The last week has been an emotional one for many of us, and I hope that today we can provide a small channel for something more uplifting: a reflection of your collective compassion for the global poor and an honest look into their lives and the impact of your investments.
Today, we launch GDLive, which provides an unfiltered, near real-time connection with program participants allowing you to hear directly from them and not us. A connection that is honest and transparent, built with respect for both donors and recipients.
While you can find “success stories” and pictures of poor people smiling anywhere, what hasn’t been done before is letting the poor speak for themselves, with no filter, about the things that are important to them, in real time. We’re not editing or curating the feedback to make sure it’s happy, or fits a narrative. We’re letting it hit your screen the moment it hits our database. And in doing so, we hope to provide a platform for the under-heard to speak directly to those who can effect change.
Begin by following a few program participants to learn more about their ambitions, how they plan to spend the money they receive, and the impact your donations are having on their lives and communities. We hope that it will both inspire and challenge you, and lead to some conversations you wouldn’t normally have.