Paola

An Italian teacher who changes lives through commitment and passion

Jvo A. Maurer

April 2023
Paola has been actively supporting children and widows in Karnataka for over 40 years and has already helped over 3,000 people in the process. Born in Italy, she worked as a marketing manager in London for many years and has built up a large international network.
Paola realised early on that it was important to "give something back to people". She found herself and her true calling on her first trip to India. Her passion as a teacher brought her to India and she was "reborn as a mother", as they say in India.

With a hands-on philosophy, she started creating awareness about plastic waste in nature, from which animals, especially the sacred cows, suffer - and campaigned to improve laws against child labour, which was particularly prevalent in the production of carpets.

"It's shocking how much money is donated to large NGOs in Europe and how little of it reaches its destination," She explains. She does not appeal for donations at all, but raises enough money for projects with the help of her broad network. People's living conditions can sometimes be improved with minimal effort. She does not give people money, but organises and donates materials, such as school books and tools, and creates opportunities for women to learn skills and become independent.

We buyers make the difference, especially in the western hemisphere.

"Every day we make purchasing decisions that have a major impact on the people who create the products - fair trade labels guarantee the protection of children and ensure fair incomes."

We will be reporting more about Paola and her GO ECO organisation on site shortly.