Altruwe’s adventure began when adopted Montrealer Jérémie Mani read the book Advocacy for altruism, by Matthieu Ricard, a well-known Buddhist monk in France. The author demonstrates the need for altruism – the motivation to want to do the good of others – through his readings, his experiences, his reflection.
“What struck me in the book is that in times of fat cows, when things are going well, there is a competition to have the biggest share of the pie,” says Jérémie Mani. But when there is a crisis, humans are most of the time united, they help each other to share the little that remains. This second vision, we have much less in mind. ”
In his book, Matthieu Ricard also wrote that today, with social networks, we have the power to come together, to create a dynamic in this direction.
Jérémie Mani felt challenged, he who for a long time ran a company specializing in the moderation of content on social media. The hateful and defamatory comments he knows. But he also knows that social networks convey a lot of positive content, too often drowned in a pool of trivial or insignificant facts.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALTRUWE
Yves Delnatte and Jérémie Mani, founders of Altruwe
He spoke about it with his colleague Yves Delnatte, who also has a digital background, in his case focused on mobile applications. Like Jérémie, Yves Delnatte had sold his business. And like him, he wanted to reinvest his energy, his experience and his resources in something good.
Jérémie Mani and Yves Delnatte have therefore invested, out of their own pockets, more than $ 750,000 to develop Altruwe, a social network in French, free and not for profit.
Positivism and benevolent actions
Altruwe’s goal is to bring together thousands, if not millions, of people inclined to altruism on a single platform. Members can share positive content that already exists on Altruwe: articles, websites, benevolent actions by volunteers in the field… And secondly, they are invited to share Altruwe’s content with their relatives on their website. Facebook account, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. “It’s the opposite of a beehive, illustrates Jérémie Mani. People come to the hive to pick up what interests them and then scatter it everywhere. ”
The two founders assume the “naive state of mind” behind their project. But they remind us that, behind any positive action, there is a part of mimicry: the more we are in contact with positive stories, the more likely we are to be positively contaminated.
And people – especially at this time – need positivism, benevolent actions and beautiful things.
Yves delnatte
For them who have made a career (and secured the future of their children) thanks to digital technology, is this a form of redemption?
“I think it’s more a matter of awareness,” replies Yves Delnatte. With the family, the children, and maybe also with everything that happened with COVID, we said to ourselves that we wanted to do our part. “” We are also dads, remarks Jérémie Mani. What do we want to leave as a trace? How can you justify not doing it when you are in a position to do so? ”
Since its launch, the 1er December, Altruwe gathered some 5,000 members who shared almost as many publications, often on ecology (wind turbines transformed into bicycle sheds, green habitats, etc.), sometimes on solidarity (distribution of gifts to the most disadvantaged , letters to the elderly, etc.) and on personal development.
To make themselves known, the two founders surrounded themselves with ambassadors, including the Quebec entrepreneur Danièle Henkel. Matthieu Ricard has also agreed to encourage them publicly, on video. The NGO Karuna-Shechen, which he founded, shares his actions on Altruwe. In addition to associations, companies are also invited to share their benevolent actions, to inspire others.
Altruwe is an ephemeral application, which will live for 1000 days, because “under duress, we surpass ourselves”, summarizes Yves Delnatte. With 333 days to go, the founders will take stock with the community to see if they are giving Altruwe another life (perhaps going international?) Or if they are letting the app shut down.
“When we are on projects like that, which are a little crazy, a little naive, the probability of success is low, humbly agrees Jérémie Mani. The difficulty is not to make an application, it is to make it known, to make use of it. We are completely aware of that, but we have the advantage of not having the pressure of failure. ”