Contact:	Lai Hock
E-mail:	info@groundupinitiative.org

GUI Story

A small group of people started to come together in Singapore in January 2008 bound by a common thought -- to find and inspire ways to live larger, more joyful, holistic lives. By 22 April 2008, Earth Day, this group registered itself as the Ground-Up Initiative.

GUI is starting its initiative for change in an unexpected place -- Singapore, a tiny prosperous, highly urban Asian island nation where success is largely defined by the scales of money. However, as other developed nations globally have discovered, money is no guarantee of happiness or fulfilment in people's lives.

The current folks in GUI believe there are better ways to define success and happier ways to live on this planet.

GUI is searching for these answers, and how they can be adopted by people in urban environments for social and ecological harmony. We believe it all starts with people -- like us and you -- wanting to make the effort to change.

"Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself"
- Leo Tolstoy 1828-1910: Russian novelist, philosopher, educational reformer, moral thinker, vegetarian

Even as Mahatma Gandhi observed, we must be the difference we wish to see in the world. GUI members have made the choice to walk this path, and our first tentative steps have been enormously uplifting.

Vision

Connecting People...Connecting Earth...A Way to Heal the Land and Heal the Human Spirit.

Mission

1. To foster connection between Man and Earth through sustainable activities.
2. To grow a flourishing community that drives local and global humanitarian, social and environmental initiatives.
3. To nurture members and groom leaders.

Values

GUI believes that the way to social and ecological harmony is by connecting people with the Earth. The big picture here is that without planet Earth, humanity would not exist. And without a healthy planet, humanity cannot thrive. All things are connected. Hence our slogan, "Connecting People. Connecting Earth."

In this, we believe in taking the initiative from the ground up, wherever we see issues we can address.

Starting like a seed sprouting from the ground, we hope our actions may grow up towards light and space, where they might bear sweet fruit that all may share.

"One of the first conditions of Happiness is that the link Between Man and Nature shall not be broken."
- Leo Tolstoy

These are the values we cultivate among ourselves:

Integrity is the foundation of GUI. It guides the work we commit ourselves to.

GUI believes in fostering an open and inclusive community among members. It embraces people of all races, ages, religion, social and physical levels.

We begin with respect -- for both people and the environments they live in, and in listening to the hearts of the people and the plight of the Earth. We believe in honesty, humility, responsibility, and commitment through dedication to our work, however difficult. This includes getting our hands dirty working with the land, the finest way to instil an understanding and appreciation for nature and our place on Earth.

Through its projects, GUI seeks to educate by selflessly sharing knowledge, experiences and skills. This is how we activate continued action for environmental sustainability and social stability. Communication is a vital tool to cultivate harmony and care among members, and enable our outreach programmes.

Our work touches a chord in a growing pool of individuals and corporations. We find ourselves in a constant state of gratitude for the varied ways people seek to contribute to our mission. It energises us ever more to be a catalyst for a healthier, happier world by being the change we wish to see in it.