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The IBSH Story
[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Josh Porteous was like any other young corporate executive climbing the corporate ladder at a world leading organisation. Josh had always had a desire to volunteer and work with the less fortunate, but those manilla folders with the details always seemed to get pushed to the back of the filing cabinet as other priorities in the corporate life were more pressing.
In 2012, Josh decided to take up the opportunity to volunteer at a Cambodian orphanage with HIV infected children. This experience forever changed his life. What once seems important was no longer relevant. On the plane back to Australia, he made the bold decision to resign from his executive life, sold his possessions and went on an 18 month mission to work with disadvantaged children in Cambodian, Nepal and Tanzania.
Josh worked in orphanages, refugee camps, HIV centres, child rescue homes, disabled centres, outdoor construction projects and homes for the mentally and physically challenged – caring for, entertaining, teaching, guiding, changing, reading to, study, mentoring, feeding, giving medication to, talking to, carrying and playing with children aged between 3-18. He was part of teams that have constructed toilets, water filter systems and renovated hospitals.
In September 2013, Josh registered his charity, convened a board and instituted governance structures. The International Brothers and Sisters House received charitable status from the Australian Government in early 2015. This gave IBSH the opportunity to implement many of the projects that Josh had established.
Our Mission
The International Brothers and Sisters House is focused on working with disadvantaged and orphaned children in three focus areas:
- Working for the relief of poverty by providing low cost housing to underprivileged youths affected by poverty in Tanzania and Nepal. We provide an education and activities to disadvantaged young people to help them gain skills in life.
- Working for the relief of sickness by forming strong partnerships with local government agencies in Tanzania to assist in providing better HIV medication for sick and underprivileged children.
- Working for the relief of suffering in collaboration with foundations in Nepal and Tanzania to construct homes for the disadvantaged and schools for the uneducated.
Our Focus Countries
The International Brothers and Sisters House focused support countries are:
- Tanzania
- Nepal
Each of these countries suffer extreme hardship in terms of living standards and the number of disadvantaged and orphaned children are in the millions.
Our Board
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Josh Porteous – Founder & Managing Director
Following a life changing volunteering experience at a Cambodian orphanage with HIV infected children, Josh had the realization that his once aspirational life in the Sydney corporate world, was no longer relevant and he embarked on a newly found dream of helping those less fortunate than himself.
After 18 months volunteering at orphanages in Africa and Asia, Josh founded the International Brothers and Sisters House (IBSH) with the mission to assist disadvantaged youth and families from third world countries with education and other opportunities. His charity now supports 11 children with university education, housing and expenses, whilst also working with 22 families in Africa to provide medical, education and lifestyle support. The charity aims to have 100 students within their program operating throughout Africa and Asia.
To support the charity, Josh has founded two additional businesses. Bare Naked Bowls is a superfood café with two outlets, Manly and Bronte. Established with the philosophy that eating well and doing good can work hand in hand, the cafes serve a variety of acai bowls and other health nutrition based meals with 10% of the proceeds from every sale going to the IBSH charity. Additionally, Josh has launched Trek 4 Change, which is an adventure company that delivers adventures with a cause, allowing individuals to travel and make a difference to a local community. Josh and the team have hosted schools and individuals in Asia and Africa.
Toby Gardner – Director & In Country Manager
Toby was born in 1987 and resides in Adelaide. Working as a cook in a variety of kitchens throughout the last 5 years his volunteer experience is vast taking him through East Africa, India and Cambodia working in HIV Centres, hospitals and orphanages. Toby is also the Managing director of Trek for Change, a travel company sending groups to Tanzania and Nepal for adventure and to experience the work that IBSH does in these countries.
Brian Ford – Director & In Country Manager
Brian was born in 1992 and graduated from Boston College in 2014 with a degree in Biology. He is currently attending medical school at SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, and is excited to mesh his passion in this field with IBSH's social and medical goals. Brian is the In-Country Manager for IBSH's Family for Family program in Tanzania. In January, 2015, Brian walked 1,500 miles across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand over the course of 3 months in an effort to raise money for IBSH, and was joined by fellow board members Josh and Toby for different legs of the walk.
Rishi Acharya – Director & In Country Manager
Rishi was born in 1989 and attended school in Syangja, Nepal. Rishi started his career as a private tutor and later worked with orphaned, abandoned and homeless children. Rishi relocated to Pokhara to study at Tribhuwan University, and in 2014 he graduated with a Master’s in Business specializing in Marketing. After completing his degree, Rishi began teaching business marketing at public and private colleges in Pokhara. He has also gained valuable corporate experience through working with an air sports aviation business in Nepal. In 2016, Rishi moved to Australia where he is currently completing further study in Social Science. Rishi met Josh in 2013 while he was working at the Namaste Children’s House in Pokhara. Josh and Rishi’s share a combined vision and passion for helping others and this has always remained the same, no matter how far away they are from each other.
Elyse Young – Treasurer
Elyse was born in 1987 and resides in Sydney, Australia. She was educated at Macquarie University in Sydney gaining her Bachelor Degree of Applied Finance and Commerce-Accounting and is currently studying her Masters in international public health at Sydney University. For the last 3 and a half years she has been employed at Coca-Cola as an analyst and she does volunteer work each weekend with SAIL.