One Thing, One Place

Most of us are imbued with one instinct, among many others. Compassion. We don't like to see children suffering, decent people being being mistreated, or evil being visited upon humans by unjust institutions.

But the fact is that it is happening everyday. It is happening right now. Children are starving, the planet is being degraded, and decent people are being treated unfairly.

Like you, I am a person of limited means. I can't fix all this shit, but I can do something. My motto these days is "One Thing, One Place".

Our constant exposure to the horrors that abound have a tendency to overwhelm us, to make us feel powerless, but we can do one thing in one place.

And so it was that I was quaffing an after work pint with a wise soul or two in the semi darkness of our abandoned bar when I made a proposal to The Siren. (no, not that kind of proposal)

The Siren and I have a birthday within a week of one another. Usually I downplay my birthday, and I have no specific gift requests. What can I say, I'm happy with what I have.

But this year, I do need something. I need to engage you.

Me and the Siren are going to start a Kiva fund.

What is Kiva?

Kiva is a microfinance organization. Instead of giving money to charity, you are loaning it to people. It comes back, you loan it to other people. We are not talking, large amounts, a few hundred dollars can finance a project. The repayment rate is over 98%.

As The Siren and myself agreed to donate our birthdays, I was astonished to find that she was already involved with Kiva.

Truly, I am for more interested in your participation than your money. I am excited by the idea that we can start a little fund that can help people, and that all involved may have an equal say in where that support should go.

I envision a little fund that can give in perpetuity, whereby all participants have a say in where the money goes. Yes, I do want your cash, but mostly I want your commitment.

Clearly, we cannot fix everything, but I can do one thing in one place. And so can you.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

Thank You For Believing With Me

Image by kk+ via Flickr

"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take"

Wayne Gretzky

Taking shots is the essence of being alive.  In our day to day lives, we are constantly debating the merits of what to do, from the mundane to the monumental. I am increasingly coming to embrace a truly Canadian philosophy. Either you shoot, pass, or dump it in. I also came to a realisation that I have spent most of my life dumping the puck in and going to the bench.

In the last little while, I've taken a few shots. I even took a shot from my proverbial side of centre ice that bounced off a bunch of people and went in the net. As a result of that shot, a few children in Africa have a slightly better chance that they will one day be able to take their own shot.

But the thing that Mr. Gretzky failed to mention is that before you can take the shot, someone has to pass you the puck, and that you need a puck in the first place.

Today I went to Western Union Union and sent Toufic $855.97 Cedi, and I want to thank everyone who donated. I know that the window was short for this particular microproject and that more people expressed interest in donating for this, but once the total is met, the window is closed. Don't worry, I'll get you next time.

And all of you may consider that the puck you passed to me has been been passed to Toufic. I know he is going to take his shot.

I just hope he scores.

As I walked out of the Western Union branch, I suddenly felt a little bit better about everything. In the receding light and burgeoning chill of an early spring day I realised that we may not be able to change the world, but that doesen't mean we're powerless.

Sometimes all we need is someone to pass us the puck, and give us a chance to score.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com

The Next Project: Part One, Meeting Matt

In the waning days of my Asia trip I began to feel a need for something more familiar, something that felt a little bit like home. I was in Hanoi and I was really craving a cold pint served in a sleeve and some good fries. My Lonely Planet guide mentioned a place called LePub and it was everything I was looking for in that moment.

Frosty pints, good food and a professionally trained staff who knew how to balance efficiency, friendliness and fun. The people who worked there will never remember me, but I will never forget them. As someone who has worked in the hospitality industry for many years, I tend to be silently judgmental of other places, but the staff at LePub were exemplary. LePub was an oasis at a time when I needed to be in a place where people spoke the same language.

At this point I was beginning to feel a very personal sense of disappointment. Part of my commitment is to make giving a component of my traveling, and I had not come anywhere near that goal, in spite of the obvious need that surrounded me. The level of need I saw in Cambodia will haunt me for a long time, but projects on the scale required are far beyond the means of myself and the people I know.

Then I had a realisation that I had made an error. My intention should not be to create sustainable charitable projects, but to support ones that I find while traveling. The people who are already running these projects know better than I. The only trick is finding the well run project, which brings me back to Matt.

I accidentally met Matt because of some drunken tourist. I had been sitting at a hightop adjacent the bar when twice someone had smashed into my table and caused my beer to spill a little. The staff responded promptly and it was hardly worth getting upset about.

The third time it happened really made me laugh. I had just ordered a fresh pint and excused myself to the washroom. I never saw the pint. When I returned my table and chair were slightly damp, and my notebook was a little soggy. No harm, no foul, I figure, keeping in mind that getting publicly upset is the worst thing one can do in Vietnamese culture.

It was then that I met Matt, one of the owners of LePub. He graciously explained the situation and replaced my pint. We got to talking.

Matt is from the UK. He is a new father, married to a Canadian lady who works for the UN. She is from Dundas, Ontario. I have a friend in Dundas. I tell him about my website and the charity component. He tells me about charities in the area and gives me a multitude of great leads.

Its late now. Hanoi is a city that gets up early. The staff is gone and it is time for me to let Matt go home. I head out into the night gratified that I have found a lead, feeling hopeful that I may yet be able to live up to the very public promises that I have made to myself.

http://www.goyestoeverything.com