The Sisterhood of the Traveling Belt: An Unlikely Movement

Have you ever made an impulse buy and immediately regretted spending the money? If you answered yes, you aren't alone--at least in the Developed World. The uncomfortable reality is that feeling buyer's remorse doesn't land you in the world's majority. In fact, having disposable income makes you richer than 79% of the globe.

Amy Bennett walked out of an Anthropologie store a year ago experiencing such a conflict. She was struck, in the simple purchase of a belt, by the privilege of choice. Out of this awareness, her knowledge would soon develop into a sense of responsibility.

Amy's story began as many of our stories of connection with the poor do: with good old-fashioned guilt. Though earlier on in life we learn that guilt is a good motivator in momentary deeds, like mom and dad proved when it was time for us to apologize for punching our sibling (even though they probably deserved it), the problem is that guilt's not a great sustainer, and ultimately the question is less about guilt and more about implication--implication in the life of someone else - in their story, in relation to our own.

Purchasing the belt coincided with Amy reading a book about living life radically. The book outlined the myriad challenges of the world's poor as well as a list of causes that combat those difficulties.

"Here I was summarizing how the poor needed us and I had just spent $28 on a belt I'd probably wear a handful of times. In fact, when I looked it up, that $28 could have given 28 Africans clean water for a year."

Amy's new knowledge brought her into greater awareness of her privileged place in the world--but she didn't stop at simple awareness. For Amy, the belt became a catalyst for the next step, one that most people don't cross. An impulse born of guilt combined with knowledge grew into implication, which demanded a response: removal or engagement. Amy chose engagement. She let her story of a belt weave into something beautiful and powerful and lasting. 

That evening, sitting down to hash out this sense of discomfort onto her blog, Amy drafted a plan. "I had no idea what I was getting myself into," she admitted.

"During that post, I offered to sell the belt, even though it was new and shiny and cute, for the price I paid just days before and all the money would go to Blood:Water Mission. I couldn't take back the belt and get back my money but I could 'sell my possessions and give to the poor.' It wasn't all my possessions but it was step."

"When I posted that my only goal was that would someone please, please, please buy that belt. I cringed as I pushed the Publish button hoping not to look the fool trying to do something good and not being able to get anyone involved."

Out of that simple but heartfelt impulse, Amy never expected what would become of it. Starting with her best friend, and then expanding from there, her friends and followers began to connect with this shared experience (and perhaps some just liked the belt. Amy had remarked it was "super cute" after all). Armed with a little confidence, the idea grew into a full on campaign.

"We [created] the Sisterhood of the Traveling Belt where we pass along this Blood:Water belt to raise money for Blood:Water Mission. Each person has a turn to get the belt, wear it, take a picture, write in the journal, donate and then pass it on."

The process is simple: You "buy" the newly coined, "Blood:Water Belt" off the previous person in the chain by donating $28 to Blood:Water directly, keep it briefly and then pass it on to the next "sister." Amy posts pictures and blog posts of each supporter and adds a star to the Sisterhood map next to each location the belt has travelled.

Originally the goal was to have 28 contributors enlist, but they've already surpassed that mark and are adding new sisters daily with the belt criss-crossing the entire U.S!

A little buyer's remorse isn't such a bad thing.

If you'd like to join the Sisterhood of the Traveling Belt, and would like more info, please visit  http://www.bloodwaterbelt.org