Gemma Postill was a member of our very own 2016 cohort, studying on our Young Doctors’ Academy. She is working with Compassion Canada, and currently aiming to raise money through Be The Vibe Jewelry, to build sustainable rainwater harvesting systems in East Africa!
She is currently in her first year studying at Western University, Ontario.
“From my time spent at Oxford Scholastica, and on a volunteer trip to Argentina, I realized that travel and technology has enabled me to become a member of the global community, in addition to my local community. I wanted to continue making a difference to that community upon returning home.
I saw that I could use my own creativity and interest in making jewelry to create a non-profit jewelry company to help communities overcome every day challenges, like lice.
Partnered with my sister, Anna Postill, we created Be The Vibe Jewelry, and through online sales of the jewelry I create, we raise money for East African communities that need Sustainable Rain Water Harvesting Systems.
These Rain Harvesting Systems will be built in Nyakayaga and Muyumbu, Rwanda through Compassion Canada with a total of 468 direct beneficiaries.
Be the Vibe is dedicated to making a difference through this sustainable engineering project. Every necklace or bracelet that is bought helps someone in Africa get the drinking water they need.
The process has been challenging as we faced many obstacles, including learning to build a website, and finding the right price to sell the jewelry for. However, my experiences in Oxford, such as the summative project, taught me that using perseverance and creativity will help me to overcome obstacles.
My trips to Oxford and Argentina were more than just experiences for me. They were trips that have defined who I am as a person and altered my path in life.”
Gemma and Anna, with a little help from the Oxford Scholastica Foundation, have now raised the $3000 required to build the first rainwater harvesting system, and have been able to provide clean water for an incredible 500 people in Rwanda! But they haven’t stopped there – Be The Vibe is still going strong, and they are already halfway to making enough money to build a second system, to benefit even more people.