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Empowering Change Through Film: How “Voice of Vanilla” Aligns with Sustainable Development Goals

In our interconnected world, the influence of media, particularly documentaries, in educating and inspiring actionable change is undeniable. “Voice of Vanilla” goes beyond storytelling. It addresses critical issues aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and introduces an innovative educational program to amplify its impact.

SDG Connections

“Voice of Vanilla” resonates with multiple SDGs, emphasizing:

  • Goal 1: No Poverty – By exposing the economic struggles of Madagascar’s vanilla farmers, the film underscores the urgent need for sustainable livelihoods.
  • Goal 5: Gender Equality – It showcases the pivotal roles women play in agriculture, advocating for enhanced rights and equality in rural areas.
  • Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure – The documentary highlights the farmers’ challenges with unstable housing, pointing to the necessity for resilient infrastructure to support sustainable development.
  • Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production – It encourages consumers to consider the origins of their purchases and supports sustainable farming practices.
  • Goal 13: Climate Action – The film discusses the effects of climate change on agriculture, advocating for innovative adaptation strategies.

Through vivid storytelling and real-life examples, “Voice of Vanilla” not only informs viewers about these goals but also inspires them to take actionable steps within their communities and spheres of influence.

Educational Program as a Catalyst for SDG Advocacy

To deepen the documentary’s impact, we have developed a comprehensive educational program that serves as a valuable tool for understanding and engaging with the SDGs. This program is particularly beneficial for businesses and educational institutions aiming to bolster their sustainability efforts.

Program Features Include:

  1. Interactive Workshops and Seminars – These sessions explore sustainable agricultural practices using the vanilla industry as a case study, linking them directly to economic and social improvement.
  2. Learning Modules – Engaging content that prompts participants to examine the interconnectedness of social, economic, and environmental sustainability.
  3. Discussion Guides – Designed to facilitate meaningful conversations post-viewing, helping viewers reflect on and discuss the issues highlighted.
  4. CSR Training Components – Tailored for businesses, these modules help integrate SDG-aligned strategies into corporate practices, emphasizing the importance of building resilient infrastructure and supporting sustainable community development.

Why It Matters

For corporations, engaging with this program not only enriches employee understanding but also enhances the company’s commitment to global sustainability. For educational institutions, it provides students with practical applications of theoretical knowledge, preparing them as informed global citizens ready to tackle today’s challenges.

Furthermore, the program encourages all participants to understand their role within the global ecosystem, promoting responsible consumerism and proactive advocacy for sustainable practices.

Join Us in Fostering Sustainable Change

“Voice of Vanilla” and its educational program present a unique opportunity to effect tangible, positive change by aligning everyday actions with global sustainability goals. We invite corporations, educational institutions, and all stakeholders committed to sustainable development to join this initiative. Together, we can create a significant impact that transcends borders and generations.

Leveraging the universal appeal of film, coupled with structured educational tools, we aim to propel us towards a more sustainable and equitable world. Discover how you can participate in this transformative journey and help spread the messages within “Voice of Vanilla.”

For more information on how to get involved, contact [email protected]

17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
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Virtual Film Screening

Our short documentary will screen at festivals around the world, but you can watch it first!

Then join us for a Q+A/ Feedback Session to tell us what you think. Your feedback is valued and important to the development of the full-length version.

WATCH the film anytime from Nov 14- 24, 2023 at this link

JOIN the Q+A via Zoom on Friday, Nov 24 at 1pm EST. Register here.

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UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2023

Today, the UNEP unveiled the 2023 Adaptation Gap Report, and the findings are stark. The adaptation finance gap looms at a staggering US$194-366 billion annually, while international public adaptation finance to developing countries has regrettably dipped by 15%.
For nations like Madagascar, grappling with the twin challenges of desertification and devastating cyclones, this translates into millions enduring food insecurity, subsequently impacting access to education, healthcare, and, most crucially, the ability to shape a livable future for the next generation.
It’s disheartening that support for women, social inclusion, and regions in crisis remains underfinanced. VOICE OF VANILLA, the documentary I’m working on, strives to reveal our profound connection to the resilient farmers of Madagascar and underscores the urgent need to bolster climate adaptation initiatives.
Let’s stand together to make a difference.

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Devastation in Madagascar

It seems like it’s been quite a journey already, but our work is just getting started. In the past few months Madagascar has been hit by 5 major storms – Cyclone Ana, Cyclone Batsirai, Cyclone Enmati, Tropical storm Dumako, and Cyclone Gombe. This unprecedented series of storms have brought widespread destruction to the island. Thousands of families have lost their homes, fields, cattle, and food stock. Lack of clean water is causing the spread of diseases, including covid. 

You may be surprised to hear this, given the lack of coverage in the media. While we have witnessed over the past few years just how closely we are all connected around the world, there are still corners of the globe that are being forgotten. This lack of awareness and understanding is a threat to us all.  Our director, Gaelle Borgia, has already been reporting on the situation.

We will continue to share Gaelle’s news reports. Meanwhile it is critical to get our team out to the field to document the experiences of the vanilla farmers. You can help us by making a tax deductible donation, thanks to our fiscal sponsor, From the Heart Productions.

Make checks payable to From the Heart Productions and indicate “Voice of Vanilla” on the memo line. Mail to: 

​​From The Heart Productions
1455 Mandalay Beach Road
Oxnard, California 93035-2845

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Director, Gaelle Borgia, under attack

For the past 3 months Gaelle Borgia, director of Voice of Vanilla, has been reporting on the devastating famine in the south of Madagascar. Reporting on such terrible conditions is difficult enough, but now she is dealing with a smear campaign and cyber-harassment from the government of Madagascar.

Gaelle showed video of people forced to eat cow leather meant for making shoes. The governor of the region, along with a national television reporter made attempts to discredit her by claiming that the people in her video said she paid them to eat the leather. Gaelle posted another video in which those same people said they were paid and threatened to make the statements against her.

Thankfully Gaelle is being supported by Reporters Without Borders, which has issued a statement condemning the smear campaign. No doubt, Gaelle’s credibility as a Pulitzer-prize winning reporter makes her especially threatening to the status quo.

Read more: Smear campaign targets prize-winning reporter in Madagascar

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Vanilla from plastic waste?!?!

Scientists have developed a way to convert plastic waste into vanillin. Vanillin is the main chemical component of vanilla flavoring, but real vanilla extract has over 2,000 chemical compounds. Vanillin is not only used in the food industry, but also in pharmaceuticals, fragrances, cosmetics, and cleaning products. Vanillin is in higher demand than natural vanilla production can provide, so alternate sources are necessary. 

On one level, this is a great scientific accomplishment. Hey, we’ve found something useful to do with all this plastic waste that’s piling up everywhere! But like the announcement of other products made from plastic waste – shoes, sunglasses, Jenga blocks –  it feels a little hollow. Umm…yay? What will happen to those things at the end of their life span? They’ll be plastic waste again, because this stuff literally never goes away. 

In 2014 I participated in the Ocean Cleanup Megaexpedition. I sailed from Hawaii to San Francisco on a tiny boat with 5 other people to collect plastic from the Giant Pacific Garbage Patch. The founder of The Ocean Cleanup, Boyan Slat, had developed a passive system for removing plastic floating on the surface of the ocean. The system has been deployed, and is successfully removing plastic from oceans and rivers. But this doesn’t stop the constant flow of more plastic into the environment.

Every time you use a plastic water bottle, or purchase soap in a plastic bottle, or some other product with unnecessary plastic, you are making a decision to contribute more plastic to the environment. There are companies that make money from manufacturing and selling plastic. Those companies have development teams and sales agents constantly coming up with new ways of selling plastic. Remember when some liquid soaps came out with microbeads to exfoliate your skin (something normally accomplished with natural products)? The microbeads enter the water, where they’re eaten by fish and move up the food chain, compounding the impact of toxic chemicals. (Watch the awesome documentary The Story of Plastic on Amazon Prime)

We cannot passively move through life as though the things we do don’t matter. We are making our bed, and we will have to sleep in it. I write this not to start a charge to ban using plastics to make vanilla, but rather to encourage us all to think more about our impact on the earth. I am also not suggesting that you have to drastically change your life tomorrow. But I do think we can try to be a little better every day. Small changes over time are better than no change at all. In 50 years will we be consuming real vanilla, or will we be consuming vanilla derived from plastic waste? What other consequences will we face in a world drowning in plastic?

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Merci Beaucoup

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who helped us reach our crowdfunding goal, and proud to announce that we’ve been awarded 2 grants: the Female Filmmaker Grant from Women in Film and Media Colorado and the Colorado Film and Video Association, as well as the Energize Colorado Grant. This money will fund our most critical stage of filming: capturing the opening of the vanilla market, and its impact on farmers.

We are looking forward to sharing some of the footage we capture with you in the fall. Thank you for joining us on this journey!