Processing the Greg Mortenson Controversy

I had other ideas on this week's posts, including ideas sent from some of you.  However, I felt compelled to process my feelings about the Greg Mortenson controversy. 


I saw the 60 mins. story Sunday night, read the Outside Online exclusive interview with Greg and am just sitting here heartbroken.  So, I decided to check in with another hero of mine, Kristof to see if he had been writing anything and sure enough he'd written today's column about it.  As expected, Kristof nailed it on so many levels and because I couldn't even begin to capture it as well,  I am posting my favorite parts of his article.

"My inclination is to reserve judgment until we know more, for disorganization may explain more faults than dishonesty."

"He was right about the need for American outreach in the Muslim world. He was right that building schools tends to promote stability more than dropping bombs. He was right about the transformative power of education, especially girls’ education. He was right about the need to listen to local people — yes, over cup after cup after cup of tea — rather than just issue instructions. "

"I worry that scandals like this — or like the disputes about microfinance in India and Bangladesh — will leave Americans disillusioned and cynical. And it’s true that in their struggle to raise money, aid groups sometimes oversell how easy it is to get results. Helping people is more difficult than it seems."

"The furor over Greg’s work breaks my heart. And the greatest loss will be felt not by those of us whose hero is discredited, nor even by Greg himself, but by countless children in Afghanistan who now won’t get an education after all. But let’s not forget that even if all the allegations turn out to be true, Greg has still built more schools and transformed more children’s lives than you or I ever will."

"As we sift the truth of these allegations, let’s not allow this uproar to obscure that larger message of the possibility of change."

TAKEAWAYS:


Don't stop giving, just start asking.

I fear the big loser will be the underserved in the world because people will be scared of giving.  Even if there is a way to prove everything 60 mins said as wrong, and let's face it, some of it is probably true, the damage is done.  Greg inspired people.  He inspired people to be philanthropists regardless of the cause they gave to.  He inspired people to feel they could make a change.

I'm worried people will stop giving out of fear.  There's a gap between the unrealistic expectations we have of nonprofits, the reality of actually implementing help in complicated situations, and the lack of business expertise within nonprofits.

I don't know how to reconcile all of this, but I do know I don't want people to stop giving, but instead start asking more questions so you have a realistic understanding of issues facing the nonprofits you support.  Who knows, by better understanding their challenges, you might find additional ways of supporting them.

Getting Re-inspired

Last week was voting week for the Women's Fund, a collective giving circle.   I have to admit, between having sick kids home 15 school days in February, taking back to back trips in March, doing a marketing contract for a local foundation, fulfilling my volunteer commitments, and just being mom and wife, I was feeling pretty burnt out and stressed out when the ballot came.  I am a group captain which means the arrival of the ballot meant I needed to organize a meeting with my group to review the choices.  This seemed like an impossible feat with everything going on.

Somehow, I manged to throw a date out to my group, clean my house, and put on a pot of coffee.  The first person to arrive was a new group member and someone I have no doubt gets asked by numerous nonprofits for support.  She was barely through my door when she said, "I was so blown away with the level of time and detail that went into creating this ballot.  It's really impressive."  I was starting to feel the chore of the morning slip away and the joy of doing something meaningful creep in.

Once the group got started, another friend, a third year group member and someone I know is a target by numerous nonprofits, said, "I love being a part of this.  It is so much fun and I feel like I get to make such an impact.  It's really great."  Needless to say, we had a fantastic discussion about each project on the ballot.  Each member of the group had varying experiences in the community, offering different perspectives on each project.

As I cleaned up the coffee cups, I was glowing with pride:

- pride in my friends for being so involved in the community,
- pride in the Women's Fund for taking the time to create the ballot,
- pride in the people committed to the organizations on the ballot,
- and yes, pride in myself for providing a forum where people got the rush of deciding how to give away $585,000.


TAKEWAWAY:
Sometimes we are so busy and over committed that our philanthropic actions feel like one more obligation or an item to check off our "to do" list.  It's hard to remember to stop yourself and reflect on the cause and people in need that motivated you to get involved in the first place.  In all the rush, give yourself a moment to reflect on the good you are doing and allow yourself to feel pride in your work.

Kidz for a Cure Event

It's always great to post an event founded by kids.  Below is the flyer for this year's Kidz for a Cure.  I mentioned it as a great way to volunteer with your kids on a earlier post.  You really don't need a lot of stuff to participate and it's a good excuse to clean out your kid's closets.

Take Action Opportunity for Early Childhood Education

Thanks to a reader for sending in the following.  It goes nicely with my recent takeways from my Liberia trip on the need to take more action on influencing our policy makers:

Senator Bob Casey from Pennsylvania has introduced a bill that would reward states for advancing their early learning systems.

S. 470 would provide federal funding to help expand and improve early learning programs in the states. It reflects an understanding of over 50 years of research proving that high-quality early learning programs are very effective at reducing high school drop out rates.

Early support for bills like this can make or break it. The more people who write in, the more Senate co-sponsors the bill will gain and the more likely it is to ultimately come up for a vote.  Click HERE to support this bill.

EVERYDAY Takeaways from Liberia (final trip post)

Going to Liberia, being hosted by the presidential office, and learning about grassroots development projects in small villages is far from EVERYDAY.   However, I still took away lessons that apply to EVERYDAY.


TAKEAWAY #1 - I learned the importance of investing in a civil society.  


The Minister of Investment and Commerce spoke about one of the greatest needs in Liberia is to strengthen its civil society.  A civil society is informed and knowledgeable and will push back on those that challenge to undermine it.  Relating this back to EVERYDAY,  I realized posting blog articles that help us be better informed and more knowledgeable IS action.  Not everything needs an immediate physical action to be valuable to learn about.


TAKEWAY #2 - I learned the importance of government and policy on impacting change. 

In some way I knew this, but I never concretely understood the importance of this.  I've had  a bit of a "laissez a faire" attitude to local, state and national government, but I realize to change issues I care about, I need to care more about what government is doing.


TAKEAWAY #3 - I learned how little it takes to impact someone living in extreme poverty

It is as simple as teaching someone to be an egg farmer at a 50% margin vs. a coal burner at 10% or giving someone a micro loan to build a small business vs. being a petty trader.  EVERYDAY I need to realize small gains make a big impact even if they don't solve everything.


TAKEAWAY #4  - I learned to not assume because someone lives in a village of mud huts with no indoor pluming, electricity, or running water that they don't feel love or happiness.  

My new friend, Moses, on the trip taught me that based on his first hand experience.  EVERYDAY, I need to have faith that kids can feel joy when raised with a loving parent regardless of that parent's economic means.


TAKEAWAY #5 - I learned the difference between aid, sustainable aid, and development.  

In non-emergency situations, aid comes and goes (like providing medicines), sustainable aid provides something that can be on-going once the aid stops (like a water pump), and development creates economic opportunity so people don't need aid or sustainable aid (like working at a fair trade manufacturer).



Finally, I would like to thank The Eleos Foundation for the amazing opportunity to have this experience.  I hope you will check out their website and learn more about their projects to eradicate extreme poverty and about attending their quarterly educational speakers.  They actually hosted my hero, Kristof, last fall and I missed it, but Andy assures me he was every bit as impressive in person.

Liberia Pictures

Here are just a sample of pictures from the trip that relate to some of the projects we learned about. 

Kids hanging on schoolyard fence that cannot afford to attend the school.

School children at the Children Assistance Program

Example of new safe and more efficient coal burning stove

Traditional cooking method

Solar light made from plastic water bottles to light huts

Women who have received micro finance loans to cross boarders an import their own wares, proudly standing before their market shops.

Petty traders at the same market

Above: Egg Farmer's who now make a 50% margin vs. the 10% margin from coal burning.

Below:  Egg farmer's home, typical Liberian village home.

Above: the collection of coal in buddles being brought home to be burnt for four months before it's able to be sold.  

Below:  Coal used for cooking

Above:  local mining villagers welcoming us with a gift of a live chicken. 

Below:  Miners at work.

Workers at the first fair trade manufacturer in Liberia.  The women own 49% of the company, have a health account, and a two to one match for every dollar they save.

Top:  Most of the women from the manufacturer live in the poorest slum in West Africa

Middle and Below:  The women used their first profits from the company to rebuild their school which is located in the middle of the slum. It was just bamboo walls and had been shut down by the government for safety reasons.

Above:  currently used xray machine at one of the nicest medical facilities available in Liberia

Below:  HIV testing area at clinic.

To see more photos check out my Facebook Page (you don't need to be on Facebook to access).