Day 1936 - Paying it forward with Pantene #shinestrong #PanteneANZ

Sometimes a win is more than just a win .... it's a win/win.

Yvonne Ryan - one of our Pantene winners

You might recall some time back I ran a competition with Pantene where three people would have the opportunity to win a 6 months supply of Pantene haircare products. Pantene wanted to encourage women to "shine strong" and hoped that $200 worth of haircare would then save them the money they needed to do other things.  Deep Fried Facebook and Instagram lit up with people sharing photos of how they'd spend their cash.

We had people wanting to spend the money on shoes, champagne, exercise gear, better bras, as well as people wanting to spoil their families, friends and children.  It was all very fun and it was great to see women thinking about treats for themselves and the people around them.

One of the winners was a lovely lady by the name of Yvonne Ryan who said that if she won she'd take her haircare savings and donate items to children in need overseas.

True to her word Von headed to Bali this week and took with her a bundle of treats to give to the children in a Balinese orphanage. She used her "Pantene money" on rice, colouring books, toys, textas, lollies and clothes to help brighten the lives of children who have so little.

She also took sanitary items for the teens and toothbrushes and toothpaste.

Von says "The children basically survive on donations with only a little help from the Government. Five ladies run the orphanage and were so grateful."  She went on to say that the most needed items are rice, sanitary products, toothpaste, shampoo and washing detergent.

I was so excited to get a message from Von sharing her experience on Facebook on the actual day of her orphanage visit.

This isn't the first time Yvonne has done this. She did something similar in Thailand last year even handing out care packages to strangers on the streets in some of the areas that experienced particular struggle.

It also won't be her last. She's already planning a return visit to the Bali orphanage in July.

When I asked her how she manages her luggage on these trips she told me she just takes carry-on for herself and dedicates her checked luggage to her gifts.  She also said that her baggage did "go slightly over" in weight terms but once she explained the purpose of her trip the airline waivered the excess luggage fee. She buys the rice on arrival.

To be honest I hadn't given Yvonne's mission much more thought after the Pantene competition had closed and our winners had received their prizes.   But true to her word she has payed it forward and is now celebrating her win with us all over again.

Thank you so much Von! You've definitely shown us how we can all Shine Strong.

A table full of gifts for the children at a Balinese orphanage

sleeping arrangements at the orphanage

Children loading up their gifts

Isn't this little girl gorgeous! 

Wearing her new princess nightdress