Meet Previous ‘Small Change, Better World’ Grant Recipients
As the Fall 2021 proposal period for new Small Change, Better World grants closes, we share the stories of two previously funded recipients and their completed projects.
by Sasha Tesoro
November 30, 2021
Small Change, Better World is a grant offered twice a year by the UCI Blum Center for Poverty Alleviation. The program provides seed grants for one-time, limited scope projects that address a specific need. To date we have funded over 40 UCI students since 2018. Here, we share two of these world changing projects.
Kimberly Haagenson — After School Program Supplies in Peru
After visiting the city of Ayacucho, Peru during her Global Service Scholars trip, Haagenson couldn’t shake the feeling of wanting to do more. During an interview with some staff members from a soup kitchen and after school program, Haagenson was made aware of the need for a projector in the space allotted for various programs.
Following her return home, Haagenson recalls her attempts at helping this after school program. “After returning home… [we] started our own GoFundMe campaign,” she said. She continued on to say, “Then, I learned about Small Change, Better World. Thanks to this program, we were able to wire enough money for the center administrators to purchase a projector…”
Thanks to the initiative of Haagenson, the administrators in Ayacucho, Peru were able to host more informational presentations for parents and workshops for students that didn’t seem possible before.
Joana Tavares — Installation of an Irrigation System in Brazil
In the outskirts of the city of Florianopolis in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil sits Institute Multicultural Crystal, a group that started a community supported agriculture initiative. Tavares felt strongly about this group and decided to apply for a Small Change, Better World grant to help as best she could.
Upon receiving the grant, Tavares was able to send the funds to Institute Multicultural Crystal in hopes that change would come from it — and it did.
“[A]bout one third of the money was used to buy nonperishable items which were combined with produce from their garden and donated to low-income families…” Tavares said, explaining the usage of the grant in Brail. She continued on to mention the irrigation system installed using the remainder of the funds.
Tavares explained that this irrigation system was a smart move on their end, ensuring the continuation and health of their agricultural initiative’s longevity. This money was also given during the start of the Covid-19 pandemic that swept the globe with dire effects on people in many different circumstances. Tavares remarked on this too, saying, “…the fact that they were able to invest some of the money from the SCBW grant into the irrigation system means that this project will continue to support this community longer, hopefully for many years to come!”
In her final answers, Tavares speaks to the students of UCI in regards to the Small Change, Better World grant. She says, “The application process was super easy and smooth. What a fantastic thing it is to be able to contribute to a cause that we care about. I am very glad I applied to the SCBW program and would encourage all Anteaters to do the same.”
