New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof writes on my favorite charity, in an article titled "Clean, Sexy Water."
The next two months, I am going to embark on a series of articles focusing on the need for clean water around the world. I will share about meeting Scott Harrison, founder of charity:water, personally; planning an art show to benefit this charity; and what I've experienced as the growing attention paid to the global water crisis.
Statistic: The average American uses about 150 gallons of water per day. The average third world person struggles to find 5 gallons of water per day.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
How a slice of pepperoni pizza and a large coke changed it all
A few years ago I decided that I would make every attempt to give whenever someone asked for change on the street. At the time, it seemed radical and maybe a little foolish. But it has been one of the best decisions I’ve made in recent years and has really shaped my personal philosophy on money and philanthropy.
The first time I responded to someone’s request was one December night eight years ago. I took a friend for a snack downtown as our friends secretly prepared a surprise birthday party for her. As we walked down the main street, a middle aged man standing with hands crossed in front through frayed gloves, politely and eloquently asked whether I had some change to spare.
I prepared to shake my head, look away, and silently pass by with kindergarten-trained instincts not to talk to strangers. But she stopped. So, I stopped. And she gently asked “It’s Victor, right? I’ve seen you around.” Feeling a little guilty for waiting to just pass by, I fished out all the change I had in my pocket. Full of trepidation, I nervously watched the conversation continue. “Who is this person? How does she know him? What did she have in mind?”
She met him through some volunteer work with the homeless. Towards the end of the conversation, with warmth like talking to an old friend, she asked what he needed then if she could buy him some dinner. A slice of pepperoni pizza and a large coke. We brought him two slices and an extra large.
Shortly after that experience I started a habit of keeping a folded one dollar bill in the front fold of my wallet, precisely for occasions like this. Those one dollar bills led me to fascinating conversations with strangers including trading recipes with a former chef, hearing about different wars from veterans, talking to a former psychologist, diffusing arguments with people suffering from dementia, hearing women escape from abusive relationships, and much more. I’ve learned that circumstances can lead anyone (including me) to similar positions, so why not be generous when one can?
One dollar turned into five dollars, because what can anyone buy with one dollar anymore? And now, I dedicate $50 a month just for unplanned generosity including cash, meals, and other needs. I have and continue to learn so much about the needs of the poor, how charity leaps off your checkbook to the very street you live on, and how transforming even small gifts can be.
"What If" Charge: What if the next time someone asked you for change to spare, you asked for what? What if you give that person a dollar or treated them to a slice of pizza and a large coke?
The first time I responded to someone’s request was one December night eight years ago. I took a friend for a snack downtown as our friends secretly prepared a surprise birthday party for her. As we walked down the main street, a middle aged man standing with hands crossed in front through frayed gloves, politely and eloquently asked whether I had some change to spare.
I prepared to shake my head, look away, and silently pass by with kindergarten-trained instincts not to talk to strangers. But she stopped. So, I stopped. And she gently asked “It’s Victor, right? I’ve seen you around.” Feeling a little guilty for waiting to just pass by, I fished out all the change I had in my pocket. Full of trepidation, I nervously watched the conversation continue. “Who is this person? How does she know him? What did she have in mind?”
She met him through some volunteer work with the homeless. Towards the end of the conversation, with warmth like talking to an old friend, she asked what he needed then if she could buy him some dinner. A slice of pepperoni pizza and a large coke. We brought him two slices and an extra large.
Shortly after that experience I started a habit of keeping a folded one dollar bill in the front fold of my wallet, precisely for occasions like this. Those one dollar bills led me to fascinating conversations with strangers including trading recipes with a former chef, hearing about different wars from veterans, talking to a former psychologist, diffusing arguments with people suffering from dementia, hearing women escape from abusive relationships, and much more. I’ve learned that circumstances can lead anyone (including me) to similar positions, so why not be generous when one can?
One dollar turned into five dollars, because what can anyone buy with one dollar anymore? And now, I dedicate $50 a month just for unplanned generosity including cash, meals, and other needs. I have and continue to learn so much about the needs of the poor, how charity leaps off your checkbook to the very street you live on, and how transforming even small gifts can be.
"What If" Charge: What if the next time someone asked you for change to spare, you asked for what? What if you give that person a dollar or treated them to a slice of pizza and a large coke?
Saturday, May 2, 2009
Microfinance in China, Helping the Rural Poor
Several months ago, a young individual shared a story with me about his experience giving a microloan to China. Through Wokai, an organization facilitating microloans to the rural poor, he made a small contribution to help another person living in Inner-Mongolia. Wokai are the Chinese words for “I start” and demonstrate their commitment to enable the poor to help themselves. I invited him to write this contributed article sharing about his enthusiasm for Wokai.
"I was first introduced to Wokai when I attended a talk by Courtney McColgan, one of the co-founders of Wokai. Wokai is a Kiva for China, connecting lenders in the first world with micro-borrowers in rural China through the Internet. Courtney and her co-founder Casey initially intended to spearhead the formation of Kiva China, but soon realized that Kiva would have regulatory difficulties expanding into China. They decided to form their own organization instead. Many thousands of dollars, months, and the formation of a Chinese on-shore corporation later, Wokai officially launched in the fall of 2008.
"When considering which organizations to support, Wokai has risen into the top of my list for the following reasons:
1. Money lent to a Wokai borrower will be recycled into a new loan of the lender's discretion. Although lenders will not be able to repatriate their money due to regulatory issues in China, this means that contributions will have years to change many lives!
2. Every gift, however small, is a very efficient use of capital. Because the loan amounts requested are small (hundreds of dollars), every marginal dollar contributed to a borrower has a large impact.
3. Wokai's operations are currently focused on Inner-Mongolia, which just so happens to be where my father's family is from."
Links:
[1] Wokai. http://www.wokai.org
[2] “About a gift that keeps on giving” yGive, giveandtell.
Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the contributing author's research and experience, and in no way reflects the official opinion of Wokai or Kiva.
Editor, give and tell
"I was first introduced to Wokai when I attended a talk by Courtney McColgan, one of the co-founders of Wokai. Wokai is a Kiva for China, connecting lenders in the first world with micro-borrowers in rural China through the Internet. Courtney and her co-founder Casey initially intended to spearhead the formation of Kiva China, but soon realized that Kiva would have regulatory difficulties expanding into China. They decided to form their own organization instead. Many thousands of dollars, months, and the formation of a Chinese on-shore corporation later, Wokai officially launched in the fall of 2008.
"When considering which organizations to support, Wokai has risen into the top of my list for the following reasons:
1. Money lent to a Wokai borrower will be recycled into a new loan of the lender's discretion. Although lenders will not be able to repatriate their money due to regulatory issues in China, this means that contributions will have years to change many lives!
2. Every gift, however small, is a very efficient use of capital. Because the loan amounts requested are small (hundreds of dollars), every marginal dollar contributed to a borrower has a large impact.
3. Wokai's operations are currently focused on Inner-Mongolia, which just so happens to be where my father's family is from."
Contributing Author
Links:
[1] Wokai. http://www.wokai.org
[2] “About a gift that keeps on giving” yGive, giveandtell.
Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the contributing author's research and experience, and in no way reflects the official opinion of Wokai or Kiva.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Roses, 5 gallon buckets, and Ethiopia
What do roses and five gallon buckets have in common in Ethiopia? Water. Last month, I attended an event where the speaker showcased a compelling story about water use in Ethiopia. In an example highlighting the intersection of water and jobs, he told a story from his visit near Debre Zeit about women who walk for miles to fill a 5 gallon bucket with unfiltered river water. Just a few miles down, the same water was being used to water greenhouses filled with roses belonging to large, multinational corporations. In a matter of days, these rose farms export, auction these roses in the Netherlands at one of the largest rose auction houses, then ship the roses across the world to their final destinations.
While the juxtaposition of one well-resourced and the neighbor in need is not new, this example and pictures made me think about the importance of water access. Although water for drinking is a forgettable portion of global water use, clean drinking water has huge public health and quality of life benefits. One of my favorite charities of 2008 has been on a campaign to bring clean drinking water to the 1.1 billion people in the world without it.
Feature: charity:water
A few months ago, I bought the most expensive bottle of water of my life - $20 for a 0.5 L. But in return, I was given the promise that the funds would go to provide one person with clean drinking water for 20 years. Not too bad when you put it that way. I fell in love with charity:water through photographs - a toddler holding up a glass of dirt-brown water, a woman with hands cupped filtering leaches out of the water, a hospital with muddy water from a faucet, a well being built, crystal clean water and smiling children. More here. charity:water works with local organizations to build the infrastructure needed for clean water access.
How did they start? Scott Harrison, a New York event planner and consultant, took time off to be a photojournalist on a Mercy Ship and returning heartbroken, founded an organization with their first initiative for water access, charity:water. That was three years ago. Last September, charity:water hosted a multi-million dollar campaign to build 333 wells in Ethiopia. I contributed enthusiastically. Consider hearing about their stories in Bangladesh, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Hondorus, India, Kenya, Liberia, Milawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, or others.
Links:
[1] "Is your water footprint bigger than your carbon footprint?" giveandtell.
[2] charity:water. http://www.charitywater.org
Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the author's research and experience, and in no way reflects the official opinion of charity:water or charity global, inc.
While the juxtaposition of one well-resourced and the neighbor in need is not new, this example and pictures made me think about the importance of water access. Although water for drinking is a forgettable portion of global water use, clean drinking water has huge public health and quality of life benefits. One of my favorite charities of 2008 has been on a campaign to bring clean drinking water to the 1.1 billion people in the world without it.
Feature: charity:water
A few months ago, I bought the most expensive bottle of water of my life - $20 for a 0.5 L. But in return, I was given the promise that the funds would go to provide one person with clean drinking water for 20 years. Not too bad when you put it that way. I fell in love with charity:water through photographs - a toddler holding up a glass of dirt-brown water, a woman with hands cupped filtering leaches out of the water, a hospital with muddy water from a faucet, a well being built, crystal clean water and smiling children. More here. charity:water works with local organizations to build the infrastructure needed for clean water access.
How did they start? Scott Harrison, a New York event planner and consultant, took time off to be a photojournalist on a Mercy Ship and returning heartbroken, founded an organization with their first initiative for water access, charity:water. That was three years ago. Last September, charity:water hosted a multi-million dollar campaign to build 333 wells in Ethiopia. I contributed enthusiastically. Consider hearing about their stories in Bangladesh, Congo, Ethiopia, Haiti, Hondorus, India, Kenya, Liberia, Milawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, or others.
Links:
[1] "Is your water footprint bigger than your carbon footprint?" giveandtell.
[2] charity:water. http://www.charitywater.org
Disclaimer: The information presented here is based on the author's research and experience, and in no way reflects the official opinion of charity:water or charity global, inc.
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