Celebrating Changemakers
All The Brilliants is pleased to present extraordinary women who are fearlessly creating meaningful change in the world - near and far. My aim is to relay her unique personal journey, highlight her mission for social impact, and feature jewelry that reflects a shared inspiration.
I believe in the boundless potential of girls and women - in any and every field - and look forward to what happens when they are a part of solutions!
Meet Sophie Hollingsworth! We sat down at the Explorers Club to chat about her jewelry story…
Summarizing Sophie Hollingsworth in a few words is a challenge! She is a former ballerina, a yacht captain, a Health Security Specialist, a Fulbright Scholar, a truly modern explorer, founder of AquaAid and extraordinary Changemaker. Her work has been featured by National Geographic and the United Nations and she is a Fellow of The Explorers Club and Post-Graduate Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. Between her adventures, she kindly shared with us the mission of AquaAid and her personal journey behind it.
WATER:
A SHARED INSPIRATION
TELL US WHAT AQUA AID DOES
AquaAid’s mission is simple, water for all, no exceptions. AquaAid collaborates with the most remote communities in the world to establish sustainable sources of clean drinking water. Fundamental to all of AquaAid’s projects is youth. AquaAid believes in empowering youth to be agents of change for their own community and using art as a conduit for sustainable development.
WHAT INSPIRED YOUR VISION
I met two little girls in Panama whose lives were positively transformed by water. The girls previously spent the day collecting drinking water but nearby access to water meant they now had the opportunity to attend school. Shortly thereafter my life was negatively transformed by dirty water. After contracting a water borne disease I was lucky to get the lifesaving medical treatment I needed. Something that most people are not so lucky to have. At that point, I knew I wanted to do my part to help end the water crisis...
IS THERE A DEFINING LIFE EXPERIENCE THAT SET YOU ON YOUR PERSONAL JOURNEY
Being let go from the Moscow Ballet. For my entire life, I dreamed of being a ballerina. At a young age that dream came true when I danced the role of the Spanish Doll in the Nutcracker with the Moscow Ballet. However, I was not tall enough to continue with the company after the Nutcracker season. Heartbroken, I ran off to the Caribbean and started working on a private super yacht. This experience allowed me to travel to places off the beaten track and opened my eyes to the spellbinding diversity of the world. This inspired me to pursue a life where I could use my passion for exploration and storytelling to celebrate the world’s most remote cultures and help create a more sustainable future.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL “TALISMAN” OR JEWEL AND WOULD YOU SHARE THE STORY BEHIND IT
A 9-inch diameter pig tusk necklace. The tusk hails from the mysterious islands in the Republic of Vanuatu – known as the final frontier of the South Pacific. The tusk took over 15 years to grow on a sacred pig. Traditionally in Vanuatu, tusks are only worn by the highest-ranking chiefs or used as currency in the barter economy. I use the tusk as a statement necklace and conversation starter that I wear with everything from a ball-gowns to jeans and a tee!
WHAT IS NEXT FOR YOU AND AQUA AID
Water Around the World. 1 Boat. 3 Oceans. 5 Water Projects.
AquaAid is helping solve the world water crisis by bringing it to the forefront of the global agenda and empowering youth in water insecure communities. During a worldwide circumnavigation, Water Around the World will work with five remote indigenous communities, to improve water resilience and highlight global water art. The goal is to start a dialogue with thousands of communities around the world that will raise awareness and inspire the next generation to work towards a sustainable future, all starting with water.
IS THERE ADVICE YOU CAN OFFER OTHERS WHO SEEK TO CREATE CHANGE IN THE WORLD
Find and act on your own passions - maybe it is alleviating poverty, protecting the lions, or advancing renewable technologies. Whatever your thing is, I encourage you to act on it, no matter your age, job, gender or background because it is everyone’s job to protect the planet.
HOW CAN ANYONE INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING AQUA AID GET INVOLVED DONATE
spread the word about the world water crisis, or join us in the field! Starting in 2019, you can charter AquaAid’s renewable powered sailing yacht for relaxation, adventure, and spellbinding cultural engagement in some of the world’s most spectacular regions.