learning how to help others - is learning how to learn.
jacqueline novogratz has learned so much - through helping so many. her insight is keen from experience. you can learn from her in talks like this one.... and books like this one....
her ideas will not only continue to rid the world of true poverty - but also rid the world of other impoverished sectors, ie: public education.
in her book, she tells a story of the blue bakery (ch 5). it could read as a how to manual.... for business, for ed..., for....
in ch 12 jacqueline writes about the genocide, "if we have learned anything, it is the horror that can happen when people don't think for themselves, but instead follow authority blindly."
she writes about the potential technology is allowing for change in developing countries - like none other in history. but that the process of "helping" has to be completely redefined.
i can't help but see a relation to education in these words.
my biggest take away:
in helping others - not only do we learn what's important - but we feel a sense of purpose and belonging - something we all crave. what jacqueline shares - is a way to make our giving - not only helpful to us - but helpful to the receiver. money is nice, it's needed, it helps - but the true essence of helping others is empowering them to help themselves. so that they can then be about helping others. now there's a cycle worth riding.
find a great summary of the blue sweater at readitfor.me.