First published 2009
Jacqueline Novogratz abandons her international banking career to tackle global poverty firsthand. Her journey begins with a childhood blue sweater she donated to Goodwill in Virginia, only to discover eleven years later that a young boy in Rwanda wears that same sweater with her name still inside. This moment reveals how deeply interconnected our world has become. Novogratz chronicles her evolution from naive idealist to seasoned poverty fighter, sharing stories of women dancing in Nairobi slums, unwed mothers launching bakeries, and genocide survivors rebuilding their lives. She witnesses how traditional charity repeatedly fails communities while discovering that patient capital investments can create lasting change. Through encounters with entrepreneurs serving the poor despite overwhelming obstacles, Novogratz develops new approaches to philanthropy that prioritize dignity over dependence. Her memoir challenges readers to reconsider how we engage with global poverty and calls for investment strategies that empower rather than patronize.
Genres: business, autobiography, economics, biography-memoir, 21st-century, entrepreneurship, global-warming, africa
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, personal-journey
Setting: Nairobi, Rwanda, Virginia
Period: 21st-century
272 pages · Hardcover · Rodale Books