Posts Tagged ‘Philanthropy’

Greater than ‘Me’

It’s lunch time at work and a gazillion thoughts are crowding my brain. I figured I’d share some with you, although they’re incomplete and a little chaotic.

What’s my motivation?

Is it money — ?

– so I can buy that big house… and that super cool sports car… and then wine and dine with the rich and famous?
– so I can give to charity and help others… and support my family and help other families… and provide opportunities and support for children all over the world… and provide scholarships and education to people who can’t afford it?

Is it love — ?

– so everyone will love and worship me… and I will be famous with adoring fans… and then I can talk about how great I am to others?
– so others can be loved… find love… and know love?

Is it success — ?

– so I can hang my accomplishments on the wall… and have my name and picture on TIME magazine… and be in the history books?
– so I can teach other people… and lift them up… and strengthen my community, my country, my world?

It’s not wrong to want nice things. And it’s not wrong to own or pursue nice things.
But It’s not right to have the power to help and deny it.
…And it’s not right to sit idly and do nothing.
…And pride. Unbridled pride is damaging and wrong.

And in the end, there’s always a greater cause than ‘me.’ It’s what I can do to help others.

So how can I learn to be motivated not by love, money, or success, but what I can create with them?

And now I’m clicking the button to post this… even though my brain is telling me not to… 3… 2… 1…

 

Entrepreneur Interview: Abe Niederhauser, Founder of Ads4Africa.org

Abe Niederhauser, Founder of Ads4Africa.org

I was introduced to Abe Niederhauser through my friend and colleague, Travis Washburn, as we toured through Body Worlds 3 in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2008. I was immediately impressed with his down-to-earth yet energetic and creative drive.

A while after we met I learned that he’d launched Ads4Africa.org, a website focused on aiding entrepreneurs in poverty-stricken countries via microfinance loans. This immediately caught my attention as I’ve been following the microfinance work of Muhammad Yunus for years. I was impressed that Abe, probably in his mid-twenties, had such a large vision and was actively engaged in humanitarian work across the world, and that he had found a way to do so from his home with limited finances.

When the opportunity arrived to interview Abe, I quickly jumped at the chance to pick his brain and learn a little about his vision, his values, and his work with Ads4Africa.

I’ve posted our interview below. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
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