WHO:

Jeremy and Jasmine met in Sri Lanka in early 2005 while doing voluntary relief work after the Southeast Asian tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands in the region.

In 2007, they got married and have since done three relief trips to Haiti and moved back to Sri Lanka for five months in 2009. While there, they lived with locals and traveled to different communities around the country to collaborate with local organizations and help people in need of food, education, and love.

Live Your Love™ was birthed after living with people in need throughout Sri Lanka and around the world.

WHAT:

Live Your Love exists to partner with individuals and communities around the world to assist people in overcoming poverty, abuse, hunger, hate, and injustice.

Live Your Love was co-founded in 2008 by Jeremy and Jasmine Dean and became an official limited liability company in December 2009.

WHEN:

Now.

WHERE:

Live Your Love™ has partnered with Smile Lanka in Hambantota, Sri Lanka and will give 25% of profits from Live Your Love Tea™ to Smile.

Smile International has been working in Sri Lanka since the 2004 tsunami. In the immediate aftermath Smile sent humanitarian aid, toys and shoeboxes by air and a further seven sea containers of aid which were distributed to affected communities in Tangalle, Hambantota, Batticaloa and Jaffna. Their Step Out teams helped to clear rubble and erect emergency tents as well as buy new fishing boats for men who had lost their livelihood and sponsored a counsellor to help to train 25 teachers in trauma counselling to help children to overcome their bereavement and fear of the sea.

In October 2005 Smile international opened their Smile Center in Hambantota, Sri Lanka with only 6 children. Since then, they have bought a half-acre plot of land with several buildings which have been refurbished by volunteers. Smile international runs a pre-school, feeding program and after-school care for 186 children who are either tsunami affected victims or children who come from families living in slums who lost their livelihood as a result of the tsunami. Many of the poor families live in the sand dunes in very basic conditions with houses made from leaves from the coconut trees, mud and sticks. Many of these families do not have electricity, running water or toilet facilities.

In 2007 Smile International completed the building of an accommodation block and new classroom buildings. They are now able to take more children and provide accommodation for teams of volunteers. The Center is also used to provide support for women on their Sponsor a Widow Program, who come to the Center once a month for a day of teaching on topics such as, child development, and leave with enough food to sustain them and their families for the coming month. In addition to this they run a micro-enterprise scheme where women learn tailoring and basketry skills, which they can use to find or create employment.

WHY:

The goal of Live Your Love™ is to take an every day activity and turn it into an opportunity to empower those less fortunate.

When you buy a box of fair trade, pure Ceylon black tea, you will finance current and future projects as well as bring awareness to the needs of people Live Your Love™ is helping around the world.

25% of profit from each box will help fund feeding and educating the children enrolled at Smile Lanka, classes to teach specialized trade to widows in the community as well as special projects for Smile Lanka.

If you would like to partner with us in any way, we would love to hear from you at info@liveyourlove.com