prototype for their internal
volunteering system
• We signed non disclosure
agreements and drafted a contract
• Unfortunately the whole process
took too long and I needed to go
home
• Time to develop my crowdfunding
plan and get it built
World Pranic Healing Ashram in Pune, Maharashta,
India
World Pranic Healing Ashram in Pune, Maharashta,
India
Signed Non Disclosure agreements and contract Master Choa Kok Sui

13. Aug 2014 – Present Day
• Content, Content, Content
• Videos
• Prototype Website
• Charity Application process
• Logo and Marketing Plan
• Landing Page creation
• Crowdfunding campaign plan
SlideShare Content

14. Carla Buzasi
My Mentor
Global Chief Content Officer, WGSN
Nina Solomon
Design Guru
Art Director, WGSN
Kim Schaefer
Design Guru
Head of Creative Services, WGSN
First Helpers
A special thanks to my incredible mentor Carla. You have
been a massive help every step of the way.
You have offered advice regularly on all of my ideas to make
the crowd funding campaign and the content as good as it
can be ready for the launch.
You have taken time out of your very busy schedule and given
me exceptional feedback along the way, heartfelt thanks.
Thanks also to Kim and Nina for being instrumental in
the design of the logo
They have also been extremely valuable in offering
advice in the general design of the site and landing page
ready for launch
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedules to
assist where you have, it’s very much appreciated

15. First Helpers
Radney Wood
Legal Help
Senior Associate at Vela Keller
Olly Jones
Computing Help
Front End Architect at Sony GWT
Graham Boyce
Constant Belief
Project Manager
I met Radney at the Tortuda Booluda in
Nicaragua. I shared my dream with him and he
told me he was a lawyer
Later on my journey I asked for his advice on
contracts and Non Disclosure Agreements
Without me having to ask he offered to do
them for me when I was in India. Thanks
Rad!!! You’re a legend
An old friend of mine now in San Francisco so I
caught up with him whenever I was there.
Thanks Olly for your unwavering belief in me!
He offered me advice constantly whenever I
asked. Always there when I needed him
He linked me up with his cousin who advised
on medical questions after her volunteering
experiences with front line organisations
A constant source of support wherever I was
in the world. Whenever I questioned what it
was I was doing he would pick me up
He was always willing to look over and advise
on pieces of work I had put together
A source of inspiration in the down times.
Help-In wouldn’t be where it is today without
your support. Thanks G

16. First Helpers
Many people offered experiences and support along the way and resonated with what I was setting out to achieve. Most, but not all are below
Alison Snyder
(Medical Advisor)
Grecia IIiana
Alvarado
Photos and Experiences
Karry Meyrick Ain Txane Hagop Waza
Agi Kolletas
Michelle Van De
Beurcht
Courtney
Boudreau
Emma Syrat Rikke Lizette
Christensen
Caleb Gordon Vera Neidl

17. Present Day
Becca Somers
Trustee
Graham Boyce
Trustee
Jo Deeks
Trustee
Richard Hawkesford
CEO
This is my story…You can achieve
anything you set your mind to

18. My travels made me realise what it is that truly makes me happy
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”
Mahatma Gandhi
Subscribe ready to support our crowdfunding campaign at
www.help-in.org