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I am unambiguously not a religious person, but...
Canada is headquarters of …“an association of compassionate business women and men who invest in the lives of families living in poverty around the world. We are committed...business owners, executives and leaders (who) integrate their life values with business in practical ways to help the poor.” (organizational website, excerpted). Talk about blended value investing.
From the same association comes a superlative magazine about social entrepreneurs. Called The Marketplace, it is published by the Mennonite Economic Development Association (MEDA). On every cover: “Where Christian faith gets down to business”.
For myself, I am unambiguously not a religious person. If it has vibrant stained glass windows, I do admit enjoying the occasional European cathedral, but I don’t think that counts. I read The Marketplace because every article is about a soulful, committed businessperson who has infused his or her enterprise with social values.
In fact, one suspects that the popularized phrases “blended value” or “triple bottom line” are meaningless to MEDA’s social activism. Where there is no distinction between how one makes a living and how one lives his or her life, investments don’t need blending because values are all there is.
Many high-impact anti-poverty crusaders advance towards economic justice as a religious calling or based on a spiritual rootedness in a common humanity:
MEDA Investments Inc President Gerhard Pries is an Opportunity Collaboration Delegate (workshop title: “Please Hold My Hand: Private Sector Investors Want to Change the World, But We're Scared as Hell.”). Another faith-motivated Delegate is Brian T. Fikkert, Director, Chalmers Center for Economic Development (Covenant College) which “helps churches to help the poor to help themselves”.
Cheri Huber, Founder, Living Compassion Zen Monastery Peace Center, Donna Katzin, Executive Director, Shared Interest and a Board member of Jewish Funds for Justice, Robert Gailey, Director, Center for International Development, Point Loma Nazarene University, Peter Greer, President, Hope International, Beth Fletcher Walden, Vice President, Trinity Church Wall Street, are also Delegates.
The American poet W.H. Auden once opined, “We are here on earth to do good to others. What the others are here for, I don’t know.”
At the Opportunity Collaboration, everyone, saint and sinner, of faith and no faith, every ideology and every credo is welcome. Onward, Opportunity Soldiers.
william Annang
My name is william Annang , Executive Director of Glona Healthcare and Vocational Academy , commented to the development and improvement on the living condition of deprived children and their families through child literacy education , community, Personneel and food Hyienne . as we are commneted to helping alleviated poverty so it is that I seek for Partners or interested group , organisation , individual and heat warming people to join to assisting these children and their families in Ghana .together we can most definit make the world a lovely Place for children living in Poverty and ignorance. building contact and establishing trust and support, we belive is the best approach into Partnering to help other in need . director@glonacharity.kabissa.org. I am willing to provide and support any information required NB: love for humenity and passion to make change is great way to make decision . thank for reading this massege