Trevor has recently completed an accredited online course in Digital Marketing and currently holds the designation of CDMP (Certified Digital Marketing Professional). Before this, Trevor had been engaged in freelance work as a Photographer and Short Video Creator. The freelance photography work spanned over 5 years while living in Portugal, providing a means to sustain a livelihood. Trevor has harbored a deep interest in the entertainment and creativity industry since a very young age.
To be very honest, it was a seeing my wife along with the other advisors and the advisors themselves. They seemed to have this thing that many people are looking for in life: “They are a part of something that is bigger than themselves”. They all take what they do very seriously and there is a self-motivation to just do what is needed in order to make a difference. It looks extremely challenging but with some kind of reward. Like I said, it seems to be a strange kind of something that many people are looking for in their lives. I like the idea of one day, looking back and saying to my kid, “That is what you need to do at least once in your life. See how lucky you actually are and realise how much you don’t actually need”. I might sound harsh but there is a very strong element of all round love in that.
This is an extremely good question, especially now, in this crazy AI era. The world is moving by so much faster than before purely because of AI and how much capitalist companies are using it to just make profit. It’s just “SELL, SELL, SELL”. The visions, mission statements, goals of NGOs are truly great but the sad truth is that if no one actually knows about it on their phone (that silly little rectangle that is pretty much a digital billboard in your hand), then it doesn’t exist. I will give an example of what I’m saying.
I was sitting at local beach pub called Biques. All the way on the other side of the river mouth there is Barada, an ESMABAMA mission. The people in those rural parts don’t have android or smartphones. It’s a simple old school button phone with phone and sms and that is it. They can’t even put themselves out there on Instagram to build a great nostalgic ambience for audiences. No one actually know they exist.
This is the true crux of why it is extremely important for NGOs to utilise the power of digital marketing and dare I say it, AI. It is to help those in need, to exist in the perspectives of those who are able to help in some small way. Think about this, the only times that I actually know about someone or some little village in these rural parts of the world (on my phone) is only because of an NGO promoting a cause or mainstream media telling a shocking story.
The current career path was more of a strategic thing. I have been doing freelance work as a photographer for some years now, I just wanted an extra credential to go along with that. However, my wife has been supportive of my choice to focus on my passion for photography and video since the very beginning. She has encouraged me to not give up and has not once said: “You need to get a job”.
I would have to give a follow up on this one. For now, it is still pretty calm as it is mostly learning about the partner organisation and getting through the Visa situation. I have been very eager to vist the LevasFlor forest and find some interesting stories. So for now, preparations for these visits is underway.
The assignment involves enhancing the effectiveness of communication strategies across various partner organisations, with a particular emphasis on storytelling through visual media.
The goal of this assignment is to improve the presentation and utilization of communication tools, ensuring that projects and the work of Advisors are documented and shared compellingly. The initiative aims to foster greater awareness and broaden support for the impactful work carried out by creating improved audiovisual materials and establishing a stronger online presence.
It is also important to note that the methodologies to achieve this will be provided to local personal in a way of knowledge capitalization through workshops, individual training and pedagogical material.
LevasFlor, established in 2005 as a socially and environmentally conscious business under the collaboration of the diocese of Västerås of the Swedish Protestant church and the Mozambican Anglican church's Lebombo diocese, aims to generate profits that bolster the church's activities. Despite its challenges with infrastructure, poverty, and corruption— which contribute to Mozambique's deforestation issues — LevasFlor remains committed to sustainable management practices in forestry. The company operates under a 50-year concession agreement, with LevasFlor AB holding 90% ownership and the Diocese de Lebombo retaining 10%. With a diverse management team at its helm, LevasFlor endeavors to turn the tide against deforestation by creating a viable market for certified, sustainably sourced Msasa timber, a prevalent species in Mozambique. By doing so, LevasFlor is working to demonstrate that sustainable forestry can bring rural job creation and curtail practices such as slash and burn agriculture. Currently, LevasFlor uses sustainable harvesting practices for its "wet Miombo" forest, produces a wide range of wood dimensions, and maintains quality through rigorous procedures and training. With a focus on Msasa wood, the company contributes to the timber industry through an effective supply chain and compliance with export regulations, aspiring to serve as a proof of concept for conservation through commercial success.
