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| Nuru CEO Jake Harriman and board chair John Hancox discuss Nuru during the summer of 2007 |
This week, as the world turns its focus to the United Nations, the Sustainable Development
Goals, and the visit of Pope
Francis, I thought it would be a great time to write a short reflection on
the last seven years of Nuru and wish Jake and Nuru a Happy Birthday!
Although Jake and I have known each other for more than half of our lives, it was during the summer of 2007 that I first learned about and
was able to discuss in detail the idea Jake had developed for creating a nonprofit that
could sustainably, scalably, and holistically address the challenges of our
global neighbors living in extreme poverty with a particular emphasis on
addressing those challenges in remote, rural areas—the areas of the world where
85% of those in extreme poverty call home.
During the beginning of September 2008, a small team went
through a two-week intensive training in northern California before a short
period of saying goodbye to friends and family as they made their way to
southwestern Kenya. This team represented the beginnings of Nuru’s work in
Kuria West. The first day in Kuria also happened to be Jake’s birthday (and he
was struck by lightning, but that’s another story).
I can remember so clearly how excited we were that this idea
was launching and even early on we were seeing higher than anticipated
participation levels in programs. I believe that is because from the beginning,
we were building Nuru on the belief that we should be working with, working
through, and building capacity with local leaders, and that they would be the ones best equipped to
bring lasting change long-term to their communities and their country. That
first year alone, 450 farmers joined Nuru’s efforts and saw incredible
increases to crop yield, food security, and economic income.
Over these last seven years, more than 80,000 lives have
been changed in Kenya and Ethiopia. Local Kenyan staff are now preparing to
scale impact to neighboring communities, and the Western staff have
exited—which was also a key ingredient to the plan all along. At the same time
Jake has been able to share Nuru’s story and encourage thousands of other
people to join the fight to end extreme poverty. He’s been honored by the Dalai
Lama, received awards for Social
Entrepreneurship, named a White
House Champion of Change, and even addressed two
former U.S. Presidents at a gathering in Texas. And in the next week, he
will be among a small convergence of global leaders participating in the Clinton
Global Initiative in NYC.
As Jake celebrates his birthday, I hope each of us can take
a moment to reflect and celebrate with him the amazing journey he has given us
the privilege of joining as together we work tenaciously toward being the generation that
sees the end of extreme poverty. The United Nations just committed to the Sustainable Development
Goals as an early birthday present. World leaders are rallying to the call
to see the END of extreme poverty. And together, we will keep pressing onward
toward our goal. These last seven years have been amazing, but today, as a
birthday gift to Jake, and as a commitment to our global neighbors, may we each
set our sights even higher for what we can accomplish together to see end of
extreme poverty in our lifetime. Happy birthday Nuru! Happy birthday Jake Harriman!
And, your death knell is near, extreme poverty!!!
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