[Video: The desire to help and make a difference is one that resonates in the hearts of us all. With the tools of social media, you have never had more power to change the world than you do today. One simple act, one video, one Tweet can echo across humanity and unleash a world of social good. Together we can move mountains.]

As many of you know, on January 12, 2010, when a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti and devastated the capital city Port-au-Prince, I was in immediate contact with CARE. I wanted to help with the relief efforts. And, I wanted to use the breathtaking power of social media to bring attention and support tor CARE’s lifesaving work.

On January 16th, with bags packed, I was scheduled to fly with CARE COO Steve Hollingsworth and a reporter from People Magazine. At the last minute, the call came in that CARE was holding back all non-essential staff. A prison had collapsed, all of the prisoners escaped, water was becoming increasingly scarce — and conditions on the ground were orders-of-magnitude more volatile than any of us understood.

My initial reaction was one of gut-wrenching disappointment. I felt like a truck hit me. I had consulted with my family, we accepted the risks — and I wanted to be in the fight on the ground in Haiti! I’m a CARE Ambassador. If something were to happen to me, well, I would have been doing what I love with the organization  I love on behalf of people in great need. There are worse ways to die.

Part of my disappointment stemmed from the feeling that I let all of you down. I had announced my trip on Twitter and received a veritable deluge of support from you all. It was so heartening. I wanted to be there, to bring you with me — and to bring your hearts to the people of Haiti — and theirs to you. It was disheartening when my trip was delayed.

But, CARE was focused first-and-foremost on saving lives. They had a monumental task in front of them and they couldn’t take their eyes off that for a second.

So here’s where we are: CARE continues to closely monitor conditions on the ground. When they feel the initial relief effort of water, food, medical attention, sanitation and safety have been put into place, they will call me in.

And frankly, I look forward to going when the mainstream media has pulled out. I believe the “shock-and-awe” style of reporting, epidemic among major media outlets, assaults our senses — and insults our sensibilities. And it doesn’t help the people of Haiti, because that style of reporting makes us feel more hopeless than hopeful. While it is important to report the grim realities of any crisis, if you’re like me, you believe that the real work begins once the immediate relief effort has subsided. The news about the rebuild should be just as worthy, and just as reported, as the news about the relief.

We have a way of responding to acute events, and leaving once they become unfashionable to cover (Katrina is a perfect example of this). The story here — in Haiti — is that CARE stands with the people of Haiti for the long haul. They’re not going anywhere. CARE is going to stay on the ground until that country, and those precious people, are stronger and more empowered than ever. And, that is where I stand.

I’ve always believed that in every challenge lies opportunity.  The people of the world must work with the people of Haiti to help rebuild its infrastructure to a point where, coming out of the crisis, people’s quality of life is higher. And, God forbid, another such natural disaster should befall Haiti, they will be far more equipped to handle it. This isn’t about us helping them. It should be about them empowering themselves.

So, I remain unflinching, undaunted and undeterred. I am going to Haiti. If it’s in 24 hours, 24 days or 24 weeks. I am going. When CARE feels it’s safe enough for me to go, I will go. And, when I go, I will show you the breathtaking work of CARE in a way you’ve never imagined. And, I will listen to you: every Tweet, every post and everything you say about how we can do things better — and help Haiti even more. Mine will be people-driven coverage, not “media-driven coverage.”

We are in the midst of building a page for my time in Haiti: HELP HAITI. The concept is 1+1=ONE: raise $1 million and 1 million followers for CARE — for ONE world. Please take a look. We’re still working on it — and your input will help us finish it — but it will be up for as long as the people of Haiti need help in rebuilding their country and their lives.

I thank you all of your unflinching support. I love you guys.

E.

“Whatever America hopes to bring to pass in the world must first come to pass in the heart of America.” ~Dwight D. Eisenhower

I will soon be flying to one of the most heart-wrenching humanitarian crises in recent history. I have never been filled with more hope and more resolve.

I will be embedded with CARE — and I will provide an inside-look into their relief efforts in Haiti. My goal is to give the world a unique look at how CARE conducts relief efforts on the ground in the midst of a recent humanitarian crisis.

My perspective is unique because I am not a member of the mainstream media. So, I don’t answer to a segment producer. I believe that is one of the failings of traditional media. They often make news coverage decisions around “audience share” to justify ad dollars.

What if we could turn that on its head and let you decide the news? That is social media. My “segment producer” is…you. You know what you want to see and hear. Let me know what that is.

My perspective is also unique, because I am a real person, a CARE ambassador, and my goal is to bring your voice to the people in Haiti — and to bring theirs to you. I want to connect your hearts with theirs like never before.

That said, I want my coverage to be people-driven, not media-driven. This is social media, after all. I will be monitoring your comments here; I will be reading your Tweets — and I will be following your social stream on our uStream channel very closely. You will have sweeping influence over what I talk about, what pictures and video I beam back and what I tell the people of Haiti. You all may not be there physically, but you will be there.

I have a unique perspective on this. I will be with one of the most effective humanitarian organizations in the world. And I will report the truths on-the-ground. Not through a media filter — but rather through the experts at CARE. I will be your eyes and ears down there — and I’ll be able to report the real conditions, via the real experts, in a clear and compelling way.

As many of your know, I believe that social media — in the right hands — is one of the most positive and prolific forces in human history. It is emblematic of the power of the people. In 2004, Barack Obama was a relatively unknown Senator from Illinois. By 2008, he was the most powerful person on the planet. He did it with soaring oratory, a strong message…and social media. He could not have done it old-school: with mainstream media advertising and big donations. He put the power in the hands of the people (via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube) — and they rolled up like a juggernaut behind him. Obama rode social media right over his competition and right into the White House.

So, please let me know your ideas by posting a Comment below. You have never had more influence or a louder voice than you do now. We are listening. Please give us your best ideas by commenting below. The people of Haiti need your passion and your ideas. I can put them into play down there.

The above quote by Eisenhower, to me, means that the depth of good we can do in Haiti depends greatly on each of you. Your support, your comments, your retweets, your @replies, your donations — your sheer engagement — means everything to the people of Haiti. Everything.

To be honest with all of you, when I was weighing the decision to go to Haiti, I learned that the main prison collapsed and that conditions on the ground were worsening. I began wondering if I should go. After all, it’s not merely up to me. I am a father of two very young children and a husband to the love of my life.

As we were making our final decision as a family, Vivienne looked me square in the eyes and said: ”Papa, you are my hero. Haiti needs a hero. Go be their hero.”

Those words are so pure, powerful — and true. Vivienne’s words infuse me with a passion and resolve to do everything I can to help the people of Haiti. But, I cannot do it alone. I need your ideas, your support, your engagement.

Together, we can move mountains.

Please leave your comment below. I will read every one. Thank you.

Who would have imagined that innocuous Tweet would unleash a veritable tsunami of social good?

It was 10:30pm on January 7, 2010. I had just finished a haunting Pinot and was feeling grateful for my health, my family, my life. In a Tweet, I asked for your suggestions on worthy nonprofits.

Within minutes, it let loose a deluge from Twitter’s most passionate and caring souls…you! (Some of the stories under “Comments” below will take your breath away. I saw the good of the donations, but the stories — your stories — have forged this blog into a worldwide community of social good!)

For the past two years, I have channeled my energy and efforts into CARE (an organization I love). But, I thought it would be good spread that love wider. After all, there are so many honorable, yet unheralded, causes out there. So, I put it to those I love most in the social media world: our followers on Twitter.

@savetheorang Tweeted: “How can you possibly choose from so many causes in need?! How about to the one that makes your own heart swell?”

They all make my heart swell! So, I decided to donate to them all…on behalf of each of you! Who says we can’t change the world one Tweet at a time? Who says we can’t move mountains?

Until Jan. 12, I am going to donate $250 to every cause that you suggest. Individually $250 not be much, but in aggregate, we can do a lot of good here! (After Jan. 12, please continue posting your stories and causes; we will donate to select causes — and we are getting tens of thousands of visits a week now. Posting here will help you generate awareness.)

As an aside, I have to something funny to share: In the first hour of my Tweet, we received five comments (and five causes) and I thought: “Hey, this is great! Five terrific causes. $1,250 well spent! What a day! Woo! Going to bed…” Then, five became ten. Ten swelled to 20. The tsunami of social good kept coming: 30, 50, 70, 100! In the first 12 hours! A feeling of gratitude — and fear — swept over me when I did the math (“Ok, 100 causes x $250. That’s $2,500. Wait, no, that’s…$25,000! In 12 hours! Honey, I may have led the genie out of the bottle! It’s good genie, but she’s out of the bottle!”

Is this going to cost more than I had envisioned? Yes. Am I happy about that? You bet. Is it a phenomenal way to create a global community of social good? Absolutely.

HOW TO DO GOOD

1. Choose the one cause that makes your heart ache and your blood boil.

2. Click {Comments} below and add your cause. Explain why you chose that organization, tell your story — and please include a link to their website. You can even embed a YouTube video which I strongly suggest since it will bring your cause to life. Also, please add your Twitter handle, so that everyone here can follow everyone else.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead said it. We are living it. Imagine: A single Tweet of 140 characters. And within 24 hours, we reached 20 million people and raised $25,000+ for your causes. And we are just getting started.

There are countless precious souls who feel like the world has left them behind. Many have lost hope. Through your actions, you are renewing their hope. There is no greater gift you can give.

I love you for that. And, I thank you for that.

E.

New Years usher in fresh hope to live our best lives.

But despite our best efforts, the sometimes dizzying, flurrying bacchanalia of everyday life often gets in the way. We become so mired in the minutiae — and taking care of our loves ones, our homes, our community — that little remains to take care of…ourselves. This needs to change in the New Year. Let me say that again:

This. Needs. To. Change. In. The. New. Year.

It is so utterly important to take care of yourself each day. It keeps you healthy, balanced and infused with energy. In fact, you can be more “of service” to others when your own cup is full. Your health is your most precious asset. Invest more in it in 2010.

Here are a four ways to do that:

Put a moratorium on bad news

Nothing will improve your mental health more than this simple tip. In the past decade, it seems our noisy world has been given a violent shove into deafening. Each day, traffic worsens, pollution rises and the news media assaults our senses and insults our sensibilities with a blitzkrieg of negative images. Human beings are resilient and, without thought, we adapt to these stresses. But, all of those images and reports become a permanent part of our consciousness. While it’s important to stay abreast of the human condition and to do our part to improve it, we needn’t subject ourselves to an overabundance of news, particularly the graphic coverage on television. Over the next month, turn off the TV and be discriminating about what you read. It will feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

Start with you

The best time of day to take care of yourself is in the morning, before the day takes hold. A little morning jog — even 10 minutes of deep breathing in peaceful solitude with a cup of green tea — can give you a stronger sense of calm and balance that can last all day. Your health is your most precious asset. Make time for it, by waking up half an hour earlier each day. The benefits you will derive from this tip will far outweigh the missed sleep.

Establish new “healthy family rituals”

Most of our rituals tend to revolve around food, and we can become a little fixated on it — and fattened by it. Consider creating new “healthy” family traditions. These outings can boost your health and enjoyment of everyday life; by fitting in a little physical activity each day, the sumptuous meals can be more fully enjoyed guilt-free!

Here are some ideas: Organize a family, or neighborhood-wide, fun run or walk each Sunday evening. Map out a simple and safe course around your neighborhood, draw a start and finish line on the street with some chalk, gather everyone together — and go. Or, your healthy family ritual can be as simple as taking a long, lingering pre- or post-dinner walk. The idea here is merely to shift the focus ever so slightly towards health and togetherness.

Feel good, look good, do good

By training for an event on behalf of a charity dear to your heart, you live your best life — as you help others live theirs. It is a gift of inestimable value to yourself and to them. Here’s how to do it in three simple steps:

1. Set a health and fitness goal for yourself and choose an event on The Active Network. You needn’t do the Raid Gauloises or the Ironman Triathlon! There are events for everyone, at every fitness level, in every corner of our world. Find one that resonates with you and register for it this week. That simple act ties you to a tangible time-based goal, which helps you exercise with more passion — and purpose.

2. Visit FirstGiving to set up your own fundraising page in minutes, for free.

3. Pursue your new goal with a fire in your heart — and revel in the feeling that you are doing good for your body as you do good for our world.

Each day is an opportunity to recharge your body, refresh your mind, revitalize your most cherished relationships — and renew your faith in humanity and in one another.

Take more time for yourself each day in the New Year. It can make all the difference for you — and for our world.

–

(Please share your wisdom! Click “Comments” below and let the world know your tips to live your best life!)

Click here to view the embedded video.

[Above: a beautiful, compelling, arresting video “The Girl Effect.” Not a word is spoken, but it speaks volumes.]

I believe that empowering marginalized women and girls will unleash the greatest good the world has ever seen.

I believe that women and girls represent the greatest hope for the future of humanity.

And, I believe that our generation — this one, right here — has all of the tools we need to lift women up and move humanity forward in quantum leaps.

Consider these statistics:

• Of the world’s 1.3 billion poor people, it is estimated that nearly 70% are women.
• Between 75 and 80% of the world’s 27 million refugees are women and children.
• Of the 185 highest-ranking diplomats to the United Nations, seven are women.
• Of the world’s nearly one billion illiterate adults, two-thirds are women.
• Two-thirds of the 130 million children worldwide who are not in school are girls.
• An estimated 20 million unsafe abortions are performed worldwide every year, resulting in the deaths of 70,000 women.
• Approximately 585,000 women die every year, over 1,600 every day, from causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. In sub-Saharan Africa, 1 in 13 women will die from pregnancy or childbirth related causes, compared to 1 in 3,300 women in the United States.
• Worldwide, 20 to 50 per cent of women experience some degree of domestic violence during marriage.
• The primary victims of today’s wars are civilian women and their children, not soldiers.
• The use of rape as a weapon of war has become more evident. In Rwanda from April 1994 to April 1995, estimates of the number of women and girls raped range from 15,700 to over 250,000.

Ok, that’s the bad news. Here’s the good news…the really good news: we can do this. If “she has the power to change her world, we have the power to help her do it.” We can unleash the greatest natural resource in this world —  the power of women — if we each do our part.

Taking action is easier than you think.

To learn more, please visit CARE.

Click here to view the embedded video.

“Be the change you want to see in the world.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

Be the change. What a poignant statement — and a powerful call to action.

I would like to see two things changed in our world: the health of people here at home — and the well-being of marginalized women and girls abroad. We are facing a physical crisis here in America, in the form of inactivity and obesity — and several crises in third-world countries.

I hope to “be the change” in this campaign called “The Million Dollar Ironman” for CARE. In this challenge, I am striving to break the 9-hour barrier in the world’s toughest one-day sporting test — the Hawaii Ironman World Championships — to raise $1 million for what I consider to be the world’s finest humanitarian organization: CARE.

I am doing this to motivate myself to be the best I can be, but the crux of this campaign is not about me

This is about you…and them. I am doing this to inspire you to live your best life (by taking on your own fitness/fundraising challenge) and to eradicate poverty by empowering marginalized women and girls through CARE. I have always believed that training for an event on behalf of a charity dear to your heart will inspire you to live your best life — as you help others live theirs.

Please take a moment to think about the cause that makes your blood boil and your heart ache — and train for an event to benefit that cause. It will infuse every workout you do with purpose and passion. And, it’s easy! Just set up a free fundraising page at Firstgiving, pick your event — and go for it. With every step you take, your health will improve. So will our world.

WHY DID I CHOOSE CARE?

Beyond father and husband, my role as a CARE Ambassador is the proudest and most rewarding position I’ve held.

Last year, CARE programs improved the lives of more than 55 million people in 66 countries. They allocate an industry-leading 90% of all funds to people on the ground, so every dollar makes a difference. CARE not only feeds the hungry, and does emergency relief work, they help tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change.

WHY IRONMAN?

If HH, The Dalai Lama was right when he said: “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to achieve it,” then the Ironman can bring singular success. To do it well demands otherworldly sacrifice.

I chose Ironman because it is the most compelling way I know to honor those women and girls who have no voice, who face impossible odds each day, who live on less than $1 a day, who suffer grave human rights violations — and who somehow find a way to persevere with courage, dignity and grace few of us can fathom.

I plan to race this event and break the 9-hour barrier — a feat only 27 people in the world achieved last year. At that hallowed finish line on Alii Drive in Hawaii –  in the warm embrace of my wife, daughter, some close friends, CARE staff and some children and their mothers from third-world countries — I will present a check for $1,000,000 — and not a penny less — to CARE.

My motivation comes from the plight of girls like this. After seeing this video, and spending time with girls like her in Africa, my “want” to raise $1 million for CARE has been forged into a “need.” I need to do this to help CARE end injustices like this. I hold this girl in my heart. And, I will not back down from any training session — or the event itself — until I cross the line under 9 hours and raise the million dollars for CARE.

HOW TO TAKE PART

Those who donate to CARE on my behalf hold a special place in my heart.

With over 90% of all resources going directly to CARE programs, your donation will have the maximum impact where it is needed most. Every dollar is expertly-allocated, so no donation is too small.

It is seamless and secure to make a tax-deductible donation. You may visit my CARE/Ironman page or, if you prefer, send a check directly to “CARE” and include “CARE/Ironman” in the memo field:

CARE USA
151 Ellis Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30303

Thank you for making a difference in our world.

Sometimes life is tenuous, isn’t it?

One moment, you’re soaring along effortlessly at 25 miles an hour on your bike, breathing in the fragrant eucalyptus and picturing the faces of the people you will help by doing Ironman in two weeks.

The next, you are flying over your bike, with your handlebars sheared clean off — effectively erasing your ability to steer. After a few seconds airborne, you slam down on the pavement so hard that your breath doesn’t come back to you for half a minute.

That is what happened to me today. Worse yet, as I crashed, I heard car brakes squealing behind me. The first thought that bolted into my mind was: “Please, no. Don’t let this car hit me. I am a dad. I can’t get hit.”

In moments when we face our own mortality, I think our most precious priorities reveal themselves. Clearly, my 5-year-old daughter — along with my wife — are positively everything to me. My love for them flows through every vein in my body. I live for these beautiful ladies. And, I couldn’t get hit, because I need to take care of them.

I immediately popped up and checked head-to-toe. Some gruesome road rash, with gravel embedded in the wounds. But nothing structural. Remarkable. I should have shattered my collarbone with an impact like that, but I was ok.

After two minutes of recovering, I looked up — and there sits this red pickup, stopped sideways in my lane with its hazards on. I found that curious. The driver knew I was ok — and most people would have just continued on.

But, this car sat there. Waiting. I hobbled up and inside was this striking Jamaican man. He said: “My God, bruddah, are you ok, mon? You were doin’ so well, and then all of a sudden, you were flying through space!”

It felt like a dream. The adrenalin coursing through my brain made me foggy. I honestly could not discern if this was reality.

His name was Trevor. He offered to help me. I put my bike in his truck and off we went. It was surreal. It was 7am. No drivers are ever on this road at 7am — and there was Trevor.

I am not a particularly spiritual person. But this felt like much, much more than coincidence. It felt fated. He arrived just as it happened. He was the right person to help. He even had the perfect car to take my bike: a pickup with an interior so worn that he didn’t care about the blood that got on his seats. All he cared about was if I was ok.

He was on the way to his son’s soccer game; and, he was late. He said: “Where are you going?” I said: “It’s too far out of your way.” He insisted: “I am taking you all the way home, mon.”

I was floored.

In life, I never ask for anyone’s help. I feel like I’ve been given a blessed life — and it is incumbent on me to help others. Here I was, in an exceedingly rare position: helpless. 30 miles from home, in the middle of nowhere with a bike that couldn’t go a foot.

I made it home. My wife patched me up. I got a new bike. And, I finished the 6-hour ride.

We make important choices each day at proverbial forks in the road. And, they largely determine our destiny. Here, I could have packed it in, but one thing keeps me going through all of the backbreaking training and the Ironman races…

…no amount of pain can match what a hungry child, or an abused, marginalized woman, feels. I owe it to them not to back down from this CARE/Ironman quest. I owe them my best. My very best.

Thank you, Trevor. You helped me when I needed it most. I will pay it forward to three people — who will never meet you, but your kindness and generosity will change their lives.

Sometimes, life is beautiful, isn’t it?

Click here to view the embedded video.

These moments of clarity might be precipitated by an acute event like the birth of a child or the death of a friend. For me, it all began with a few simple but poignant moments on a recent trip to Africa.

I spent seven days in Mozambique with CARE, a leading global humanitarian organization. I was there to observe their work and to meet the people who benefit from it. Just when I thought I knew so much, I realized I know so little.

Mozambique is on the southeast corner of the continent. Like most African nations, it has a remarkable and painful history. In the 1990s after a 16-year civil war broke the back of the country and the hearts of the people, Mozambique became known as the poorest country in the world.

While the Mozambicans have made a heroic and breathtaking comeback, some wounds of the war remain. One in four children dies before his fifth birthday; 70 percent of women cannot read or write; and roughly six out of 10 people do not have access to clean water. Cogitate on those numbers for a moment.

In spite of all this, the Mozambicans have a radiant optimism and an indomitable spirit.

In Mozambique, CARE focuses on preventing poverty by addressing its root causes, not merely its consequences, just as it does in more than 60 countries. To do that, the poverty-fighting experts at CARE pursue a three-pronged strategy.

First, it embraces a rights-based approach. Take water, for example. CARE doesn’t stop once the well is dug (the necessary front end); it advocates for the right of all people to have access to clean water (the necessary back end). Second, it forges partnerships with the local people, allowing them to participate in the decisions that affect their lives. And third, CARE strategically focuses on empowering women who, incidentally, suffer disproportionately from the ravages of poverty. And, rather than regard these women as victims desperate for help, CARE works to tap into women’s innate power to help them change their own world. For good.

Two events led me to CARE in the first place. The first occurred in December 2003 during the 36 hours that my wife, Alexandra, gave birth to our daughter Vivienne. In the most splendid moment of my life, I couldn’t help but think that millions of women have lost their lives simply trying to give it — and more die every day.

The day I met my daughter was the day I committed to fight for women and girls in poverty worldwide.

Then, several months ago while in New York, I saw the CARE “I am Powerful” public service announcement. I was struck by the image: a strong, dignified, graceful woman and next to her the words: “She has the power to change her world. You have the power to help her do it.” I connected with that uplifting message, and it moved me to think that I had the power to make a tangible difference in the lives of women and their families.

So, I called CARE, we forged an alliance, and within a couple of months, I was on my way to Mozambique. The beauty of serendipity.

On the first day there, I met one of the most powerful women in the world. To some, the word “powerful” might connote a wealthy or widely influential figure. This woman is neither. In fact, she is among the poorest of the world’s poor in terms of money. But, she is among the richest of the rich in terms of authentic power.

Her name is Albertina Francisco – a stalwart, stunning 44-year-old woman who leads a community water project in Kongolote, which is on the outskirts of the capital city of Maputo. Albertina has taken on the critical job of ensuring that her community, composed of roughly 100 families, has regular access to clean water via nine “access points.”

This is a woman with little money or education, living in a culture where most women are not permitted to hold positions of authority. But, she has risen up against all odds to perform a job that nobody else would do, a job that is saving lives.

As I strolled the dusty roads of Kongolote with Albertina, and observed how people reacted to her, I realized I was in the presence of true, authentic power. It was humbling.

That is the moment I gained an authentic insight into the essential meaning of the word “power.” Albertina’s power stood in stark contrast to the kind of power usually derived from money, influence – or sheer force. According to Sweden’s Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, there are 15 active armed conflicts raging in the world now.

In contrast, Albertina’s power has been bestowed on her as a result of worthy, courageously noble acts. It was not demanded, wrested or seized. It comes from what she does, not who she is. And, Albertina exercises her authentic power with humility, compassion, fierce dedication – and grace.

Albertina Francisco is empowered, and she is using that authentic power to change her world every day.

My time with Albertina gave rise to the first of many lessons while in Mozambique:

I learned that empowering women can break the complex, downward cycle of poverty and create an upward spiral of positive change that lights up entire communities. I learned that the empowerment of women and the well-being of children go hand in hand. When you nurture a mother, her children flourish.

And, I came to understand that, worldwide, women are the most untapped treasure-trove of power that history has ever seen – and that when women are supported with even the most basic tools and training, a fire of hope and optimism for a better life lights in their eyes. Then, that fire spreads as others join in strong solidarity to improve the health and well-being of their communities. Once this happens, there is no stopping it.

I saw all of this firsthand, and I can tell you that the progress these women are making in Mozambique, with the assistance of CARE, feels like the inexorable juggernaut of the civil rights movement. It can be resisted, but it cannot be stopped.

Further, I discovered that despite having so little, the people of Mozambique give so much. They are the most generous, gracious and dignified people I’ve ever met. They respond to the smallest acts of kindness with the biggest displays of gratitude. And finally, I realized that as an American, I have been granted the privilege and the capacity to bring about great, positive change – and it’s incumbent upon me to do just that.

I believe it’s important to empower people near and far. At home, we become empowered when we exercise and live healthier. Farther away, in a place like Mozambique – where a woman’s life expectancy is a little over 40 years – we can help empower women to improve their health and well-being and that of their families. I also believe we need to be inspired by a greater purpose to confront life’s hardest challenges head on.

That is why CARE and I have come together to launch the “I am Powerful Workout” campaign. I am training for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championships in October in order to raise money and awareness to fight global poverty through CARE. I’ve asked everyone I know – and some complete strangers! – to donate money on my behalf directly to CARE, and the response has been overwhelming.

Here’s what I’m asking you to do: Challenge yourself and set an ambitious fitness goal – you know, the one that has been burning inside you.

Maybe you want to lose a few pounds, climb a mountain or train for your first marathon. Get inspired. Get moving. Get your friends and family behind you, and ask them to support you however they can. Maybe they’ll give money. Maybe they’ll give time. Maybe they’ll join you! Then, channel all of your new energy to live your best life — as you help others live theirs. You can set up your own free fundraising page, in minutes, at FirstGiving. The moment you commit to this, everything will shift in how you look, feel and live. Do it. You need the exercise…and the world needs you.

Join me on this mission-driven journey. Together we can motivate each other to achieve something truly meaningful — and lasting. Every step you take toward a better life for yourself will be a step on behalf of marginalized women and girls worldwide.

Speaking of steps, I have a few thousand to log right now with a fire in my eyes — and women like Albertina in my heart.

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Here is more information about CARE and Eric’s unprecedented quest, The Million Dollar Ironman in which he is striving to break the 9-hour barrier at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships in order to raise $1 million for CARE.

“The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy.” ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

I believe that we are easing into era of hope: hope for better lives for ourselves, our children — and our world.

I believe that we each yearn to live our best lives — and for the first time in a long time, we actually believe we can do it.

I believe humans have an extraordinary capacity for good. I am undertaking a new campaign that is all about doing good, a campaign that is emblematic of the finest parts of ourselves.

It is called “The Million Dollar Ironman.” I am competing in what is arguably the toughest one-day sporting test in the world — the Hawaii Ironman World Championships — to raise $1 million for the finest humanitarian organization in the world: CARE.

I am not merely doing this to raise money for charity. I am doing this to light up the best parts of people, to inspire them to dream again, to take on their own challenges, to live their best lives — and in doing so, perhaps give back to causes dear to their hearts.

There is no more rewarding way to get into shape than to train for an event on behalf of a chairty dear to your heart. I suggest you join me: set up your own page on FirstGiving and do an event to benefit a beloved cause. It will be a gift of inestimable value — to yourself and to the world.

We are facing an unbearable physical crisis here at home, in the form of inactivity and obesity — and several crises in third-world countries. I hope to address both of these phenomena in this campaign.

I chose CARE, because for two years, I have served as a CARE Ambassador — and, beyond my roles as father and husband, it is the proudest and most rewarding position I’ve held.

Last year, CARE programs improved the lives of more than 55 million people in 66 countries. They allocate an industry-leading 90% of all funds to people on the ground, so every dollar makes a difference. CARE not only feeds the hungry, and does emergency relief work, they help tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change.

WHY THE IRONMAN?

If HH, The Dalai Lama was right when he said: “Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to achieve it,” then the Ironman can bring otherworldly success. It demands jaw-dropping sacrifice.

Truth be told, I have an uneasy relationship with Ironman. I have excelled at every other distance in the sport (from sprint to half Ironman), winning over 30 events around the world. But, I have done two Ironman events and both left me feeling like a dehydrated cheese log.

Ironman Canada was my first, and after getting off the bike in 4th place (with three swimmer-bikers ahead of me), I thought I would win. Instead, I melted down and finished in 18th after a heart-wrenching 3:40 marathon, hobbling across the finish line with fast-moving rivulets of drool flowing from the corners of my mouth.

I had another go at Ironman Brazil where I got sick two days before the event, but persevered under the irrepressible counsel of my 3 year-old daughter who simply said: “Papa, be brave. I will wait for you at the finish line.” It was the most difficult day of my life, and also one of the most rewarding.

I chose Ironman for this campaign because it is a powerful, public way to honor women and girls who have no voice, who face impossible odds each day, who live on less than $1 a day, who suffer grave human rights violations — and who somehow find a way to persevere with courage, dignity and grace few of us can imagine.

And to honor them fully, I plan on racing this thing and breaking the 9-hour barrier — a feat only 27 people in the world achieved last year. At that hallowed finish line on Alii Drive in Hawaii — in the warm embrace of my wife, daughter, some close friends and CARE staff and hopefully some children and their mothers from Africa — I will present a check for $1 million to CARE.

My motivation comes from the plight of girls like this. There is something about this girl that forged my “want” to raise $1 million for CARE into a “need.” I need to do this to help CARE end injustices like this. I hold this girl in my heart. And, I will not back down from any training session — or the event itself — until I cross the line under 9 hours and raise the million for CARE.

HOW TO TAKE PART

With over 90% of all resources going directly to CARE programs, your donation will have the maximum impact where it is needed most. Every dollar is expertly-allocated, so no donation is too small.

It is simple and secure to make a tax-deductible donation. You may visit: www.firstgiving.com/ericharr, if you prefer, send a check directly to “CARE” and include “”Million Dollar Ironman” in the memo field:

CARE USA
151 Ellis Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30303

Thank you for making a difference.

P.S. I invite you to visit my Twitter page and podcast for regular updates. Here is my way of saying thanks for supporting this campaign: (“8 Weeks to Your First Triathlon“). A special thanks to ORGANIC FOOD BAR, Tag Heuer, GURU Bicycles and Kona Village Resort for their support of this campaign.