COMMUNITY
We are welcoming and genuinely care about creating and supporting community. We strive to create an environment of growth, a haven that encourages everyone to share of themselves, to be open and empowered.
GIFT, SUCCEED & THRIVE
In order to thrive we need to support and contribute to the success of others; this is the ethos that flows through everything we do. Welcome to our community project crowdfunding website!
WHAT IS 'BELIEVE'?
The BELIEVE brand is a philosophy founded on the principle “when we gift and help others succeed, we all thrive”. It is rooted to community spirit and collective gifting. The BELIEVE community are like-minded individuals in pursuit of creating positive flow. Influencing, encouraging and inspiring others through the positive and impactful work we do. Demonstrating, through transparent, open and honest dialogue, our pay-it-forward principles.
THIS OUR VISION
BELIEVE Aroha is our vision. A not-for-profit low carbon footprint, tented retreat founded on sustainable eco-friendly credentials. BELIEVE Aroha, our first community project, our wellness retreat. Tribe inspired, community built and socially funded.
WHEN YOU INSTIL VALUES
TO NURTURE ONLY THE BEST
– YOU OFTEN ONLY GET THE BEST.
AROHA WELLNESS RETREAT
“The architecture of how we live our lives is badly in need of renovation and repair” – Ariana Huffington.
Outside the rush and pressure of our present-day lives, we aim to create a recuperative haven for body, mind and spirit. A place that serves to simply re-connect us to our quieter inner selves. A space connected to earth’s energy by design, where the mind can calm and make space to expand our creative, natural being. For what matters most is that we find a way – any way – to recharge and renew ourselves.
We hope that you will become a part of the Aroha project journey and that we will have the opportunity to welcome you at the Aroha community retreat.
OUR GUIDING PRINCIPLES
WELLNESS
We encourage our community to invest in themselves, not only in body but in mind and soul. We are passionate about living healthy, wholehearted
lives, making better choices for ourselves and encouraging others on their journey.
DISRUPTIVE
We will positively challenge methodologies that no longer serve the purpose of the greater good. We are not afraid to do things differently. We encourage creative thinking and prompt all to explore the impact our positive actions can have on others.
ENVIRONMENTAL
We work with intention; collaborating with others to discover better, more sustainable solutions and pledge out of respect for them and our planet to pass on our experiences and knowledge.
CONSCIOUS CROWDFUNDING
DISRUPTIVE THINKING IN ACTION
What is crowdfunding? Crowdfunding is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising small amounts of money from a large number of people; a form of crowdsourcing and alternative finance.
For the BELIEVE brand and Aroha project to be truly collaborative, we had to explore a disruptive way of funding. The traditional banking methods and control of financial institutions didn’t sit well with our pay-it-forward principals. We instead recognise that the health of an economy is largely founded on the creative talent and skills of others and our success is not based on capital efficiency or shareholder wealth. Our community project needed to encourage this. We want to directly impact and enrich the lives of others.
What does this mean? The BELIEVE Aroha project will, through transparent, open and honest dialogue, demonstrate pay-it-forward in action. We will show how small amounts of money gifted by others, like seeds, grow and support other business and creatives. Gifted funds will not be used to support the founders of BELIEVE. All funds will be channelled directly to those who will help us breathe life into our community project, the Aroha wellness retreat.
The pay-it-forward movement of Aroha won’t stop there! As a not-for-profit project the excess revenue generated by the retreat will be gifted back to support other creative initiatives in line with our guiding principles.
There are benefits to being part of BELIEVE community as a crowdfunding contributor too! Discounts at the retreat, invitations to meet ups, access to project opportunities and special promotions. You’ll also have your very own gifting tag - an olive leaf - on the Aroha gifting tree.
WHEN YOU INSTIL VALUES
TO NURTURE ONLY THE BEST
– YOU OFTEN ONLY GET THE BEST.
CREATE CHANGE
Be the change you wish to see in the world and others. Join our community, be part of the Aroha movement and pay it forward.
FEATURED COMMUNITY MEMBER
featured members
Penny the barista
Hey my name’s Penny.
I’m a thirty-something city girl who works as a barrister in a co-owned fair-trade coffee shop. I’m a relatively sporty outdoorsy person, I love meeting new people and my job really gives me the opportunity to connect with customers. I believe I’m a happy contented soul. I enjoy travelling, exploring new cultures, it’s such an adventure. I suppose you could say I’m a free spirit. I’d identify myself as a SOCIAL personality.
I joined the BELIEVE community because I care about the planet and society; I want to be a part of a community who feels the same. Hopefully I’ll get to travel to the retreat and what an experience to stay in place that I’ve helped grow!
Leo from Singapore
Hello BELIEVE tribe my name’s Leo.
My parents are from Kenya, but I was born Singapore. I’m a teacher. I like to read … a lot. I have a curious nature and am constantly looking to learn and understand more. I prefer autobiographies and eastern philosophy. I like hanging out with my friends and family. I suppose people would say I’m a bit on the serious side; I really like to engage in discussions around subjects that matter. If I’m to define my personality trait I’d say I’m a COLLABORATIVE.
I like to travel with a social purpose in order to immerse myself into the culture of the places I visit; that’s why I joined this community. I like the social aspect of what the project represents.
LATEST NEWS
Community
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Rethinking Your Next Adventure: 10 ways to travel more sustainably
We’re sharing our top ten solutions in an effort to promote a more environmentally friendly travel experience – including products, travel tips and ways to offset your carbon footprint. So if you’re busy planning your next trip these simple sustainable travel hacks might be useful.
Read more
A Not-for-Profit Organisation
Around the world creatives, entrepreneurs and inspired thinkers are establishing not-for-profit enterprises. Enterprises which do not focus on shareholder wealth, but choose rather, to invest or donate revenue earned into social initiatives with similar principles. Businesses with a social objective.
Read more
TOP FAQS
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What’s the difference between BELIEVE, BELIEVE Community and Aroha?
BELIEVE is our brand and our philosophy. The BELIEVE community are gifting angels who have offered their support to bring our first community project to life; our wellness retreat. Aroha, meaning love, is the name of our retreat.
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How do we know that our gifted funds are going the Aroha project?
We are committed to ensuring that all gifted funds go directly to the suppliers and creatives who help us breathe life into Aroha.
We will demonstrate this through ongoing regular updates of financial reports which will be visible on our website. We accept that we are accountable to our gifters; this is a key aspect of our beliefs around trustworthiness, honesty and openness.
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What do you mean by “not for profit”?
Not for profit describes a type of organisation that doesn’t earn profit for its owners.
The Aroha retreat is an example of this; the retreat will not be run for shareholder or personal wealth generation. As an organisation we will use any surplus revenue to further achieve our ultimate objective of paying-it-forward in support of other social projects and initiatives.
We will publish the results of our surplus revenue to the community and all Aroha pay-it-forward initiatives will be shown on our website. We accept that we are accountable to our gifters to run the Aroha resort diligently; the key aspect being trustworthiness, honesty, openness and total transparency.