Zaid Souqi: Making a difference through children’s art
Interview by: Maali Jamil, from 360Moms team.
- Would you please introduce yourself and The Orenda Tribe?
Yes, I see myself and The Orenda Tribe as interrelated. The Orenda Tribe is the result of my experiences, values, encounters and what I want to become, but I don’t think you will want to read 30 years of that in this article so I will keep it simple for now. I am Zaid Souqi, and I will turn 30 years old in a month. I studied Computer Systems Engineering at the University of Bristol for my undergrad and recently completed my MBA at IE University in Madrid. My work experience before The Orenda Tribe was mainly work in corporate finance as a financial analyst and holding different positions in Logistics such as Operations and General Management. In addition to that, I interned and consulted for an NGO in South Africa. You can summarize my interests as nature, travel, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, writing, family and friends.
On the other hand, The Orenda Tribe is a children’s fashion line with designs created from the art of children living in vulnerable communities. With every item purchased we give back part of the profit to the communities in the shape of something they need. Our first product, the t-shirts, are 100% organic cotton, manufactured in Turkey and positioned as a premium product in the market. We hope to bridge the gap between the people buying this product and the ones living in the distressed communities by raising the awareness of our consumers for issues taking place in these communities. Our ultimate goal as The Orenda Tribe is to make a difference while making a profit and hence create a self-sustainable business model that ensures constant revenue for both the communities and the company. Through this, we hope to inspire other companies to integrate giving back to the community as a core part of their business models. Simply put, one doesn’t have to choose between doing well and doing good.
- How did the concept of The Orenda Tribe occur to you?
Since I did my MBA in Madrid, I worked with the NGO The Lonely Road Foundation in South Africa around some of the most inspiring people I have ever met. What started as an idea of a t-shirt line with kids handwritten phrases, inspired by a small book called Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me that I randomly stumbled upon, evolved into The Orenda Tribe. People who are dedicating their lives to serve others in need and are very positive and driven while doing so. MY NGO experience, which was mostly around orphans and vulnerable children combined with the entrepreneurship atmosphere at university and me reflecting on the situation in the Middle East, inspired The Orenda Tribe. One day I decided that there is no need to choose between doing well and doing good. I quit my job, got out of my comfort zone and I am now on a journey to create the perfect equation for myself where I can give back to the community while making a living at the same time, a model, that if followed by all, can make a huge impact in our world.
- What has working with refugees, especially children, taught you?
Children are children wherever they are. Children are what we all once were, when we used to enjoy the simple things in life, when we were curious about the world, when we said what is on our mind with no filters, when we dreamed, wandered and wondered. Being around children brings me back to the simplicity of life and is humbling. We need to allow these children to remain children by providing the tools that will let them live a normal childhood such as art, play and education.
- Can you tell us a bit about the Zaatari camp?
The Zaatari Camp is a huge refugee camp, so I only saw a small part of it. What I saw was a city building, people using innovation to survive, markets put in place and small communities forming within. I felt there was a longing for a normal life and a normal home, a luxury that most of us take for granted.
- What do you think the children of the camp would say if the world could hear them?
Well, that is the thing about children, they adapt to any situation they live in and they live in their own little worlds. In my opinion, the real question is what would they say to the world when they grow up. With the unfortunate situation in Syria, Palestine and many other parts of the world today, many children are being born into or living in vulnerable communities. These children will form a large percentage of the upcoming generation. Each child will either grow to become a burden on his community or a positive influence. We need to inspire the children, provide the necessary education and create the appropriate atmosphere for them to revive their communities in the future.
- What are some of the difficulties you faced at the beginning and/or are still facing now?
It is a new industry for me, I am still in the early stages and learning the basics, but as long as there is a purpose, I enjoy being out of my comfort zone. I am always hungry to learn something new. Thinking back, in the idea phase, a lot of people underestimated the concept and responded to my pitch with a pitiful smile and a pat on the back, which pushed me even more to pursue this. I thank them all. Once I started taking action and people saw the idea becoming a reality, things started to change. A friend once told me, “You always encounter paved roads when you are doing good,” and indeed many people helped me throughout my journey.
- What are some ways The Orenda Tribe gives back to the community?
While visiting different vulnerable communities throughout the past two years, even before The Orenda Tribe started, I discovered that every community had specific needs. As a result, we decided to diversify our causes and tailor them in accordance to each community’s needs. We want to be involved with every community we work with, listen to its people, assess the children’s needs and then act based on the information we gather. Our initiative targets children and from our experience thus far it involves things such as school bags, stationery kits, tools and resources to provide safe havens for children, clothes, art kits and more. All donations are public on our website and social media channels. We can’t wait to complete the sale of our first shipment for us to make our first donation!
What are your plans for The Orenda Tribe?
To reach the size where we can make a real difference. Our plans have both a social and a business side to them that go hand in hand. First of all, from the social aspect, we want to increase our outreach to different communities and be more involved with the communities that we already work with. Also, to bring people outside these communities to become involved through volunteering activities to increase awareness on issues taking place there. Hopefully, the ideal scenario is to educate children through proper art classes. On the other hand, the plan for the business side is to expand our line from children’s t-shirts to a full children's clothing brand that sells globally.
To conclude, I would like to share with you the meaning of Orenda. Orenda is a mystical force found in all people that empowers them to affect the world or to create change in their own lives. If powerful forces beyond your control are trying to force you one way, Orenda is a voice summoning personal strength to change fate.
