A South African by birth, Te Brugge established My Arms Wide Open (MAWO) in 2010 to create a new model of society, based on the power within the cultural diversity and the enduring belief in the persevering nature of South Africans. MAWO, a Vancouver-based, Canadian registered charity, empowers the women and children of South Africa to break the chains of poverty through education, sustainable communities and socially responsible businesses. As part of its guiding principles, MAWO works with communities to identify their needs and priorities for establishing long-term change and sustainability.

“We are thrilled beyond words to receive this nomination”, says Mr. Te Brugge. “We’ve made our first steps and the nomination certainly validates that we are on the right track. We are extremely proud and grateful that the work we are doing is truly creating an impact within the rural communities in which we work. Being included in such an extraordinary group of nominees is an honour.” To support each of MAWO’s five causes – business development, food security, infrastructure development, Early Childhood Development and leadership development – MAWO works directly with members of the community to develop leaders who will become “agents of change” in the community and act as mentors for the children, youth and mothers hoping for a better future.

For more information, www.myarmswideopen.org; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWS_XvXK1Wk

About Katerva

Katerva, a charity organization registered in the United Kingdom, focuses on creating solutions to some of the biggest challenges facing society by showcasing some of the world’s most innovative organizations –and through building a community of social change advocates. Katerva’s annual awards provide recognition to what they deem “the very best sustainability initiatives on the planet.”