Introduction: How a group of founders ended up in Tanzania
A decade ago, Mark Dombkins and his wife Anna moved to Tanzania with their family, driven by a desire to adopt. During the process, they was confronted with a hard reality - stories of women having to seperate from their babies because of circumstances outside their control, such as the inability to lactate, illness or poverty. Mark and Anna found themselves asking a critical question:“What would have needed to change in our kids’ biological mothers’ stories so that abandonment and malnourishment could have been avoided in the first place?”That question became the foundation for Forever Projects: a non-profit dedicated to helping women in Tanzania break the cycle of poverty by creating sustainable income opportunities. Fast forward to July 2025. Mark had a new vision: to bring together a group of Australian founders and venture capital operators, to climb Mount Kilimanjaro and witness firsthand how empowering women to generate income doesn’t just change individual lives - it transforms entire communities.This is the introductory episode of an eight-part documentary-style mini-series. It takes you behind the scenes of a two-week immersion in Tanzania - from summiting the world’s highest free-standing peak to spending time on the ground with the Forever Projects team.The goal of this series? To document the raw and reflective moments that occur when you step away from our day-to-day realities and the noise that comes with it, to gain new perspectives that we can implement in our own contexts. Each episode will challenge you to stop, to reflect and ask where more perspective could fit into your routine. What to expect from each episode:- Tangible frameworks and actionable insights- Advice and reflections from founders with lived experience- Curated prompts to inspire reflection and growthWho this series is for:Founders, operators, career changers or climbers, or anyone seeking fresh perspective. Whether you’re passionate about self-development, social impact, or women’s empowerment - this series is for you.Mentions:Forever Projects - to learn more about the incredible work that the team are doing on the ground in Tanzania, please visit the website hereFive Types of Wealth by Sahil Bloom - a framework we explore throughout the series. I’d highly recommend you add this to your reading list.If someone in your network would love these conversations, please share along. Help us create Ripple Effects. This series is brought to you by Forever Projects, hosted by Soph Dicker, from the podcast So Invested - smart and unfiltered chats about money, business and building a life you are So Invested in. Inspired to join Forever Projects next Tanzania Immersion Trip in July 2026? Find out more and register your interest here.
--------
27:33
--------
27:33
Purpose: the force behind a climb
Today we begin the ascent of the world’s highest free-standing peak, Mount Kilimanjaro. At any true starting line - launching a company or scaling a mountain - the same question surfaces: What is your why? In other words, what’s the purpose that will keep you moving when the air gets thin?In this episode, we look at why the startup ecosystem is so rich in purpose, why purpose matters, and how to define or redefine your own. You’ll hear founders and operators share how a clear why attracts your tribe, underpins resilient companies, and balances passion with practical necessities like capital. All while leaning into our first type of wealth from Sahil Bloom’s framework on how to redefine success: Mental Wealth. What to expect in this episode:- Why is purpose important, either professional or personally- Frameworks to help you define purpose- A perspective on how purpose can change across your life seasons- Rituals or habits you can implement to move toward your purposeVoices you’ll hear:Will Richards: Founder of Overnight Success and Senior Associate at EncourSolai Valliappan: Angel Investor, Founder of Chai and Capital and Board Chair of Forever Projects (+ many other things!)Pam Stevenson: Head of People & Talent at OIF VenturesMark Dombkins: Founder of Forever ProjectsCaleb Maru: Founder and CEO of Tech Safari Dr Dan: Expedition & Wilderness MedicineMentions:Elinipa: The incredible Tanzanian artist who has kindly allowed us to use her music across the seriesLeadership coach Ben Crowe: check out some of Mojo Crowe’s perspective resources hereFive Types of Wealth: reference to the wealth explored in today’s episode, Mental WealthTo try at home:Five-minute Ikigai sketch: list 3–5 bullets under each circle (love / good at / world needs / paid for)Ritualise space: commit to 10 minutes of journaling each morning for one weekMicro-service today: do one small thing for someone else; notice how it shifts your sense of “why”If someone in your network would love these conversations, please share along. Help us create Ripple Effects.This series is brought to you by Forever Projects, hosted by Soph Dicker, from the podcast So Invested - smart and unfiltered chats about money, business and building a life you are So Invested in. Inspired to join Forever Projects next Tanzania Immersion Trip in July 2026? Find out more and register your interest here.
Ripple Effects is an eight-part documentary style series hosted by Soph Dicker from So Invested, following Australian founders and VC operators on a transformative two-week journey in Tanzania - climbing Mt Kilimanjaro and immersing themselves with the local work of the Forever Projects team to see how income generation breaks the poverty cycle for women.
The series parallels the mountain of business building, exploring purpose, friction, fear of failure, perspective shifts, and the power of investing in women.
Australia