Inspiration

J4AJW Ambassadors

 

THE INSPIRATION

The Jump for a Just World initiative was born of a desire to more fully implicate international equestrian competitions in fundraising for humanitarian causes. The international equestrian sport has been left far behind other Olympic sports, such as soccer, cycling and skiing, where athletes publicly donate their time and earnings to humanitarian causes. We believe that the world of equestrian sports stands to gain a great deal by a fuller involvement with the non-profit sector. By contributing to social justice initiatives, equestrians across the globe will be able to move beyond an elite image of privileged athletes and give the best of themselves to those in need.

Specifically in the equestrian world, JWI aims to cultivate the positive attributes in the riders who represent the organization and to demonstrate that the horse industry does have leaders with integrity. Our goal both in working with university students and athletes is to produce a ripple effect and encourage others to follow in the quest for a just world. Star athletes influence significant numbers of people. JWI’s goal is to make stars out of the athletes who will positively influence the world. We also aim to enhance our athlete representatives’ ability to influence by providing them with skills training in communications and PR.

GOALS & OBJECTIVES
To raise funds for JustWorld International (a non profit organization registered in the state of New York).

To raise awareness among the members of the equestrian community about global social injustice and what JustWorld is doing about it.

To provide an opportunity for equestrian athletes, sponsors, and supporters to actively participate in initiatives to combat this injustice through contributions of time and/or fund.

	Jessica Newman
USA		France

Over the past year, I have often been asked how the idea of linking the equestrian world with that of development and humanitarian efforts arose. For some, the link is a stretch, while for others it seems non-existent. Fortunately for many, Jump for a Just World has been a real opportunity to do something concrete for those who are much less fortunate than we.

A Committed Equestrian
I spent the first twenty-two years of my life as a committed and ambitious equestrian athlete. From the age of five when I began competing in the pony hunters to my first International Grand Prix at sixteen, I gave 150% each and every day to being the best I could be in my sport. The skills and lessons I learned as an equestrian athlete have provided a strong foundation for the humanitarian work I do today as the Executive Director of JustWorld International. As an equestrian, I learned to respect differences, whether they are in the person, method, or technique. I learned discipline and persistence. I learned humility because going from the top to the bottom is always just one small mistake away. I learned that when things go wrong, you have to get up, pull yourself together, and learn from your mistakes so that you can come out stronger and wiser for the next obstacle.

Changing Paths
At the age of twenty-three, I decided to make some radical changes in my life. I had reached my goals as an equestrian and believed the time had come for me to use my drive and motivation for another purpose. Under the auspices of the NGO Trickle Up, I headed to Honduras to build partnerships with local organizations and help with the reconstruction efforts after the devastation caused by Hurricane Mitch. While I had to overcome the initial obstacle of not speaking Spanish, probably the biggest hurdle I faced was being confronted for the first time in my life with the conditions of extreme poverty in this Third World country. I was no longer in the privileged and protected environment provided to me by the equestrian world. I was no longer shielded from the human suffering faced by three quarters of the world’s population. I was in Latin America’s poorest country face-to-face with the most horrible forms of poverty. What a heart-wrenching experience it was to witness orphaned and abandoned children living on the streets in cardboard boxes, sniffing glue to “escape” their terrible reality, rummaging through garbage dumps to find something -- anything -- to eat, and begging or stealing money for the parents who had left them to fend for themselves. These children had no future, no hope, no way out. It is of little wonder that so many of them ended up as prostitutes, perpetuating the cycle of unwanted children and risking their lives each day with the threat of infection by HIV/AIDS or other diseases.

The experiences I had in Honduras changed my life and reaffirmed my conviction that the time had come for me to change paths. I knew that I had to do whatever was in my power to help alleviate the terrible suffering of these children and to give them hope for a better life.

JustWorld International
The next few years were spent gaining firsthand experience with local and international NGOs. From the streets of Central America to Capitol Hill, I began to acquire a better understanding of both the root causes of extreme poverty as well as the solutions being proposed at a governmental level. It was very frustrating for me to see how so many organizations and governmental aid programs act as Band-Aids but do not attempt to go to the root of the problem. I began envisioning the possibility of founding my own organization that would be sustainable and facilitate long-term positive change.

The tools I gained through my education and experiences empowered me to go into the world and make a difference. However, I realized that not everyone had access to these opportunities. Giving other youth access to these tools that would allow them to take the initiative for social justice both locally and globally became a driving force behind my idea to found a new type of NGO.

Training young people to go out and make a positive difference in the world and then share that knowledge and experience with others for a domino effect became a cornerstone for JustWorld International. Along with Dr. Susan Perry and Hilary Betaille who both shared this vision, we founded JustWorld International in late 2002. We immediately set out to partner with local NGOs in Cambodia, Honduras, and Senegal where we felt we could make a difference while training our students to become socially-responsible leaders who shape their communities and nations. They, in turn, help train local university students who continue our efforts to better the lives of orphaned, abandoned, and disadvantaged children whose human rights are violated each and every day.

Bridging the Gap
In the back of my mind, one question remained: how could I bridge the gap between the equestrian world that is so dear to my heart and my new profession working to improve the lives of the world’s most underprivileged? I wanted to give others in our privileged equestrian circle the opportunity to help change the lives of children who suffer daily. I wanted to give others the opportunity to witness what I had witnessed and then to experience the joy of bringing a bit of sunshine and hope to the life of just one child or many more if possible.

While many people told me I was crazy to think that my fellow equestrians would be interested in changing a world from which they were so far removed, I believed otherwise and chose to persevere. During my years as an equestrian, I met many compassionate, caring, and generous people who I believed, like myself, would want to make positive change in the world. Along with the trailblazing members of the Advisory Board, we decided to launch the Jump for a Just World initiative.

Our first idea was to bring together the JustWorld International Show Jumping Team, comprised of high-level compassionate equestrian athletes who wanted to make a difference. Their demonstrated integrity, leadership, and ethics would make them ideal ambassadors for JustWorld International and its efforts among equestrians. These athletes donate their time and often a percentage of their winnings to JustWorld International, in addition serving as spokespeople, visiting the project sites, and helping create innovative solutions for the challenges we encounter.

The Success of Jump for a Just World
From the start, Jump for a Just World proved that it was to be a success! In January 2004, JustWorld International’s first annual fundraiser targeted the equestrian community with a training show and raised nearly $100,000. Numerous professional riders approached me at this occasion because they wanted to become ambassadors for JustWorld International. Junior riders, led by Jessica Speiser, wanted to create Juniors for a Just World to encourage equestrian youth to get involved. Stadium Jumping and the Winter Equestrian Festival provided us the first opportunity to hold a Jump for a Just World competition and funding drive during the Nations’ Cup that spring.

In July on the other side of the Atlantic, the Jump for a Just World initiative was launched during the first edition of Jump’Eure, organized and hosted by Hervé Godignon. In addition to permitting us to raise funds and recruit new French ambassadors, Jump’Eure provided the venue for the French riders’ association, ACSOF, to officially endorse the Jump for a Just World initiative. Other national and international show organizers began stepping forward to partner with JustWorld in an effort to raise awareness and funds: CSI**** Chantilly, CSI* and CSIJ Barbizon, CSI*****Bruxelles, CSI****Salon du Cheval, and CSI***** International Horse Show Festival of Cannes, the CSIO of La Baule, the CSI of Monaco. The French equestrian television channel Equidia has already begun broadcasting a series of reports on the work of JustWorld International both on the ground and in the equestrian circle. Our rider ambassadors and advisors are planning to join us on the first Equestrian trip to our Honduras site.

In less than one year’s time, my dream of bridging the gap between equestrians and humanitarian efforts has become a reality. Athletes, advisors, sponsors, horse show partners, owners, and the general public have all been tremendously supportive and committed to making a difference. I sincerely believe that, by combining our forces and networks, we have the power to mobilize so many people and together we can make this world a better place!