Friday, September 23, 2011

Saying Yes for a month

I am inspired today. Sasha Dichter said "Yes" for a month; from NGO newsletters which asks for donation to a guy on a train who has no money to buy medicines. Maybe the money won't be used for the right medicine but he took a leap of faith.

It made him realize that if "you want the world to be generous and action-oriented, YOU need to be generous and action-oriented first."



Sasha Dichter is director of business development at Acumen Fund, a nonprofit VC for enterprises serving the poor. Acumen Fund promotes "patient capital"; they use philanthropic capital to make disciplined investments – loans or equity, not grants – that yield both financial and social returns. Any financial returns received are recycled into new investments.

I think the world needs this today. Just giving aid is not enough; using the aid that yields both financial and social returns will heal the world.

I am really inspired today! I am going to say yes for a month!

1 comment:

claytonia vices said...

Very interesting and sensible idea although I kept thinking that a lot of charity is just arm-chair philanthropy many of the well-to-do indulge in just to feel a little less guilty about all the binge eating LOL!

I am a bigger fan of those who are interested in working closely with the underprivileged and inspiring them to strive for a greater future. Philanthropy that teaches someone to fish than to be dependent on someone else for the next catch.
All easy to say and hard to do of course! :)