Who we are. What we do. Why we do it.

Who we are. 

What we do.

Why we do it.

Who we are.

What we do.

Why we do it.

About Us Title
About Us Title Mobile

 

I am Sebastian Tirtirau. Since 1994, I have been traveling, working, and exploring more than 150 countries and territories, from the most civilized cities to the most remote corners of the world.

Coming from humble beginnings in a small village in northern Romania, no one would have imagined the span of my explorations.

I left Romania when I was 24 years old with a young wife and a 9-month-old daughter, and landed in South Africa.

The moment I touched down in Johannesburg, I knew this was going to impact my life like nothing else.

In 1996 I reached the Kalahari Desert and met the San (Bushmen) people.

This experience planted a hunger in my heart to go everywhere and meet new tribes.

I am the only non-native adopted by the San tribe from the Kung Bushmen, as well as the only non-native to be adopted by the remote Kiai tribe of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

 

I am Sebastian Tirtirau. Since 1994, I have been traveling, working, and exploring more than 150 countries and territories, from the most civilized cities to the most remote corners of the world.

Coming from humble beginnings in a small village in northern Romania, no one would have imagined the span of my explorations.

I left Romania when I was 24 years old with a young wife and a 9-month-old daughter, and landed in South Africa.

The moment I touched down in Johannesburg, I knew this was going to impact my life like nothing else.

In 1996 I reached the Kalahari Desert and met the San (Bushmen) people.

This experience planted a hunger in my heart to go everywhere and meet new tribes.

I am the only non-native adopted by the San tribe from the Kung Bushmen, as well as the only non-native to be adopted by the remote Kiai tribe of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

I have crossed the world on my motorbike, sailed the South Pacific, slept in igloos and jungles, and survived everything from extreme weather to wildlife attacks. I did all of this to expose myself to this beautiful world, because I believe we have no right to judge anyone until we have lived at least one day in their shoes.

When I met the San people in 1996, I was a very poor student working three jobs. The San people had a very high child mortality rate due to a lack of clean water, and I knew I needed to do something about it. In 1997, after immigrating to the United States, I ended up speaking to a branch of FOX News in Montana. Because I was a close friend of Gau:kana, the Bushman actor from the popular film “The Gods Must Be Crazy,” my message went far and wide. The American public sponsored me to go back and help, and that is how my work started.

Today, the Pilgrim Movement spans the globe. We have no huge organization that eats funding, no corporate sponsors, and no political, religious, or private agendas. We do not have secretaries, buildings, or fleets of vehicles. We install and build everything ourselves, employing local people and creating jobs.

Our Guiding Principles:

  1. No Affiliations: We have no affiliation with any organization, political or otherwise. Our members come from all corners of the world, representing all races, cultures, languages, and beliefs.
  2. Pure Motives: We seek the full, unaltered benefit of the children of the world, without ulterior motives.
  3. Quiet Action: We avoid the shallow “bar talk” of self-proclaimed experts. We do the work practically, physically, and quietly, preferring to change the world without the drums of the crowds.
  4. No Begging: We do not ask for donations or beg for money. We believe that funding will come when we need it, from the right people at the right time. I have done this since 1994, and it has been proven time and time again.

I am Sebastian Tirtirau. Since 1994, I have been traveling, working, and exploring more than 150 countries and territories, from the most civilized cities to the most remote corners of the world.

Coming from humble beginnings in a small village in northern Romania, no one would have imagined the span of my explorations.

I left Romania when I was 24 years old with a young wife and a 9-month-old daughter, and landed in South Africa.

The moment I touched down in Johannesburg, I knew this was going to impact my life like nothing else.

In 1996 I reached the Kalahari Desert and met the San (Bushmen) people.

This experience planted a hunger in my heart to go everywhere and meet new tribes.

I am the only non-native adopted by the San tribe from the Kung Bushmen, as well as the only non-native to be adopted by the remote Kiai tribe of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu.

I have crossed the world on my motorbike, sailed the South Pacific, slept in igloos and jungles, and survived everything from extreme weather to wildlife attacks. I did all of this to expose myself to this beautiful world, because I believe we have no right to judge anyone until we have lived at least one day in their shoes.

When I met the San people in 1996, I was a very poor student working three jobs. The San people had a very high child mortality rate due to a lack of clean water, and I knew I needed to do something about it. In 1997, after immigrating to the United States, I ended up speaking to a branch of FOX News in Montana. Because I was a close friend of Gau:kana, the Bushman actor from the popular film “The Gods Must Be Crazy,” my message went far and wide. The American public sponsored me to go back and help, and that is how my work started.

Today, the Pilgrim Movement spans the globe. We have no huge organization that eats funding, no corporate sponsors, and no political, religious, or private agendas. We do not have secretaries, buildings, or fleets of vehicles. We install and build everything ourselves, employing local people and creating jobs.

Our Guiding Principles:

  1. No Affiliations: We have no affiliation with any organization, political or otherwise. Our members come from all corners of the world, representing all races, cultures, languages, and beliefs.
  2. Pure Motives: We seek the full, unaltered benefit of the children of the world, without ulterior motives.
  3. Quiet Action: We avoid the shallow “bar talk” of self-proclaimed experts. We do the work practically, physically, and quietly, preferring to change the world without the drums of the crowds.
  4. No Begging: We do not ask for donations or beg for money. We believe that funding will come when we need it, from the right people at the right time. I have done this since 1994, and it has been proven time and time again.
What We Do Title

We support orphaned children, install solar-powered water systems in remote villages, and distribute targeted humanitarian aid to communities in need.

Because of a vast network of workers, volunteers, suppliers, and distributors built since 1994, we secure incredible prices for all our projects to ensure our funds go further than most.

Due to my global work in the humanitarian field, I have been exposed to this industry in more than 70 countries and on all 6 inhabited continents.

Our Main Priorities:

  1. Supporting Orphaned Children: We focus heavily on Africa (Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Congo, and Angola). In Zambia alone, we have been caring for 200 orphans since 2010. This support includes education sponsorships for tuition and supplies, food production on our 40-hectare property in Zambia, and building sports and trade skill facilities.
  2. Solar-Powered Water Systems: We dig boreholes and install solar-powered water systems in remote villages. We have installed over 110 systems for the San/Bushmen people of the Kalahari, giving the tribe a fighting chance to help their children survive.
  3. Mosquito Nets: We have distributed more than 50,000 nets to children across Africa and the South Pacific to protect against malaria.
  4. Custom Humanitarian Aid: From blankets and bicycles to chickens, goats, and cows. We do not impose our ideas; local people tell us what they need, and we supply accordingly.

Our Stance on Orphanages

To make it clear: We DO NOT own any orphanages. I do not believe in the institution of the orphanage because it is often abusive, it manipulates donors by keeping orphans in distress, and it alienates children by removing them from their natural environment and culture.

Instead, we utilize care-takers, such as distant relatives, grandmothers, or neighbors, who “adopt” these children into their local village families.

We supply all the food, education, and medical needs so the family carries no financial burden. The orphans grow up in their own society, free of stigma, and quickly start living happy, healthy lives. Our properties serve only as farms for food production and spaces for sports and trade schools.

Due to my global work in the humanitarian field, I have been exposed to this industry in more than 70 countries and on all 6 inhabited continents.

Our Main Priorities:

  1. Supporting Orphaned Children: We focus heavily on Africa (Zambia, Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique, Congo, and Angola). In Zambia alone, we have been caring for 200 orphans since 2010. This support includes education sponsorships for tuition and supplies, food production on our 40-hectare property in Zambia, and building sports and trade skill facilities.
  2. Solar-Powered Water Systems: We dig boreholes and install solar-powered water systems in remote villages. We have installed over 110 systems for the San/Bushmen people of the Kalahari, giving the tribe a fighting chance to help their children survive.
  3. Mosquito Nets: We have distributed more than 50,000 nets to children across Africa and the South Pacific to protect against malaria.
  4. Custom Humanitarian Aid: From blankets and bicycles to chickens, goats, and cows. We do not impose our ideas; local people tell us what they need, and we supply accordingly.

Our Stance on Orphanages

To make it clear: We DO NOT own any orphanages. I do not believe in the institution of the orphanage because it is often abusive, it manipulates donors by keeping orphans in distress, and it alienates children by removing them from their natural environment and culture.

Instead, we utilize care-takers, such as distant relatives, grandmothers, or neighbors, who “adopt” these children into their local village families.

We supply all the food, education, and medical needs so the family carries no financial burden. The orphans grow up in their own society, free of stigma, and quickly start living happy, healthy lives. Our properties serve only as farms for food production and spaces for sports and trade schools.

Why We Do It Title

I believe we are all pilgrims and travelers through this world, here for a while and gone tomorrow.

Let us make it a journey to be remembered, one that will resonate in the hearts of millions and bring hope to thousands of marginalized children around the globe.

This is the most important piece of any calling: WHY?

As a public speaker addressing nearly a million people a year across universities, businesses, and churches worldwide, I have seen a wide range of belief systems. After 25 years, I realized that across the entire world, a growing number of people thirst for something deeply meaningful. Amidst global uncertainty, political turmoil, and division, people want to transcend the shallowness of our world and leave a lasting legacy.

I always believed a great movement was coming. I envisioned a movement not corrupted by hidden agendas, but one that brings hope to thousands of marginalized and underprivileged children around the world.

Our Mission & Purpose:

  • To promote, support, and develop the well-being of underprivileged, marginalized, and remote children of the world.
  • To create sustainable infrastructure, like solar water systems, agriculture, and schools, to support these communities.
  • To bring true care and love by empowering local communities to raise these children in their native culture and language.
  • To educate adults on protecting children from abuse and exploitation.
  • To live by the purest definition of religion: “The purest religion is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (James 1:27) No other definition is accepted in connection with our work, keeping all other religious agendas at bay so children have the freedom to choose their own destiny.

This is the most important piece of any calling: WHY?

As a public speaker addressing nearly a million people a year across universities, businesses, and churches worldwide, I have seen a wide range of belief systems. After 25 years, I realized that across the entire world, a growing number of people thirst for something deeply meaningful. Amidst global uncertainty, political turmoil, and division, people want to transcend the shallowness of our world and leave a lasting legacy.

I always believed a great movement was coming. I envisioned a movement not corrupted by hidden agendas, but one that brings hope to thousands of marginalized and underprivileged children around the world.

Our Mission & Purpose:

  • To promote, support, and develop the well-being of underprivileged, marginalized, and remote children of the world.
  • To create sustainable infrastructure, like solar water systems, agriculture, and schools, to support these communities.
  • To bring true care and love by empowering local communities to raise these children in their native culture and language.
  • To educate adults on protecting children from abuse and exploitation.
  • To live by the purest definition of religion: “The purest religion is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.” (James 1:27) No other definition is accepted in connection with our work, keeping all other religious agendas at bay so children have the freedom to choose their own destiny.
Join the Movement Title
Join the Movement Title Mobile

If you want to be a part of this incredible movement, spanning the globe and staying true to its mission without manipulation or hidden agendas,

Please Join Us Title

Become a Pilgrim, a traveler, and a visionary for the sake of our little ones, born without fault into this world and suffering because of its injustices.

Write to us at: contact@pilgrimmovement.org and give us a brief introduction about yourself.