The Start of Our Story
golden eyes project didn’t begin in a boardroom. It started with a shared cause between friends and an artist who had the idea to put her brushes to work to complete a mission.
Chapter 1
In 2019, for an interior design capstone internship, most of Rebecca’s peers headed to prestigious firms, but she really wanted to go to Nepal.
For three months in Kathmandu, she worked with a local nonprofit that built bicycles but was planning to incorporate furniture manufacturing.
She sourcing materials from local markets, created designs from what was available in their warehouse, and collaborated directly with welders on the pieces. She also made some great friends.
Three months flew by and she returned to the United States. After spending a year back home, a natural disaster devastated a remote village in Nepal. One of Rebecca’s friends, Tenjing needed help raising funds for the victims. She said yes.
That first campaign led to another. Each year they were able to provide the essential resources as Rebecca crowdfunding remotely and Tenjing delivering supplies to villages across Nepal.
Over time their work focused around child development and was named Project Red Panda. They began sourcing books, bicycles, art supplies, sports equipment… resources that empower children.
Then came a campaign that stalled. They needed funds for bicycles to help a group of children in Eastern Nepal gain better access to school. Traditional crowdfunding wasn’t moving fast enough, so Rebecca tried something different. She offered oil painting commissions in exchange for donations.
It worked. The funds came in, and the bikes were delivered. And a question formed that she couldn’t shake: If one painter offering commissions could complete a project for children in Nepal, what could an entire community of artists accomplish?
So, golden eyes project was born.
