Revitalizing Ourselves, Our Communities, and Our World: A Botanical Revolution For Good

REBBL inspires love of the Plant Queendom to revitalize ourselves, our communities, and our world.

When you see REBBL on the shelf at your local natural food store, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Maybe it’s an array of decadent flavor profiles that remind you a bit of your childhood, or perhaps it’s the time-honored, functional super herbs of the Plant Queendom that make you feel revitalized. While this is all essential to the ethos of REBBL, what is equally important is the way in which our soulfully crafted elixirs came to their very existence: REBBL was born out of a mission.

That mission began with the work of international non-profit organization, Not For Sale. Not For Sale works to prevent the root causes of human trafficking through innovative and sustainable business solutions with a goal of, ultimately, ending exploitation. Rewind back to 2011, the year Not For Sale set out to uplift a particularly vulnerable community in the Peruvian Amazon. The lush, tropical geography, so rich with natural resources, was also one of the poorest regions in the world, and economic instability was a root cause of the community’s vulnerability to exploitation. Economic empowerment was deeply needed.

REBBL was born out of a mission

Not For Sale co-founders Dave Batstone and Mark Wexler knew that identifying an innovative, sustainable, market-based solution was what it would take to address the root causes of human trafficking in this region. This resulted in them rounding up the smartest people they knew — global thought-leaders in science, tech, law, and even baseball — at Montara Circle. What emerged from an intensive session of ideating was the concept of manufacturing and selling a beverage unlike anything on the market. Crafted from native ingredients grown in regions in need of economic empowerment, the model for this beverage company was designed so that as consumer demand grew, so too would the market for those ingredients.A growing market, in turn, would create dignified, sustainable livelihoods for these communities, ultimately reducing the risk of trafficking and exploitation.

A Botanical Revolution for Good™

Formulating this botanical-inspired product would take someone with true passion, grit, and innovation in their DNA — not just with a wealth of experience in the natural products industry. Palo Hawken joined REBBL as co-founder with a vision to create the world’s most revitalizing, functional super herb beverage, highlighting the best ingredients of the Plant Queendom. Together, Not For Sale and Palo shaped what we know today as REBBL, and this was the start of a Botanical Revolution for Good™.

Today, REBBL gives a percentage of sales back to Not For Sale to help fund its projects around the world, rehabilitating survivors of trafficking, and preventing it before it happens by developing sustainable social projects globally. Not For Sale has 8 projects in 9 countries across the world, and each with the same end goal of a future without trafficking and exploitation. Here is a deeper look into the each of the Not For Sale projects, funded in part by REBBL’s donation:

The Netherlands

Historically, Amsterdam was affected by organized crime operating within the sex industry, and it’s a hub for exploitation, including brothels in the Red Light District. Through a reintegration program focused around learning culinary skills like soup-making and gaining work experience, survivors of trafficking gain valuable job and life skills, empowering them to find dignified work and providing assistance as they reintegrate into work and society. Dignita Cafe, based in Amsterdam with 2 locations and growing, employs survivors and gives 100% of its proceeds back to Not For Sale.

Thailand

Not For Sale Thailand works with stateless children who are often denied basic rights such as education, healthcare, and legal support, which leads them into vulnerability. Not only are the children part of this project given a safe home base at the shelter, the rescued youth are also provided nourishing meals, medical care, and are enrolled in primary, secondary or university education. Development of life skills, such as contributing to an organic farm, is also part of the program, equipping children with the skills to become self-sufficient as they transition into adulthood.

United States

The San Francisco Bay Area is one of the top cities in the United States for the domestic sex trafficking trade. Not For Sale works in the San Francisco Bay Area to prepare disconnected youth, between ages 18-24, affected by trafficking, exploitation, and related traumas for work. Not For Sale recruits, trains, and places young women affected by exploitation into jobs, education programs, and vocation training programs. Not For Sale aims to place 70-100 young women into jobs in 2018.

Peru

In 2017, Not For Sale made progress to fight against chronic child malnutrition in Santa Teresita through the installation of a clean water system for the school community. The next step in the project is to provide training to parents, so the community can maintain the school water system. Not For Sale also helps to install clean water in the homes of each indigenous family. Installation is essential to have clean water for meals, domestic washing, and personal hygiene. Not For Sale is also helping the school set up a farm to increase the availability of fresh organic food for the students and their families.

Vietnam

In partnership with Blue Dragon Children’s Foundation in Hanoi, Not For Sale Vietnam rescues street boys who are vulnerable to pedophiles online at the internet cafes where the boys spend most of their time. They receive long-term care, shelter, and educational opportunities, and have job training available so they can develop for the future and prepare for work as adults.

Uganda / Democratic Republic of the Congo

A popular destination for trafficking individuals fleeing civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, there are estimated to be 40,000 refugees in the camp of Kyangwali, Uganda, who become vulnerable to domestic servitude, sexual exploitation, and forced begging. Not For Sale Uganda partners with CIYOTA, a non-profit established by refugee youth, to provide educational opportunities, housing, and support for nearly 500 children and young adults near the Kyangwali refugee camp in Uganda.

Romania

Through short and long-term housing, legal support, extensive medical care, and counseling, survivors of trafficking from dozens of countries are given the opportunity to transition into a stable and supportive environment at Not For Sale Romania. Up to 100 children are housed at a time who come from poor and marginalized communities, preventing them from being recruited and trafficked

South Africa

Not For Sale South Africa partners with Surfers Not Street Children, a project that empowers ex-street children as they move towards adulthood. The team of former street children, now top surfers, are not only committed to their own continued transformation and journey towards independence, but are ambassadors and role models for other kids still on the streets as well as an advocacy voice on the phenomenon of street children.

Thanks for joining us in a Botanical Revolution for Good™.