Member News

Seattle NGOs asked to do something incredible: work together

I’m an amateur choir geek and a professional international development wonk.

Those things might seem unrelated, but they do have one thing common: when talented and creative people come together, beautiful harmonies are made.

In a choir, it’s obvious how making great music works. But in the struggle to reduce poverty around the world, it’s a little harder to harmonize. We call it a “silo.”

Seattle is home to all kinds of development work:  an NGO that builds wells in rural Guatemala; an institute for Afghan women’s rights; a chocolate factory working with a famous actor to benefit Eastern Congo, Read More “Seattle NGOs asked to do something incredible: work together”

Seattle pushes women’s rights & private sector to fight poverty

It’s International Human Rights Day and you may be surprised to learn that the modern notion of human rights is little more than half a century old. The universal declaration of human rights was made largely due to the Holocaust, the atrocities of WWII.

Locally, the focus of two leading humanitarian organizations is on advancing women’s rights and finding more effective ways to combine traditional aid and development strategies with a supposedly kinder, gentler and more socially responsive private sector.

It’s the Seattle approach – socially liberal and business friendly, if not economically conservative.

“We are compassionate, creative and outward Read More “Seattle pushes women’s rights & private sector to fight poverty”

Interview with Global Washington: Convening the Sector for Collective Action

My next interview was with Global Washington, an umbrella organization for Seattle’s international development NGOs.  Bookda Gheisar, Global Washington’s Executive Director states, “We started Global Washington four years ago because there were many small nonprofits based out of Seattle who were working in the developing world, and we knew that if we could get them talking there would be greater collaboration, better partnerships and an elimination of redundancy.”  Amanda Bidwell from Global Washington reiterated this point, arguing that “we believe that lasting change comes from collective impact.  Our partners know that the problems we are each working on are Read More “Interview with Global Washington: Convening the Sector for Collective Action”