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Gone again
Last time I wrote, I promised from Vegas to elaborate on our company's strategy in the coming weeks. My Vegas promise fell empty, since it's been six. I've been falling short in so many ways.
Tomorrow, I'll be at the National Prayer breakfast in DC. That's where Jess and I met at the turn of the millennium. I was in my final months as a student in philosophy at Stanford. Jess was student body president at Bucknell. She was invited, I snuck in via my sister Brooke who was running the event. Tomorrow, things will come full circle as I sit in awe as I watch Jess address the Breakfast as speaker.
Then, I'm off to Europe...gonna visit Amsterdam and a cluster of foundations associated with the Dutch lottery. In Holland, the National Postcode Lottery gives half of its profits to charity. Kiva was a lucky beneficiary this spring of the DOEN Foundation, which is the fund of the Dutch Charity Lotteries. The DOEN foundation took a risk on Kiva at a time when we needed it most. I'll be forever grateful to DOEN for helping us grow into a more mature institution from the fledgling startup we were at the time. After that, I'm off to visit Laurent in Brussels, who single handedly has put computers and cameras in the hands of our partners in Africa. Equipment like this has been a big barrier standing between our lenders and borrowers. I'm excited to put a face behind that legend that has become Laurent.
My work has taken on a schizophrenic tone in the last few months. Fundraising requires big dreams and an ability to absorb tons of feedback. Running an organization is been an exercise in structure, saying no, and avoiding distractions. Balancing both mentalities within the confines of a single day has been challenging. I have no cause to complain. Most of all, life has been a surreal dream for the past few years.
I was right, in December 2005. This project has definitely taken on a life of its own.
Bucknell and Pay It Forward
Hey Matt, how are you? My name is Brian Mannix. I am teacher at Great Neck South Middle School and like your wife a former president of the Bucknell Student Government (93-94). I have been trying to reach a representative for Kiva for a while and I just saw this post, so I'd figure I'd give it a shot.
I am the advisor to a Pay It Forward Club in Great Neck (Long Island) and am running an island-wide Pay It Forward Conference on April 4th. We are having the author of Pay It Forward, a national speaker from Heifer and Julie K Peterson, a woman who works for State Bank & Trust in North Dakota (a company who recently gave its employees $504,000 and told them to pay it forward.
Anyway, long story short, we are having tons of non-profits at the conference and I want Kiva to be represented. There is a good chance that we are going to be in a live feed from NPR's Science Friday to promote the conference and this unique and exciting concept.
Shoot me an email if you could at Mannix6@optonline.net and I can give you more info. I am happy that things are going so well for you and that you are coming full circle with your wife. I hope you enjoy tomorrow.
Keep up the good work!
Sincerely,
Brian Mannix Great Neck South Middle School Pay It Forward Advisor 516.582.3816 Mannix6@optonline.net
greetings from Singapore
hi Matt, i salute you for coming up with KIVA... which has given individuals around the world a perfect platform for getting involved in micro-financing with just a click of the mouse. if you ever set foot in Singapore, i'll be glad to assist in linking you up with the good people at The National Volunteer & Philanthropy Centre (Singapore). warmest regards - ck