The ACTS Community
The ACTS community is a network of people groups and organizations who share one thing in common: to use commerce as a catalyst to transform lives and communities by empowering the disadvantaged, disabled, oppressed, poor and needy.
The people groups and organizations are: needy beneficiaries, online shoppers, social entrepreneurs, marketing agents, independent artisans, business mentors & investors, volunteers, philanthropic foundations, non-profit organizations and companies with social responsibilities.
ACTS' Connection for Social Impact
Our connections within a social ecosystem can facilitate unity and collaboration that multiplies social impact.
The facilitator for the ACTS community to come together is ACTSmarket.org, a non-profit organization that seeks to build collaboration among stakeholders to solve socio-economic problems. Its subsidiary is ACTSmarket.com, an e-shop that retails and wholesales merchandise made by needy beneficiaries and communities.
A simple act of shopping can impact a needy person living in a slum. Or create employment for a deaf-mute. It can put food on the table for his family for a day. Or stop his children from being trafficked. In this world, we are more connected than we imagine.
Where Can We Act for Good
Business can effect social change in many arenas. However, we have a special concern for people and places where there are dire economic, social, environmental and spiritual needs.
In our cities:
- Destitute people recovering from mental illness.
- Unemployed seniors of limited financial means with chronic health problems.
- Widows and single mothers who can only work from home.
- Women compelled by adverse circumstances to sell sexual favours.
- Disabled people.
In rural villages:
- Child slaves and children-at-risk of being trafficked.
- Young adults vulnerable to vices due to unemployment and poverty.
- Former sex workers
The ACTS Community and Sustainable Social Impact
ACTSmarket leverages on the power of the Internet to help expand the reach of social entrepreneurs. Our core activity is building consumer traffic to the site, by providing marketing and technology services to the social enterprises.
Our secondary goal (to come later) is to provide a portal for volunteerism, forums, and blogs with the aim of raising awareness of social causes around the world, and facilitating the flow of resources to these causes (funds, volunteers, etc).
Our Beliefs
We believe that:
- Empowering the disabled, poor and needy is the key to helping them become independent, productive and free from bondage. Giving handouts may be suitable for the short-term; but in the long term, this encourages a ‘beggar’ mentality.
- Work gives dignity and builds self-reliance. By buying products made by the needy, we create employment and enable them to live normal productive lives.
- Shopping can be a simple act of kindness. We not only shop to look good and feel good, we can also do good as well.
- Business has the potential to generate wealth through a combination of creativity, risk and work. A profitable and sustainable business is able to create new jobs, drive new innovation and increase resources for society.
- Through business, we can alleviate poverty, eradicate social evils, improve quality of life, bring positive social change and carry with us the spiritual message of redemption.
Our Values
Excellence, compassion, integrity, hope, honouring ourselves and others – these are the enduring, foundational values that enable us to build superstructures of a meaningful, purpose-driven life.
Compassion
Compassion that is based on mutual respect for one another, should drive what we do for others and how we relate with each other. Those more blessed should be given the opportunity to share and to serve; to lend a hand to the less fortunate in loving ways that build independence, and to restore dignity and hope.
Equality
Every human being is fearfully and wonderfully made by our Creator. Regardless of age, ability, culture and circumstance, everyone is equally precious in His eyes.
Creativity
Everyone has value and the innate creativity to realize their goals when motivated, enabled and empowered.
Collaboration
People grow from connections: connecting with one another, connecting ideas. Connection is a wellspring of creativity. When people connect and collaborate with one another, we enhance each other’s strengths; we create and innovate. Through collaboration, we multiply our efforts to help one another. Supporting social justice will yield good fruits for all, thus making this world a better place for us to live in.
Excellence
In everything we commit to do, we strive for excellence and purpose.
Independence and Interdependence
We only have one world. So we should live in peace with one another and care for our environment. This means helping each other to be the best we can be. So we seek to build independence, as well as interdependence.
Authenticity
We are transparent about our goals and real about our expectations. We put purpose into profit. We cannot change the whole world, but we can change our little corner of it.
Passion
We are passionate about all that we do. We find joy when the needy become their best selves.
People and Relationships
We value people development and relationships above economic success. However, economic success is important to support people development and sustain relationships.
Our logo is a montage of a hand and a dove. As a bearer of peace and good news (symbolized by the dove), we also extend a hand of friendship and help to the needy. The multiple colours represent the diverse communities around the world coming together with a shared purpose of empowering the needy to live in freedom, hope and dignity through the crafts they make.
ACTSmarket was a social enterprise supported by the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Centre for Social Enterprise.
Join the ACTS Community now. Be part of this shopping movement that does social and economic good, paving the way for a better world.
Simply register an account with us, and start shopping!