Bridging the Gap between Rich & Poor

This book is written by the CEO of Acumen and her journey from banking, international aid agencies to her own venture fund. The book is a deeply personally book that tracks her own evolving awareness about her role in developing countries and what kind of solutions may work for the people she is trying to assist in Africa. Most human beings she realized don't want to be saved. They want to feel empowered.

The author speaks of reflecting on your journeys and asking better questions. Two of her micro finance initiatives that she set up in Rwanda were completely destroyed after the Rwanda massacre. She wanted to understand what happened to some of the women she had helped. Women who came both victims and perpetrators in the Rwanda massacre. She wanted to tell their stories. Who holds these stories? Why so good human beings do evil things? What are the systems that encourage that? How do you build transparency and accountability into systems so that it does not happen? She also talks about taking personal responsibility. The moral leadership that we need to hone within ourselves to make positive changes in the world.

Her way to address some of these issues was not through aid agencies or charity. Instead she wanted to use market-led solutions like venture funds. She was of the view that you can use the market as listening device and treat some of these victims as customers and find solutions for their problems within the corporate model.

She talks about the inefficiencies of old language in creating new sectors. In the context of philanthropy, taking corporate accountability terms and seeking better returns. Start a more honest conversations with the customers about what does it mean to be part of a market that demands a return on investment. How social ventures wanted to use their capital more efficiently. How do you take the most flexible dollars (ie philanthropy dollars) and create scale and accountability. She is very clear that the market needs to find solutions that rest on dignity rather than charity.