Chocolate Sauce
Spirituality for Children
Connecting Children in Peace & Friendship
Powerful means for healing Collective Trauma
My publishing company Chocolate Sauce began in 2003 when I was asked to be on the board of an organization to raise money to rebuild schools in Afghanistan. I wanted to create something of value beyond the event itself that could provide an evergreen response to the children in need of continued nourishment.
The result was A Key to the Heart; a bi-lingual book of folktales written in English and Dari illustrated by children from schools in New York City and Afghanistan. Each book contained a central fold out page that allowed children to correspond back and forth with each other.
We received an overwhelming response of generosity from all those we asked to participate including Mercy Corps who helped us distribute the books on the ground in Afghanistan but the biggest impact came from the outpouring of love expressed between the children in the messages they wrote back and forth to each other.
Our vision was to connect children in peace and friendship and share in the restoration and growth of Afghanistan. Our aim with A Key to the Heart was to use storytelling as a powerful means for healing collective trauma and fostering mutual understanding, tolerance and respect.
The Power of Storytelling
“It is my wish that all children – particularly those who have suffered the trauma of war – may too be touched by the power of their own imaginations, through the gift of story. It is essential that we nurture the inner skills necessary to dream and create a sustainable future. Imagination, as much as bread, is necessary to sow peace.”
Now I know
Whilst attending a Mind and Life
Institute meeting in Dharamsala, India with His Holiness the Dalai Lama and immersed in the study of Buddhist philosophy, Matthieu Ricard suggested I meet his close friend Sally Devorsine who was living and working in Bhutan as the tutor to Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche. Several power outages and edits later we birthed NOW I KNOW at Tibet House in New York City with Conscious Parenting expert Dr. Shefali Tasabary.
Each book is based on one of the Eight Verses of Mind Training written by the 11th century Tibetan Buddhist master Langri Thangpa—verses that the Dalai Lama has recited every day since childhood. Our vision was to bring ancient wisdom to children in a fun loving way.
“I’m am surprised that such a bad start (my naughtiness) could lead to such a great result (these books)! And I hope that as people read them again and again, the benefit of my naughtiness will just increase and increase” – about Now I Know That It’s Better to Face My Monsters. Khyentse Yangsi Rinpoche
During Wisdom.20 in San Francisco a beautiful young 8 year old came bouncing up to me in a pink tutu full of love and light. This young lady was Vivienne Harr and Vivienne had just raised over $100,000 to free child slaves with her lemonade stand. I wanted to tell her story and so we published and marketed “Make A Stand; When Life Gives You Lemons, Change the World!” Vivienne was then 8 ½ years old and went onto become the youngest ever TED speaker.
Latest Project
Me & Mo with Mo Gawdat
Me & Mo is a series of wisdom based books aimed at bringing basic happiness teachings to children in a fun and contemporary format. In partnership with the One Billion Happy foundation and Chocolate Sauce, we aim to support the distribution of books to children in underserved communities around the globe. Due for release Spring 2023.
Latest Project
Me & Mo with Mo Gawdat
Me & Mo is a series of wisdom based books aimed at bringing basic happiness teachings to children in a fun and contemporary format. In partnership with the One Billion Happy foundation and Chocolate Sauce, we aim to support the distribution of books to children in underserved communities around the globe. Due for release Spring 2023.
Invitation to Help
- 1. Are you a brand or sponsor who wants to get involved in expanding our vision or have a project you want to collaborate on?
- 2. Do you have a positive impact project and are interested in sponsoring the distribution of the books along with a food supplement?
- 3. Are you a school looking to build bridges within another region and want to find a partner school?
- 4. Are you an ex aid worker looking to get involved in a project?
- 5. Are you looking to expand your portfolio of Give Back projects and wish to include One Billion Happy Kids?
- 6. Do you work in a refugee camp and want to build a Nourishment Camp?
How we can help you?
Get in touchI have a high level of experience in envisioning, curating and designing humanitarian book projects. I am able to quickly assess the need and apply the right talent to design a program that serves all parties interests. My current interest is working in the Holy Land and I would welcome any enquiries from sponsors or corporations looking to create and implement purposeful initiatives that help bridge the cultural divide and support the positive healing of orphaned children.
Services Offered :
- Unique book themes and book design
- Curation of programs designed to Heal
- Dynamic give back initiatives
- Oversight of programs
- On the ground implementation
- Branding and marketing expertise
Writer, Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
Having worked in all three roles over a twenty year career, Shelley has spearheaded multiple book projects with humanitarian aims.
She is passionate about in-spiring children’s literature that brings spirituality and wisdom based principles through the use of storytelling to nourish young hearts and minds. Interviewed by Al Jazeera, BBC News, Huffington Post for her humanitarian book work, Shelley is a graduate of Columbia University’s School of Journalism.
Her current interest is in working with the Islamic Montessori School to further creative education by helping blend universal spirituality within the framework of Islamic principles to develop a more unitive global curriculum that fosters the development of the whole child.
Chocolate Sauce is a boutique publishing company dedicated to creating books that nourish the inner worlds of children. At Chocolate Sauce, our aim is to nurture the hearts and minds of children with stories that inspire, educate and enlighten. Our company philosophy promotes the importance of looking within to find fulfillment and meaning in one’s life.