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"From the hammered copper vessels that house soy wax candles to the beautifully intricate patterns that adorn their packaging, the lifestyle line Altru certainly looks chic on the outside\u2014but the real beauty of the brand lies beneath the surface, according to its creator Manuela Testolini.\n\n\"The word 'Altru' comes from 'altruism', which is a belief in giving back to others,\" she explains. \"So, yes,while this is a luxury home fragrance collection, but it was designed to give back.\" Proceeds from the sale of Altru candles, fragrance oils, incense sticks, and incense accessories go toward In A Perfect World, a non-profit organization that Manuela founded in 2005 to support community-based programs that empower kids.\n\nBorn to an Italian father and an Egyptian mother, Manuela was taught to appreciate different cultures, people, and the environment at a young age. \"I got to see that not all people lived the same way, with the same opportunities, that I did in Toronto,\" she remembers. Years later, this lesson led her to study sociology in college, at which time she started volunteering at a homeless shelter. \"I initially had preconceived notions of what the circumstances would be of the people there, but I realized that some people were there simply because they couldn't afford to buy groceries or to pay the rent. I realized that everyone has a story,\" she says.\n\nThrough In A Perfect World, Manuela works tirelessly to ensure that those stories are heard, and she admits she has a special place in heart for young girls, saying, \"Those in the tween age group are often overlooked, so we started a series of one-day workshops around the country called Girl Prep to teach them things like confidence and team building.\" To be able to combine this philanthropic passion with her love for exotic fragrances is, in her eyes, the perfect partnership. \"Companies have an obligation to be socially conscious and responsible,\" she says.\n\nFor more information on In A Perfect World, visit iapw.org.\n\n\u2013JANE SHIN PARK, Beauty &amp;amp; Health Writer"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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