This is the case with POi BO.., an initiative that provided assistance and support to those affected by the 2020 Australian bushfires.

Created by Silvia Hsieh and her husband Alessandro Diamanti, captain of Western United and ex-player of the Italian National Football team, POi BO.. went on to become the life philosophy of many.

It goes without saying that, in recent times, people have needed to smile more than ever and so this impromptu initiative has quickly evolved into a viral phenomenon.

“We moved to Australia in August 2019,” Hsieh recalled.

“In January 2020, Australia was facing bushfires that were devastating large parts of the country so we asked ourselves what we could do to help.

“I realised that every single community had so much to do and I wanted to contribute something, ideally involving the Italian diaspora.

“Organising a fundraiser is always a lovely gesture but sometimes it’s more impactful to send a message that can make a difference in people’s lives.

“At that time, my husband had started captioning his photos with ‘POi BO..’ and it became a type of slogan.

“This phrase loosely means that what will be will be, and we just have to enjoy the moment.

“Considering he had many followers, we came up with the idea to sell jumpers and some merchandise with the slogan written on it and donate the proceeds to the emergency services helping with the disaster.”

The couple brainstormed what initiatives were close to their heart and then used the money raised by POi BO.. to lend a helping hand.

After a while, this simple saying became the life motto of many people.

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people were suffering with depression, and so the need to put a smile on people’s faces seemed more important than ever.

“We simply tried to spread a little bit of positivity,” Hsieh continued.

“We think it’s very important to have the right attitude when facing the challenges life throws at us.

“For example, someone with so much might not be happy.

“Whereas, other people with nothing may find joy in the smallest things and be happy with what they have, always looking on the bright side even when it seems difficult and when facing challenges.”

Hsieh and Diamanti strongly believe in the importance of smiles.

In fact, their motto is: “Spread smiles and positive vibes”.

“The more positive you are, the more you will attract positive people and the more negative you are, the more you will attract the opposite,” Hsieh explained.

“Many people aren’t content because they aren’t happy with themselves.

“We don’t want to be presumptuous, thinking we can change everyone; we just want to highlight the importance of self-reflection and finding happiness within.”

POi BO.. helped Wildlife Victoria during Australia’s fire emergency and, in the same year, donated funds to UNICEF, to contribute to the rebuilding of Beirut after the terrible explosion.

Hsieh and Diamanti also have a desire to fund and support the initiatives of individuals.

“We wanted to support the publishing of a children’s book, written by a father, which raises awareness about the diverse cultures in the world and spreads the small message that diversity is a gift,” Hsieh said.

“Often, discrimination can hide in small gestures, like little jokes, and even these small comments can have a considerable impact.

“We wanted to help tackle this issue which is very close to our hearts.

“We also wanted to contribute to the building of a dog shelter in Ferrara, because animal welfare is something we really care about.”

Hsieh emphasised that POi BO.. is not a commercial business, and it never will be.

It is a charitable organisation that aims to give back to the community by reminding people to smile, to live life with the right attitude and, above all, to spread happiness among others.

“We like to imagine our initiative as a big container full of smiles,” Hsieh concluded.

“We will gift these smiles to those that need them the most, and hopefully, they will pass them on, creating a never-ending cycle of smiles.”