Over the next few weeks, appropriators will be engaged in the challenging task of evaluating U.S. foreign assistance funding, including how effectively Congress’ global health investments are being used.

As organizations funded in part by the U.S government to implement global health programs in the field, we agree that every effort should be made to ensure that funding is used efficiently and distributed in a timely manner. But we also see firsthand how U.S. global health programs are working, and why now is not the time to cut multilateral and bilateral funding for these efforts.

Congress’ decadelong investment in improving global health has been more successful than most of us in this field could have ever imagined. Millions of people are alive today because of signature multilateral programs such as the GAVI Alliance and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and U.S.-led bilateral initiatives including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, the President’s Malaria Initiative, and assistance for tuberculosis and maternal and child health. This success has taken place in parts of the world where progress once seemed unlikely, and often within health systems once thought to be beyond repair.

In regions where little hope existed just 10 years ago, U.S. global health funding has paved the way for dramatic gains against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and maternal and child mortality — and has transformed the lives of millions in the process.

Lyons, Coye, Miles and Stearns: Preserve Congress’ Investment in Global Health
Special to Roll Call |  Charles Lyons, Molly Joel Coye, Carolyn Miles and Richard Stearns | May 9, 2012

In one of the few sunny days of Seattle’s early spring, over fifty people traveled to iLEAP’s presentation and meeting space for Global Washington’s Second Global Workers event. The second installation of this series asked speakers Andrea Ballard and Deborah Agrin to dissect a question that many current and prospective professionals struggle with: What is it that employers really want?

Andrea Ballard, Human Resources Consultant and Career Coach, and Deborah Agrin, current Director of Development and Engagement at Vittana, both brought different perspectives on the job hunt to their talks. The event began with a networking skills workshop led by Ballard. All attendees were asked to practice networking skills they would soon use with employers with each other; and began meeting fellow professionals in the process. The event culminated with a question and answer session addressed to both speakers to build on each other’s perspectives. When asked for final tips, Agrin suggested “be[ing] curious and experiment[ing]”. Ballard implored attendees to “get out of [their] houses and away from [their] computers” when applying for jobs.

But what experimentation did Agrin mean? What did Ballard suggest other than endlessly filling out job applications over the internet?

Both speakers attested to the need of certain skills in the development community, and both speakers assured the audience that those skills could be refined in a number of environments. In short, a perfect candidate for the development field may not come from the development field. Project management is one capacity that the audience was told employers find impressive. The ability to set targets, plan strategically to carry out an assignment, and follow through is a necessity in a field where funding is always at risk. Impact evaluation was also cited as an attractive ability. The speakers pointed out that specialists in statistical analysis, research, or project design could find their skill sets welcomed in this field. Finally, business management was highlighted. Knowing how to do what you say and knowing how to run projects and organizations efficiently makes candidates more competitive.

Both speakers also noted that the most effective people in this field are those with a certain faculty of flexibility. A person who has lived overseas demonstrates that they can survive and work in another culture while a person who is entrepreneurially minded demonstrates a mental agility to take advantage of opportunity where others may not.

When the conversation turned to resumes, several points stood out. Ballard advised applicants to list job accomplishments rather than job duties on their resumes. Often an employer has a partial idea of what you do based on the title you’ve been given. Using your resume as a way to elaborate on how well you did a job or how you did your job differently than most is a good way to display competence in the small space on a resume. Displaying a fluency in different kinds of language is also a skill that many possess but few use their resume to highlight. “Good communication skills” is a common resume phrase. A phrase like “able to adjust communication to fit written, verbal, and business settings” may more accurately describe the importance of your communication abilities.

Ultimately, both speakers were at the event to illuminate the many paths a person with ambitions to enter the development field could take. Recent graduates and students were encouraged to take on all the internships and fellowships they could to accumulate direct experience and responsibility. Mid-career professionals were urged to leverage the skills they’ve already acquired to interview better and build up their resumes. Global Washington thanks the speakers, and those that were able to attend the workshop. We look forward to seeing you all at the next event in the Global Workers series.

by Bryan Gamble

What’s a smart way to empower women worldwide? Get the men involved and give them a chance to feel like they are a part of the solution. In other words, build collaboration.  This past week, Ritu Sharma, co-founder and president of Women Thrive Worldwide, wrote an op-ed, “Violence against women is no ‘women’s issue’” for Politico about the importance of men’s involvement in empowering women.  Using examples from various countries, Sharma gives proof that men need to be involved in shifting the belief systems around customs that tolerate and even promote violence against women.  One example stands out about a man who “didn’t know [he] was not supposed to beat [his] wife,” but who learned through adult education classes that this learned behavior wasn’t necessary, nor productive.  It’s a bit of a shock to read that mindset, but it is not unusual. While working in rural Kenya a couple of years ago, I heard a few men make similar claims, or explain that, according to (insert religious text here), they had the right to treat women as their subordinates and discipline them as necessary. Similarly, some women felt that their husbands had the right to hit them and that this act showed their commitment.

As the article infers, violence against women requires changing the mindset of all those involved – the men and the women of all ranks. Honoring the status bestowed upon men in many cultures promotes more lasting and successful attitudinal changes in the communities.  This has been proven from Haiti to South Africa. Seattle-based Landesa, an organization working to secure land rights in the developing world, has many success stories about men and women empowering each other by working together. For such a story, read Deborah Espinoza’s blog entry, “Land rights for women – a ripple effect.”

Sharma’s op-ed came out the same week the Senate was kicking around the expired Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and trying to cut out key pieces of the Act to purportedly save a few dollars. On Thursday, it passed (phew!), with less funding, but with all key elements still intact. That the VAWA was even considered negotiable is an embarrassing message to the world (if anyone out there can still stomach listening to our politicians).  Communities of men and women in developing countries are challenging themselves to change their mindsets and adhere to a more respectful attitude towards women and structures of dominance.  Such work could prove beneficial right here, too.

Many people who, like me, have crossed into the social sector from a for-profit background, want to see nonprofits take advantage of business principles to generate ever better outcomes. Continuous improvement is one such tool.

To oversimplify, continuous improvement involves capturing crucial performance data in ongoing feedback loops so staff can make enhancements to better serve customers. This process is best known in manufacturing, but the principle has been applied broadly. In service industries, where products are not purchased, cycles of market research and satisfaction tracking can still shape how companies iterate in delivering benefits to customers.

The process involves noticing, capturing, and sharing data on all sorts of dimensions to uncover problem patterns or discover what could be done better. Practitioners react to the information and develop new insights. They adjust what they do and then see how that changes things, starting a new cycle of data gathering. This is exactly how we hope social causes progress. In order to use continuous improvement techniques, an organization needs to watch for leading indicators (earlier than outcome metrics) so changes can be tried sooner, more frequently, and with different subgroups. Unlike traditional monitoring and evaluation, a continuous improvement process is less concerned with maintaining a stable baseline or consistent treatment for comparison at an end point, but instead fosters regular course adjustments, observing what appears to achieve the desired effect.

For-profit businesses invest millions of dollars in market research and customer satisfaction feedback to inform this process. When driven to satisfy customers and the bottom line, companies chase questions most relevant to potential improvements and find ways to embed monitoring into daily operations. They know the resulting insights enable them to create the kind of value that leads to increased purchasing.

While continuous improvement principles can be applied by any nonprofit or social enterprise, microfinance institutions (MFIs) are especially well-placed to employ them. MFIs already operate as a business, are data-driven, and have used similar processes to achieve high repayment rates or to control costs. That’s how they can affordably provide masses of hard to reach people with loans as little as $50.

With the research of Portfolios of the Poor, microfinance is at an inflection point, more aware of the hardships resulting from erratic incomes for people in poverty and the importance of diverse financial tools like insurance to protect against inevitable shocks or savings to provide stability and asset growth. Continuous improvement could be used to assist MFIs in moving from this recognition of client needs to creating effective products and services that fulfill those needs.

It’s a balancing act to diversify services that both address clients’ needs and operate profitably enough to keep expanding into unreached markets. MFIs could apply a continuous improvement approach in these three areas: a) product designs and delivery, b) customer satisfaction feedback systems, and c) social performance management. If MFI’s can build client satisfaction feedback loops they can pay closer attention to and adjust how different products help lives improve. R&D responsive to real-time client input could more rapidly prototype products that meet client-focused needs in new ways. Social performance management can add greater value if designed to glean insights that fuel ongoing improvements vs. react to external questions of impact. Fortunately, with the spread of mobile phones, rough but real-time customer satisfaction tracking, market research, and social performance management surveys could feasibly become automated, and the resulting improvements in operations and product designs could make it worth paying for customer texts (if not covered by a corporate partner).

Thought leaders in the social sector are beginning to outline the elements of such an approach. Former American Evaluation Association President, Michael Quinn Patton “assume[s] a world of multiple causes, diversity of outcomes, inconsistency of interventions, [and] interactive effects at every level”.  To address this, he says in “Evaluation for the Way We Work”, we need embedded evaluators partnering and shaping the “long-term, ongoing process of continuous improvement, adaptation, and intentional change” with more of a “probe-sense-respond” outlook. See Patton’s table in the paper that outlines the qualities different from traditional methods and case studies put in action by FSG’s Strategic Learning & Evaluation Center. Dean Spitzer, another corporate authority, applies his “Performance Measurement Cycle” to turn data into wisdom, action, and continuous learning for social objectives (“Dean Spitzer on Interactivity: The Key to Improving Performance Mea…”). Behavioral economics is incorporating psychology to tweak poverty interventions, such as through Princeton’s Eldar Shafir’s study on the role of marketing in supporting U.S. financial inclusion.

What’s necessary for continuous improvement success? It will take cost-effective feedback mechanisms, expertise, and understanding funders. The social sector needs to build expertise and incentives if it is to benefit from continuous improvement disciplines. MFIs and NGOs will see greater success by owning this problem and building capacity so they can drive the process of learning to make swift adjustments for better outcomes rather than reacting to external scrutiny. Funders need to support this process with tolerance of instructive risks and failures, flexible reporting and budget designations, and resources for social organizations to develop new expertise.

Let’s set a benchmark for an ideal percentage of budget that NGOs spend on continuous improvement (not merely tracking and reporting), similar to what companies spend on market research. And let’s not punish that as “inefficient overhead,” but rather as “sharpening the saw” for better results as Stephen Covey observes in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Let’s learn to publicly celebrate and reward whenever an organization discovers a mistake and makes a change to fix it or takes advantage of a new experiment. Even if trials fail, and those lessons inform other attempts, let’s learn to rejoice with Thomas Edison who found 999 ways not to make a light bulb.

We can’t wait for perfect solutions to such urgent problems, but better outcomes should evolve faster from the “speed-of-business” operations of microfinance or emerging social enterprises as they develop mechanisms for rapid response to client needs. Investing in this approach is one way the corporate world thrives at creating value, wealth, and products/services that people want, so let’s apply it in the social sector to meet human needs.

Further Reading:

1. Development Evaluation: Applying Complexity Concepts to Enhance Innovation and Use by Michael Quinn Patton
2. Transforming Performance Measurement: Rethinking the Way We Measure and Drive Organizational Success by Dean Spitzer
3. Research by Princeton University’s Eldar Shafir
4. Leap of Reason: Managing to Outcomes in an Era of Scarcity by Mario Molino
5. McKinsey & Company Social Sector Office

 Editor’s Note:

This blog was first published on the Center for Financial Inclusion Blog, and is reproduced with the permission of the author.

As ACCION International’s Senior Director of Corporate Partnerships and Adjunct Professor of Northwest University’s master’s course on sustainable organizations, Chris Wolff applies his business background to companies seeking to achieve business plus social objectives through “shared value” or corporate social responsibility.  For more information, visit www.accion.org/corporate.

You can follow Chris on Twitter (@ChrisAWolff)

The mix of knowledge, insight, and experience made for compelling conversations at Wednesday’s wine reception before the screening of  Bonsai People. With financial managers mingling with social entrepreneurs, it seemed the perfect venue to ask people what they thought about the new president of the World Bank. Some attendees weren’t aware of the selection, or if they were, had few opinions about it. This ambivalence is telling. At a cocktail party for people engaged in improving the financial health of the world’s poorest, in a hub of global health and development, the response is “Kim who?” This isn’t to say that folks don’t care or aren’t paying attention, but that the World Bank, its leaders, and what they do, is so far removed from those on the ground, that this kind of news just isn’t on the top of people’s news feeds.

A few facts: On Monday, Dr. Jim Yong Kim became the latest president of the World Bank. An anthropologist and physician, he is co-founder of Partners in Health, is a former director of the HIV/AIDS at WHO, and has served at the president of Dartmouth College since 2009. The other two nominees were Nigerian finance minister and former World Bank managing director, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and former U.N. official and Colombian central banker, José Antonio Campo.

Some people said that Dr. Kim “sounds good on paper,” while others, such as Alan Leong, Director of Research at Biotech Stock Research, noted the controversy of the developed world (namely the U.S.) once again having the control, despite the goal to have more leadership from the developing world, like from Nigeria, or Colombia, for instance. Others expressed frustration with the institution, likening it to big banks and their culture of taking care of their own (executives) rather than the people they are meant to serve.

One attendee framed it this way: “What does the World Bank do that actually reaches real people?”  Others, like Eric Youngren, of Solar Nexus International, hoped that Dr. Kim could start making investments that truly lead to sustainability. Michael Kaemingk, project manager at Lumana, considers the selection a nice surprise that will provide the World Bank a more relevant perspective: “He’s less removed from the concerns of the developing world.”

Zbigniew Bochniarz, a visiting professor at UW Evans School of Public Affairs, acknowledged that Kim is “a good man” and that his record in health care should provide some needed perspective to an organization that has been heavily criticized for neglecting the social aspects of development. “Here’s a guy who knows the issues and is sensitive to them,” he noted, while also congratulating President Obama taking the risk and nominating someone with a development background.

If you decide to dig in and learn more about Dr. Jim Yong Kim, be sure to include this video from last year’s Dartmouth Idol Finals. Wait through a few minutes of that sappy Dirty Dancing theme song, and you’ll witness Dr. Kim doing the robot and rapping in white leather, neon bracelets, and spacey sunglasses. Dr. Kim certainly has the personality, playfulness, and skills of collaboration to bring new leadership and  ideas to the stiff-limbed World Bank.

Economic Development & Poverty Alleviation

Executive Summary

Full Report

More resources on Economic Development and Poverty Alleviation

Global Health

Executive Summary

Full Report

More resources on Global Health

Global Learning

Executive Summary

Full Report

More Resources on Global Learning

Humans & the Environment

Executive Summary

Full Report

More resources on Climate, the Environment and Agriculture

Global Washington, in partnership with Berk & Associates, has developed a Global Development Sector Profile for the state of Washington. This profile, published in 2009, describes the impact of Washington’s global development sector both at home in Washington and around the world, and highlights the unique strengths and accomplishments of our region.

Please view the pdf, or email us to receive a copy by mail.

Global Development through Aid, Partnerships, Trade and Education:
Recommendations from Global Washington

• Executive summary
• Full report

In 2009, U.S. Senators Cantwell and Murray reached out to Global Washington seeking input on strengthening U.S. foreign assistance and examples of successful development partnerships within Washington State. The Senators looked to Global Washington, a regional convening organization, to offer a fresh perspective on global development issues. The attached paper, “Global Development through Aid, Partnerships, Trade and Education: Recommendations from Global Washington” is the result of the collaboration of more than 45 local experts representing the non-profit, business, government, and academic sectors that proposes specific policy recommendation on four topics: Aid; Trade and Development; Public-Private Partnerships; and Global Education.

Principles of Foreign Aid Effectiveness: Global Washington White Paper

• Executive Summary (PDF, 391 KB)
• Full Report (PDF, 1.7 MB)
• Overview of Foreign Aid Principles Project (PDF, 466 KB)

Welcome to the April 2012 issue of the Global Washington newsletter. If you would like to contact us directly, please email us.

IN THIS ISSUE

• Note from our Executive Director
• Changemaker: Michael A. Bumstead: 
Nutritional self-sufficiency — a foundation for healthy families
• Membership
• Welcome New Members
• Announcements
• Global Washington Events
• Upcoming Events

Note from our Executive Director

Greetings,

We are keeping busy at Global Washington with many exciting events coming up this spring!

The second talk in our GlobalWA // Gather series is called Radical Optimism: Can we end the majority of our global dilemmas by 2035? This special collaboration between GlobalWA, the Seattle Symphony, and Benaroya Hall will take place on April 25^th at Benaroya. Our featured speaker is Peter Diamandis, author of the acclaimed book Abundance. The book, subtitled “the future is better than you think,” is an optimistic look at our global future—an important perspective for those of us who are focused on and perhaps weighed down by the problems facing humanity.  This event will also feature special guest, Mark Roth, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, who is currently studying suspended animation. Both of these gentlemen have inspiring TED talks that I would encourage you to check out before attending this event!

We are also excited for the opportunity to host an event on May 3^th at the brand-new Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Visitor Center!  This event is free and will feature Ayuba Gufwan, co-founder of Wheelchairs for Nigeria, an organization that has donated over 5000 wheelchairs to Nigeria’s polio survivors. His talk will be preceded by an opportunity to explore the exhibits at the visitor center.
We are also excited to release our 2011 Annual Report! If you are interested in learning more about Global Washington’s mission and activities, this is a good place to start. The work of our members is an essential part of what we do and so this report also highlights numerous member projects and stories. You can download the report here or email us to request a physical copy.

We appreciate your engagement and hope to see you soon at a GlobalWA event!

In unity,

Bookda Gheisar, Executive Director

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Changemaker: Michael A. Bumstead

Nutritional self-sufficiency — a foundation for healthy families

By Megan Boucher

“You fall in love with these people,” says Michael A. Bumstead, president of the Institute for Self-Reliant Agriculture (TISRA). He points out some of the people he is referring to in the organization’s new informational video: children playing and families smiling and waving into the camera.  He shows me the picture on TISRA’s informational booklet: a blanket filled with brightly-colored fruits and vegetables—tomatoes, corn, potatoes, and bananas. TISRA helps rural farmers achieve nutritional self-sufficiency; the families in the film are now growing enough food to meet their families’ nutritional needs. “I get emotional because I know these people,” comments Mike as the video shows an Ecuadorian couple with two young children. “Remind me to tell you a story about that family.”

The story starts in 2006 when Mike first met the Yambella family in Ecuador, back when he was a donor to the Benson Institute, TISRA’s parent organization. The family was immediately given food for the two young children, whom Mike describes as so malnourished “they were basically on their deathbed. They were checking out.”  18 months after entering the program, the Yambellas were sustainably growing all that they needed.

Mike began his career as a machinist in the aerospace industry, working for a machine shop that his father started in their back yard. The shop grew exponentially over the next 20 years, becoming a supplier to Boeing in the 1980s and growing to include nearly 150 employees. Mike and his brother sold the business in 1998 when Mike wanted to focus his energy on something more personal.

He began funding nutritional programs through the Benson Institute, TISRA’s predecessor. He donated until 2009, when the university associated with Benson closed its agriculture department. Mike couldn’t bear to see such a transformational program go away. “I basically took that whole culture, organized it, and saved it before it disappeared,” he says of his newly-formed a 501(c)3 organization. The Benson directors are now on TISRA’s board of directors and key employees were very happy to retain their jobs. Mike doesn’t take credit for the effectiveness of TISRA’s model, but he did take it to the next level—moving beyond the lab/experiment setting of a university program to a rapidly-expanding organization.

Mike describes a later visit to the Yambellas that showed him the results of this life-changing model. The children’s mother took him into a storage room and showed him barrels filled with beans, grains, and other stored food.  “Before, we didn’t know what we were going to eat. Now we have a different problem,” she told Mike, laughing, but with tears in her eyes. “Now we have to figure out what we’re going to eat—what choices we have!” The Yambellas graduated from the program years ago, but Mike still stops by to see how they’re doing. The children are playful with lots of energy. The family has even started an embroidery business.

The Yambellas represent an ideal success story for TISRA’s nutritional program. The TISRA model addresses the chronic malnutrition faced by rural farmers, who work tirelessly to grow their crops but are unable to sell them for enough money to sufficiently feed their families.  “Growing a single crop, small farms just can’t compete against large agribusinesses,” Mike explains.

TISRA’s program helps farmers create multi-crop endeavors to generate sufficient food. The Institute employs an agronomist, a human nutritionist, and an animal scientist to comprehensively address each family’s nutritional requirements. The nutritionist and agronomist select food and crops based on the family’s needs and what will grow in the area. They then teach growing techniques that include small rotational gardens for vegetables, field crops for calories, and additional foliage to feed small animals. They combine the crops with affordable technology and instruction on health and hygiene issues.  Once the farm is established, TISRA also helps the family raise small animals to augment their diet and to sell for additional income.

TISRA’s anecdotal data suggests that the dollar value of the food they are eating with the rotational model is 5 to 7 times greater than what they were previously generating — a substantial increase in wealth. This results in less disease and health problems for the families. Children are able to better attend and succeed in school. Family resources are freed up for new commercial ventures, such as the embroidery business that the Yambellas started. “Those type of things develop on their own,” says Mike. TISRA stays mission-focused on nutritional self-sufficiency but enjoys working with partners to continue families’ development at the next level.

“It’s important to grow the people as much as a better yield of crops,” Mike emphasizes. “Ownership is absolutely critical.” TISRA only works with families that want the program and never gives handouts. Anything TISRA gives is repaid once the families are self-sufficient.

In only a year-and-half of existence, the organization has impacted hundreds of families in Ecuador, Peru, and Kenya, with plans to expand into Guatemala, Malawi, Ghana, and Zambia. In additional to U.S.-based staff, they have 14 employees in Peru and Ecuador and four employees in Kenya. They are developing a textbook for teaching their program in universities and working on partnerships with regional governments.

The organization is also undergoing a paradigm shift in order to reach more people. “We can’t help world poverty, but our methodology can,” explains Mike. With the current staff they can only work with 50-100 families per country, which is not cost-effective and sustainable on a large scale. The new paradigm will utilize TISRA staff as consultants who will train government employees to implement the TISRA model. TISRA employees will continue working directly with a small number of families, but will be able to reach many more through this strategic partnership. Mike already has letters of intent from regional governments in Peru and Ecuador, expressing their intention to work with TISRA.

Mike has just come back from a trip in South America and recalls a visit to a remote village called Chugay, high in the Andes.  The mayor assembled 18 farmers to meet with Mike and his staff—each farmer had traveled for hours and represented 50-100 families. “We need this,” they said, asking for TISRA’s program to come to Chugay.

Chugay will hopefully soon be another success story that Mike that can come back to a few years later. He loves visiting families who are thriving in the program, with healthier homes, surplus food, and growing children. “The teachers start complaining about the kids,” Mike says, laughing. “They have energy and they’ve become a discipline problem. That’s a good sign!”

Meeting these people motivates Mike to brave treacherous roads, dine on guinea pig, and shiver through the night in cold villages in order to expand this work. “Part of this story I can’t reveal in words,” he says. “You shake their hands and there are tears in their eyes as they say, ‘our kids need this.’” TISRA will start a program in Chugay and continue expanding into new countries and regions—hopefully soon these farmers will begin seeing a nutritional difference in the lives of their children.

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Membership

News & Benefits

Annual report: Our 2012 annual report has arrived! We are really excited to feature the amazing work of our members. You can view or download the report  from our website.

The 18^th Annual Washington State Nonprofit Conference & Expo will take place on Friday, May 11, 2012. Global Washington members can register at the “colleagues & members registration rate” of $175 per person. You can register at www.npconference.org using a special promo code that you should have received by email earlier this month.

Share your story! GlobalWA members: if you have a video about your work that you’d like us to feature on our website, email megan@globalwa.org. We love to tell our members stories in the “featured video” spot on our homepage.

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Welcome New Members

Please welcome our newest Global Washington members. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with their work and think of opportunities for support and collaboration!

A Child’s Right: Our mission is simple: To change the lives of vulnerable children in impoverished urban areas by providing clean, safe drinking water to orphanages, schools, children’s hospitals, street shelters and rescue homes. www.achildsright.org 

World Trade Center Seattle: World Trade Center Seattle (WTCSE) serves as a tribute to the importance of international trade in our region, providing an environment where business leaders can come together to share ideas and strengthen their connections. http://www.wtcseattle.com/

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Announcements

A Must-Read Report about Today’s Global Youth

Microsoft and the International Youth Foundation have released “Opportunity for Action,” a comprehensive report that focuses on the growing opportunity divide among the worlds’ youth – those who have access to education and skills development and those who don’t.  The report aims to create discussion on how the use of technology, investments, and collaboration among Microsoft, businesses, NGOs, and governments can help bridge this gap and give youth an opportunity to succeed in the 21^st century.

This is a 24-page, approachable report that makes for essential reading for all organizations working towards improving the lives of youth everywhere. Both  Microsoft Citizenship Blog and Microsoft News Center have more information and links to download a PDF of the report.

Bonsai People: A Film about the Power of Social Business and the Man Behind the Vision

Muhammed Yunus and the Grameen Bank built a movement by providing microcredit loans to women, and those efforts earned them the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize. Forever seeking pragmatic solutions to world issues, Yunus embarked on a social business model to combat poverty and inequality. This inspiring documentary tracks Yunus’ vision and action, and provides a fresh perspective on humanitarian work.

Bonsai People (80 mins) will show on April 18 at 7pm at Kane Hall, Uof W campus. A VIP wine and cheese reception will be held prior to the screening. Admission costs $15 for the movie and $50 for the reception and movie. Purchase tickets here.

Bring on the Next Fifty!

The 50th Anniversary of the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair officially begins on April 21^st. To mark the occasion, the Seattle Center has scheduled a six-month long celebration, “The Next Fifty,” which will include art exhibits, entertainment, speakers, discussions, and more, all with a look to the future and a shared vision for the region. The celebration kicks off with a full-on, full-day party on April 21. For the next month, until May 21, the focus is “Sustainable Futures.”

Visit www.seattlecenter.com for a complete guide and calendar of the many events to take place, including many organized by Global WA members.

What about the Women? The Role of Women in Post-Quake Haiti

On April 26, World Affairs Council presents acclaimed journalist, author, filmmaker and gender and human rights activist Anne-Christine d’Adesky, in a discussion on the role of women in Haiti.   Ms. D’Adesky, an expert in gender and global issues, has reported prolifically on political and human rights issues, healthcare and HIV/AIDS related issues.  Following the Haiti quake she networked first responders to women’s and orphans groups, reported on Haiti’s progress, and co-founded PotoFanm+Fl, an initiative advocating for Haitian women, girls and grassroots groups to be leaders in rebuilding Haiti.

The program runs from 7- 8:30 pm at the International District/Chinatown Community Center Multipurpose Room.  Cost:

members/non-members: $10/15. More details can be found here.

Celebrate Songea’s Kids Success at a Dinner Soirée

Songea’s Kids brings needed care to at-risk orphans and vulnerable children in one of the poorest areas of southern Tanzania. On May 3, celebrate the organization’s success and support further development on Hope Village at their “Songea Soirée.” The event will feature an East African dinner and keynote speaker, Jawad Khake, former Corporate VP of Microsoft, who was born in Songea.

This event will be held from 6:30-8:30pm at the Northwest African American Museum. Dinner, drinks and entrance to the museum (and knowing you’ve supported the organization) costs $100 per person. Reserve your seat at a table here.

Global Partnerships Breakfast

Start the day off right on May 2^, with coffee, pastries, and the chance to hear about Global Partnerships’ innovative projects. Staff will be on hand to answer questions about how to get more involved in the organization and the global development sector.  Breakfast and conversation will be served 8-9am. To RSVP, email Elise Ricci or call 206-456-7834 by April 25.

Grant makers and Philanthropists: A Chance to Get Inspired

Registration is now open for the 2012 Pacific Northwest Global Donors Conference. This year’s conference includes the ever-inspiring authors Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen (Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and the World) and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, (Purple Hibiscus; Half a Yellow Sun).  The conference will center around eight workshops covering a range of topics, including next-generation philanthropy, and end with a tour of the Gates Foundation Visitor Center and a reception for all participants.

This conference, for northwest grant makers, philanthropists and all those curious about global philanthropy, will be held Friday, May 4, at the Best Western Executive Inn, Seattle. Registration fees: $75. For details, see www.globaldonorsconference.org.

Bringing Water to Kenya by Walking in Seattle

Women’s Enterprise International will hold their 4^th Annual Walk for Water fundraising event on May 6.  By walking the 2.5 to 10 mile distance or sponsoring a walker, you help women in rural Kenya purchase much-needed water tanks.

The walk is held, rain or shine, at Seward Park, Seattle, starting at 1:30pm. Registration costs are $25 adults, $15 students K-12, free for children 6 and under. Visit here for more details and links to register or sponsor.

Nonprofit Professionals and Organizations: Your Chance to Get Inspired

The 18^th Annual Washington State Nonprofit Conference & Expo, “Extreme Makeover: The Nonprofit Way,” brings together influential keynote speakers (Deirdre Maloney, Dede Long and Dan Pallotta), workshop sessions, and exhibitors, to promote a strong non-profit sector.

This conference, for nonprofit professionals and their organizations, will be held Friday, May 11, at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. Visit www.npconference.org for information and registration details.

Global Washington members can register at for a special price, and should have received a discount code by email in the last few weeks.

World Affairs Council Hosts “Gay Rights as Human Rights” Discussion

On Tuesday, May 15, the World Affairs Council will host a “Gay Rights as Human Rights” event. Speakers Cary Alan Johnson, Executive Director of the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission, and Dr. Kapya John Kaoma, Project Director at Political Research Associates, will lead the discussion about the various international perspectives of gay rights and what can be done to protect these rights.

The program runs from 7-8pm at the Center for Spiritual Living, Celebration Hall, and is preceded by a Community Meet & Greet. Cost: members/non-members: $10/15. More details can be found here.

EarthCorps Now Recruiting Homestay Hosts for International Participants

Each year, EarthCorps builds global understanding by inviting people from various corners of the world to work together here in Seattle and fix up our parks and waterways.  EarthCorps is now recruiting potential homestay hosts for these incoming international participants. (This year’s group hails from Laos, Pakistan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, St. Lucia, Brazil, Russia, China and Guatemala.)

For information on hosting a participant, contact Su Thieda, EarthCorps Program Director (su@earthcorps.org or 206.322.9296 ext. 224).  Meet the international participants here.

Travel to Kenya with Habitat for Humanity

Space is still available to build homes with Habitat for Humanity in a Kenyan village. Live and work with the community, participate in cultural activities and build not just homes, but life-long connections with the people.  The 9-day build is scheduled for August 31- September 9, 2012.  For more information, visit Habitat for Humanity’s website.

Support Global Visionaries at 11^th Annual Auction

Fiesta de Guatemala is the theme for Global Visionaries’ 11th Annual Auction which will be held at The Brockey Center of South Seattle Community College on May 12, 2012 at 5:30pm.  Global Visionaries (GV) empowers young people to become global leaders through leadership training and service projects, including trips to Guatemala.  Proceeds from the auction will be used for GV’s scholarship fund, allowing more students to benefit from GV’s innovative programs.

To RSVP, visit http://globalvisionaries.afrogs.org/

Panel discussion about inspiring children to think and act globally

On Thursday, April 26th, Sponge, a leader in children’s language education, is sponsoring “Giving Globally: The Power of Children.” This free event will take place from 7pm to 9pm at the Seattle Children’s Theatre’s West Rehearsal Hall. Panelists include Peter Drury, Development Director for A Child’s Right; Tammy Leland, Co-founder and International Program Director, of Crooked Trails; Lisa Merrill, Principal, Merrill Images and Board Member of Seattle Social Venture Partners; and Jessica Markowitz, the Founder and Board Member, Richard’s Rwanda-IMPUHWE.

When: Thursday, April 26, 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: Seattle Children’s Theatre’s West Rehearsal Hall (201 Thomas St., Seattle)

RSVP: events@spongeschool.com or 206-227-7138.
For more information, visit www.spongeschool.com.

Jokona is conducting a small research project trying to understand how non-profits manage their online fundraising

As part of the project, we are requesting non-profits to fill out a quick survey. The survey should not take more than 10 minutes. The information you share in the survey is strictly for research purposes and we will not share your responses with any 3rd parties.

You can find the survey here: http://kwiksurveys.com?s=LMJIFN_d59e7d4e. In addition to filling out the survey yourself, it would be great if you can help pass the survey to other non-profit colleagues you are connected with.

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Upcoming Global Washington Events

Wednesday, April 25^th
Radical Optimism

Thursday, May 3^rd
Wheelchairs for Nigeria

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Upcoming Events

Tuesday, April 17^th
Employee Benefit Plan Seminar

Robert V. Taylor: A New Way to be Human

YPIN: Spanish Conversation Group

Wednesday, April 18^th
Bonsai People: The Vision of Muhammad Yunus

Thursday, April 19^th
Grameen Foundation 2012 NYC Benefit

Saturday, April 21^st
The Next Fifty Opening Day Celebration

Saturday – Sunday, April 21^st – 22^nd
Global Health & Innovation Conference 2012

Sunday, April 22^nd
Earth Day Celebration

2012 Faces of Hope – Northwest

Monday – Friday, April 23^rd – 27^th
Speakers and Visitors Bureau at World Vision Open House

Monday, April 23^rd
Building Across Borders 2012

Tuesday, April 24^th
Tapatio FUNdraiser

Thursday, April 26^th
William Crano: Discusses THE RULES OF INFLUENCE

The Revenge of the Bellinghamster Trivia Night

What About the Women? The Role of Women in Post-Quake Haiti

Friday – Sunday, April 27^th – 29^th
9^th Annual Western Regional International Health Conference (WRIHC)

Saturday April 28^th
Perspectives in Environment & Culture: Sustaining Biodiversity

Etta’s 2012 Auction

Sunday, April 29^th
2012 Faces of Hope – Northwest

Monday, April 30^th
Perspectives in Environment & Culture: Sustaining Biodiversity

Thursday, May 3^rd
Songea Soiree, an East African Benefit Dinner to Celebrate Songea’s Kids

Friday, May 4^th
2012 Global Donors Conference

Sunday, May 6^th
Fourth Annual Walk for Water

Friday, May 11^th
Extreme Makeover: The Nonprofit Way

Saturday, May 12^th
Global Visionaries’ 11^th Annual Auction

Monday, May 14^th
Passport to Global Health Celebration

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By Akhtar Badshah, Senior Director, Citizenship and Public Affairs, Microsoft

I landed in Cairo earlier today a few hours ago expecting to see significant changes. In many ways everything has changed yet on the drive from the airport to the hotel in Zamalek to across the Nile, Cairo is still the same. The wonderful energy, the crazy traffic with cars moving in a slow dance – it was Friday evening after all and people were out and about enjoying the beautiful evening. Traffic was snarled in some places with the Presidential campaign in full swing and supporters out in the streets waving signs and banners in support of their candidates. For life in a very big city it seems very normal. Yet for many their whole world has been changed completely. Many of us hope for the better but not everyone is that sure.

Right after my arrival I met with 25 youth leaders that have been part of the Microsoft Tech Hope program. This is a program where they are using technology to bring about social change. After the initial introductions the conversation quickly turned to the Arab Spring and the revolution. I asked them if they had been part of the demonstrations in Thahrir Square and all but two raised their hands. The other two were from outside Cairo and participated in local demonstrations. I was surprised as the room had equal number of men and women.

I wanted to know their opinion on the revolution and how they all felt. Almost all of them felt that they, the middle class youth, now felt more empowered. They all felt that they can now do something on their own. They do not have to go into just another job. One of them was very clear, he told me ‘before the revolution my plan was to leave the country and study abroad, find a job there and stay there’. There was no future for him in Egypt. Now he is full of optimism and will stay here and work to bring about positive change in the underserved communities.

Every single one of them felt the revolution had impacted them, but for the poor there has been no immediate impact and for them change will be very slow. All of the youth in the room were concerned about this and as a group felt that they should work together towards equitable change.

I also asked them for their experience with the revolution and if anyone deserves any or some credit for it. One of the young men said the Ministry of Interior. I was taken aback and asked him to explain. He said that January 25 started out as a day of protest as it was Police Day – a day to celebrate the police- and what started out as a protest against the Ministry of Interior spun out of control over the next several days because of the brutal force the Ministry used to squelch the demonstrations. His opinion was if the Ministry had not taken this approach there would not have been a revolution as no one started out wanting a change in power.

One young lady put it best, she said it was the ‘butterfly effect’, one butterfly takes off and then another and suddenly you have a whole flight of butterflies. Everyone got involved, young and old, men and women, rich and poor and that is why she believes everyone is a hero. I just thought that was a great sentiment.

The conversation lasted late into the night and they were all bouncing different ideas off each other about how they can continue to drive positive change and how they all can make a difference together.

At one point, someone asked if the women in the room felt they would lose out when the new regime comes into power. They felt that was not the case, everyone participated and even some try people will not go back and not let anyone push them back.

Hope was the common sentiment in the room, though many are wondering how they can ensure that everyone will benefit from this change.

On Sunday we will launch of Innovate4Good@Microsoft for the Arab region and if this conversation was any indication we’re in for a fantastic event. We have young leaders from across the region including Libya, Tunisia, and Iraq attending the event. I cannot wait to hear their stories.

The butterfly effect – what a great way to start the conversation in Cairo.