Catalyzing

Salehe, Me and UVa Cap

Jacqueline Novograt’s The Blue Sweater in many ways was the final push for me to come to Africa.  But I never imagined I would have my own “Blue Sweater” moment.  Go here to read more about it!

Kiva is a p2p microfinance online platform that allows individuals to lend to low-income entrepreneurs all over the world.  For $25, anyone can lend interest-free to less fortunate individuals who have been marginalized by the formal financial sector.  And though the non-profit runs on a beautiful and simple concept, successful execution of this concept is ridden with difficulties. The organization strives for complete transparency, but is prone to high levels of public scrutiny.  Critics argue that there is much room for human error and fraud, and they are completely accurate.  Where does your money really go?  How is it being used? What really happens on the fields? Enter the Kiva Fellows.

On Sept 21st,  49 individuals came together in SF to begin the training for a  journey.  These individuals could not have been more different but for a desire they all shared. This desire is to engage themselves in the grassroots movement that is Kiva.  These 49 comprise the 9th class of Kiva Fellows (KF9) and will be spread across South America, Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia and Southeast Asia.  And I have the honor of being a part of this group. 

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The Blue Sweater documents the experiences of Jacqueline Novogratz, the patient capitalist who founded the non-profit venture capital firm, Acumen Fund.  It had me by page 10. Novogratz is an alumni of UVa, who completed a bachelors in economics while there. After graduation, she moved to NYC to pursue a lucrative career at Chase Manhattan.  Though her cushy job took her around the world, she eventually came to the realization that she could do more from the field.  Thus at age 25, she went to Rwanda to work in microfinance. Sounds familiar? (more…)

My “aha” moment came to me around December when AK asked if he should buy a pair of shoes from www.tomshoes.com.   Their business model is simple but ingenious – for every pair purchased, another will be donated to a child in need.  Are we entering a new era where social impact and profit making are no longer mutually exclusive?  Is doing good, good for the wallet?

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