Paying to Visit an African Village, Right or Wrong?

We recently took our three kids to Kenya.  Of course, this included a safari in the Maasai Mara, home of the indigenous Maasai Worriors. I did my best to find an outfitter that seemed to give back to the local community and was pleased when we arrived to learn that it was one of only a few outfitters of over hundreds of camps actually owned and run by a Maasai.  Like many outfitters, this safari included the option (for an additional fee) to visit a local Maasai village.

The village clearly knew we were coming and welcomed us with a dance in their traditional Maasai Worrior clothing, took us inside one of their mud huts, talked about how they lived, let us take as many pictures as we wanted, and ended in a little craft market with heavily inflated prices.

Was this a contrived experience?  Should we have done it?

I am going to err on the side and say even though it was contrived to some degree, these people really do live and dress like this.  We are talking tiny mud huts, with no running water, no agriculture, children in tattered clothes of whom a small percent go to school (supported by our safari camp).  Nothing contrived about that.  The Maasai are also extremely proud people and there is pride in showing others how they live.

My travels have taught me that abject poverty and oppression do not necessarily go hand in hand as is easy to assume.  Enough cannot be said about the power of community and a strong sense of tradition to enrich even the poorest of lives.  This is important to me for my kids to understand.

The ending of the visit with the push to buy inflated crafts clearly diminished the geniality.  However, it is sickening to see the millions of dollars passing through the safari camps, a high percentage foreign owned, with obviously very little benefit to the Maasai people who clearly live in extreme poverty.  The ability to charge for people to visit the village is an income source for them.  While not quite what I would call a market based solution, it is an assets they have and one that actually allows them to maintain their sense of community and cultural traditions.  

This isn't because of the demands by  tourists to visit. The income source affords them to stay as a community rather than be swayed to sell their land for short term income.  This results in the disbandment of the community and displacement of many Maasai who have nothing to show for the sale once the money is gone.

Overall, I felt good about the safari outfitter we chose who has created a market based solution that benefits the community and I look at my overpriced purchases as a donation. My family will enjoy them along with the lessons for my children of seeing how differently people can live and do more than just survive even if not quite thrive.

Seeing Hope Where I See Despair

"I believe that every individual has the power to bring about significant change, good or bad. Whether we choose to use that power — and for what purpose — defines our legacy."

-Scott Neeson

Last week Scott Neeson, from the Cambodia Children's Fund, was our keynote speaker for our DirectRelief Women's event.  Scott found hope where I would find hopelessness.  Now, I have a passion for travel and I have a passion for wanting the world to be a better place.  But, I prefer to travel to indigenous villages over cities and I've recently realized why.  I am selfish.

I find the poorest of villages to be filled with hope because of the power a village has to provide a sense of joy through pride in your culture and pride in a shared sense of purpose .  When I see the poor in the cities, I feel hopelessness, despair, and oppression.  While it is not without it's value to experience this as a traveler, selfishly I don't like it. 
 
Scott saw things differently.  In 2004, Scott was on holiday in between jobs as a high profile Hollywood executive.  We are talking major success -  multiple homes, multiple cars and boats, single playboy life, the works.  While in Cambodia, he was exposed to what I would consider the most desperate circumstances possible, children living in the municipal garbage dump, many abandoned, wearing everything they own, no home, no community, and no hope.

Scott proceeded to sell everything, quit his job, and dedicate his life to helping the most destitute of children.  Today the Cambodia Children's Fund cares for and provides comprehensive services like housing, education, and health to over 1,200 children and their families in the dump region.

I have no idea how Scott found hope in the most hopeless of circumstance, but I sure am glad there are people in this world with that ability and power.  Something I noticed about Scott's approach is he didn't try to save all of all of the world's children (I imagine based on the power trip he was on he might have thought he could), or all of Cambodia's children, or even all of Phnom Penh's children.  He picked a distinct area and went really deep, and I mean really deep and he started with just one child.


We can't all be a Scott Neeson, but a few things I took away from his talk and questions to ask ourselves:

• There is always hope where it feels hopeless.  Where do you feel its hopeless and where is there hope in this situation?

• Making a difference in one person's life is making a difference.  Where can you make a difference in just one person's life?

• The value of depth versus breadth.  Where can you go deeper with your involvement on one issue or one organization?

Strategic Philanthropy for the Everyday Philanthropist

The Philanthropic Initiative considers Strategic Philanthropy a continuous cycle of assessment, strategy and implementation.  In other words, how do you go from feeling good to doing good and knowing you are?

Last week, Peter Karoff and I facilitated a panel on Strategic Philanthropy for our Katherine Harvey Fellows. Our panelists included Martha Harmon from the Santa Barbara Foundation, Laurel Anderson from Orfalea Foundation, and Erik Talkin from the Foodbank Santa Barbara County.  They did an amazing job of explaining how their organizations interpret and use strategic philanthropy.

This was high level, valuable insight being shared and it makes perfect sense for a grant maker, but what about everyday philanthropists?  I've spent the last week thinking about how everyday philanthropists can use the concept of strategic philanthropy.

One of the central ideas that came out of this session was the importance of identifying gaps in addressing community needs. But, identify the gap isn't enough.  How do you know it's a gap worth investing in?  Our panelists explained things they looked for in addition to the gap such as:

• leadership
• cross sector involvement (nonprofits, government, private corportions)
• political will
• solvability
• measurability
• community interest

This week also happened to be the week of the Women’s Fund of Santa Barbara Awards Luncheon. Just before the awards were given, they explained their criteria for deciding to propose an agency for an award.  This criteria sounded a lot like the list above!  

As I listened to their criteria, I realized here was a room of 300 plus everyday philanthropists actively involved in strategic philanthropy via the collective giving model that defines the Women’s Fund. These everyday women had given approximately between $250 to $2500 to be part of the vote on how to award $525,000 in funds.  These women were not grant makers they were everyday people involved in strategic philanthropy!

Besides joining the Women's Fund (which I hope you do), what are some questions you could ask when deciding to support a nonprofit:

• Does the nonprofit have a destination and not just a mission?
• Does there seem to be a synergy between the Executive Director and Board Chair or is there a sense of discourse?
• Do they collaborate with other partners?  This could be other nonprofits or with entities like government and private corporations.
• Are they aware of what else is going on in the space besides what they are doing?
• Are they creating pathways or do they just have programs?
• Do they have any plans to create any revenue stream and not just depend on donations? 

The content of this article was compiled from information provided by Peter Karoff, Martha Harmon, Erik Talkin, and Laurel Anderson at the Katherine Harvey Fellows session on Strategic Philanthropy in April 2013. 

What I Thought Was a Smart Question

It's been awhile since I've posted, but I am back with an updated profile justifying why I still consider myself an everyday philanthropist even though I am now employeed in the nonprofit sector.  My recent trip to Guatemala, as a volunteer of DirectRelief, reminds me that regardless of the work I do, I am at heart just an everyday person trying to make a difference and I continue to wrestle with what is making a difference.

Our original intention for the trip was a "service" trip.  The DirectRelief partner we visited, ADRI provides comprehensive community development for 41,000 indigineous Guatemalan's in the Alta Verapaz region.  Notice, I said 41,000 not 40,000, that is because they are excellent at tracking every stat in the villages down to pet vaccinations.  The amazing program manager, Ruby started off providing us an overview of their main programs.

I proceeded to ask what I thought was a very smart question:  How did they determine the program areas?  Are these the essential areas of development identified by experts needed to improve conditions in developing communities?  Without missing a beat and with complete respect, Ruby replied,  "We asked the people in the villages we serve."  And BOOM a lightbulb went off!  Who was I, as a white middle to upper class American, to think these people needed experts to tell them what they needed.

I recovered from my gross error in thinking and we began our "service."  We helped to paint a clinic, we planted yuca root at a village school, and we even got to give out TOMS shoes.  Did our "service," make a difference?  Absolutely not!  Were their many intangible benefits to us being of "service" besides trying to make a bunch of American women feel good?  Absolutely!

Don't get me wrong, there was an inherent tension to doing this type of trip.  Unless you have a true skill and a chunk of time, it's unlikely you are going to blow into a developing country and do anything the locals can't do for themselves.  Does that mean the trip was a waste of time for both the participants and the partner?  In my opinion, it was net positive for everyone. 


What were the benefits of our "service?"

• Although Ruby and his colleague, Esteban, spent two full days letting us be of "service,"  our visit gave them the opportunity to show off and take pride in the work they are doing.  I hope our visit and praise was in some way a gift of reflection and affirmation to keep them inspired to do the work they are doing.

• While it was fascinating for us to gawk at the villagers, our visit was exciting for them, too and lots of laughter was exchanged (mostly due to my goofball friend, Rachael who was good at getting the kids to laugh).  Is this such a bad thing?  I hope our interest in their efforts to improve their lives also gave them pride and inspiration to keep helping themselves.

• There is nothing like seeing first hand the lifestyle of someone who lives in an indigenous village to give you compassion, appreciation for your own life, and inspire you to continue to volunteer your time to improve our world community

• Our visit elevated us to unofficial ambassadors of the good work DirectReleif is doing which we hope will cultivate more supporters of DirectReleif locally and in turn benefit partners around the world like ADRI.

• At the most basic level, in exchange for making us feel of "service,"  ADRI received both a cash donation and a physical donation of goods from us to support their programs. Neither would have be received without our visit.

• And finally, I was reminded of the wonderful Tao of Leadership

Go to the people

Live among them

Learn from them

Start with what they know

Build on what they have

But for the best leaders

When their task is accomplished

Their work is done

The people will all remark

We have done it ourselves.  

Turning Data into Intelligence

There is something that fascinates me about how technology can help solve community solutions.  I am not talking about posting a cause on Facebook and asking people to "like it."  I am talking about creating a real solution or an aid to a real solution.

However, I will admit, at our DirecRelief Women's Fall Gathering when CEO, Thomas Tighe said he was going to show an interactive map of DRI's response to hurricane Sandy, I wanted to quickly get on with the topic we came to hear about, DirectRelief Women's impact on maternal child health in Africa.  But, as he showed the power of data turned into intelligence for helping DRI distribute medical supplies in response to hurricane Sandy, you could hear the room of almost 70 women gasp in amazement.

This multi-million dollar technology was taking DRI's supply chain information, combining it with partner metrics, and layering open source data on top of it at no cost to DRI.  So what exactly does that mean? 

The technology developed by Palantir, works like this:

1. It takes open source data from government agencies like NOAH and determines the hurricane's path before and after it hits. 

2. It can combine this with data from Universities on the most vulnerable socioeconomic counties to determine where there is the greatest need. 

3. DRI can then look at shipping records and medicine use trends of DRI partners in these areas to identify the most critical needs and immediately start shipping supplies.

To see this technology in action, and more examples, checkout this short video or click here:

TAKEAWAYS:

1.  The ability to use technology to solve community issues should not be underestimated.

2.  This is an excellent example of a cross sector solution.  This technology was developed by a private corporation which is using government and university data to help a nonprofit be as responsive and effective as possible with medicines provided by private corporations.  Wow!  Could we ask for anything more?

Remembering Why You are There

The other weekend, I went to the Storyteller annual gala.  I've been a big advocate of Storyteller and the importance of early childhood education for years.

But, I must admit between thinking about what I am going to wear, who we are sitting with, chatting with friends, and making sure I don't drink enough to pay the price in the morning, it's easy for me to loose site of why I am there.  Other than the three minutes when an excellent video on a Storyteller family was shown, the rest of the four hours were simply a party for me.

Then I woke up, luckily one drink shy of regret, to New York Times writer Nicholas Kristof's Sunday article.  It is as if he knew the event was the night before.  It was if he knew Paul Tough was coming to speak in SB next month on "Why Kids Succeed."

In Kristof's article, he and Tough discuss that the character strengths that matter so much to success are not innate.  They are rooted in brain chemistry by the environment in which we grow-up.   One study followed 267 children of first-time low-income mothers for nearly four decades. It found that whether a child received supportive parenting in the first few years of life was at least as good a predictor as I.Q. of whether he or she would graduate from high school.

"This means the cycle can be broken, and the implication is that the most cost-effective way to address poverty isn’t necessarily housing vouchers or welfare initiatives or prison-building. Rather, it may be early childhood education and parenting programs." 

TAKEAWAY:

My clarity is back and I am completely reminded why Storyteller continues to be one of the organizations I give my time and money to and in a twisted way, a little piece of me feels my night of celebration helped make a difference.

Is there something you support that you have forgotten why it is so important to you? 

Its Not the Subject Matter That Counts Most

Last week, Ken Saxon, the founder of Courage to Lead and our newly expanded nonprofit Leading From Within, was awarded the 2012 Man of the Year Award for his service to and impact in our community.  While I expressed what an honor it is to be working with Ken in my last post, this post is not entirely about him.

This post is about Ron Gallo's, President and CEO, Santa Barbara Foundation, speech just prior to the announcement of the award recipients.  In Mr. Gallo's speech, and I am working from memory here, he discussed that sometimes we don't take a stand because we are afraid it will be unpopular.  But, where would our community be if some of the prior Men or Women of the Year award recipients were afraid to be unpopular?  Accomplishments such as fighting for standards in Juvenile Halls and having women and minorities appointed to City Commissions might not have happened.

Mr. Gallo pointed out that wherever one chooses to get involved,  "It is not the subject matter that counts most, but rather the energy, the ingenuity, the commitment and the compassion one brings. "

TAKEAWAYS:

1) Sometimes I wonder if our town has lost the art of civil discord.  What are we not speaking up for because we are concerned about having unpopular views?  I am a strong supporter of Early Childhood Education for the underserved, but some of my friends feel those parents should not have had their children in the first place.  Do I do enough to honor their view while still making a case for these children who are members of our society or do I just politely end the conversation and ask about their child's last sports game?

2) Sometimes I have friends on a committee for a cause that is not high on my radar of importance.  I'd like to be sharing my volunteerism with these friends and connecting with them over committee meetings and other related social events, but I have to remind myself that my time is precious and I need to keep focused on the causes most important to me rather than on which of my friends are on the committee.

3) And while my friends and I do not always have the same priorities on how we give our time, and sometimes we do, I want my friends to feel supported and encouraged in whatever cause they pick because as Mr. Gallos says, "Its not the subject matter that counts most, but the energy, the ingenuity, the commitment and the compassion one brings."

This year's Man of the Year, Ken Saxon, did have to take a stand on an less popular issue.  He took a stand that community leaders cannot continue to expect nonprofit leaders to make the change we want from them if we do not give them the capacity to keep from burning out, if we do not invest in their personal development, and if we do not help them to maintain their soul with the role in a field where there will never be enough resources to feed the last child, or house the last homeless person.