Posted on May 18th, 2012 by Keith Ferrazzi
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Last minute preparations are underway for our return trip to Guatemala at the end of next week. I am looking forward to seeing the impact of our work in the winter and working toward making an even greater impact on the lives of these deserving people.
What we are doing is made possible by the generous donations that have been made by friends and supporters like you. I wish I could name you all individually, but know that I thank you from the bottom of my heart, as do the families who are benefiting from your help.
I do want to acknowledge one special donor. Sarah Thomas identified one of our Big Task Foundation kids to receive donations in her mothers' name, Gill Thomas. These donations will fund Abner's education until he graduates.
Sarah writes:
"Gill Thomas was born on 6th October 1939 in England and passed away after losing her battle with cancer on 15th February 2012, leaving behind her husband Eric, daughter Sarah and son, Simon. Gill was a lifelong teacher with a passion for education, the English language and reading. She taught both her children to read and ignited a lifelong passion for books in both of them. Gill taught primary school children during her career as well as English as a foreign language and adult reading classes. She loved learning and inspiring others. One of the most touching tributes on her passing came from a former pupil from the very first class she taught after graduating from college who simply thanked Gill for giving her such a happy childhood.
Rather than asking people to send flowers to mark Gill’s passing, as a family we thought it was a much more fitting tribute to remember her in a positive way – by giving a child an education and a future that they may not otherwise have had. Everyone who knew Gill commented how fitting it was and we are thrilled that through the Big Task Foundation we will be able to help her memory live on by enabling someone else to learn, be inspired and to achieve their dreams through education. We are all looking forward to meeting (virtually) the child we sponsor and through Keith and his team, helping him develop a passion for learning and open up new opportunities for himself and his family."
The child they are sponsoring, Abner, is 10 years old and a 4th-grade student at San Miguel Milpas Altas. He lives with his mother, grandmother, and brothers in a small tin house with a cement floor.
Abner wrote a letter to thank the Thomas family (translated from Spanish):
Thank the support you give me, I'm happy to have you in my life as you know I am in in good health and my family too I would like to know more of you and that you know more about me. I always ask God to watch over and protect you. I want to tell you that I did my first two months of classes and I got a good degrees. You are my second family because I have only my mother and my brothers and my grandmother. my mother is a single mother to come forward with us when I grow up I want to be an expert accountant after working very hard. And support my family and people.
The educational support coming from the Thomas family will completely change the direction of Abner's life. An amazing legacy for Gill Thomas, I think she would approve.
Any donations of any size to support our work are welcome - you can donate via Paypal through the link here. Stay tuned over the next weeks for updates from the trip.
Posted on May 11th, 2012 by admin
Check out a few of the posts on the myGreenlight blog this week: 
Enjoy!
Posted on April 27th, 2012 by admin
Check out a few of the great posts on the myGreenlight blog this week:
Enjoy!
Posted on April 13th, 2012 by admin
Check out a few of the great posts on the myGreenlight blog this week:
Enjoy!
Posted on April 5th, 2012 by Keith Ferrazzi
Back in mid-January, a Tweet from Niall Doherty popped up on my radar:
I asked him if he'd write us a guest blog post to report back on his "Month of Generosity" and he agreed to keep us posted on his experience. Last week Niall sent in his report on what happened when he shifted his focus from his own success to helping those around him achieve more. Here is his story.
By: Niall Doherty
While reading Never Eat Alone for the first time earlier this year, I was particularly struck by the following words...
“You can be more successful in two months by becoming really interested in other people’s success than you can in two years trying to get other people interested in your own success.”
Throughout the previous months I'd come to realize just how addicted I was to self-promotion. I would often get so caught up in telling my own story and sharing my own ideas (either via my blog or in-person conversation), that I'd usually fail to find out the interesting stories of others and learn from them.
Keith's words above were the nudge I needed to finally go ahead and take steps to remedy this.
And so I came up with The Month Of No Self Promo. The idea was to flip everything for the month of February. What would happen if I held back on all forms of self-promotion and instead devoted my time and energy to helping others succeed? What would happen if I resisted the urge to tell my story and instead encouraged other people to tell theirs?
I crafted a handful of rules to abide by for the month: Read more →
Posted on March 23rd, 2012 by Keith Ferrazzi
You may remember that I spent the time between Christmas and New Year’s in Guatemala, working with orphanages, local organizations, and social entrepreneurs to improve the circumstances of underprivileged children. We were happy to have the chance to follow up with some children we had met during our first trip in 2009.
Telma is looking forward to giving the kids in her village better access to education.
Kids like Telma, a 17-year-old who is working toward becoming a teacher and looking forward to supporting education in her village. And Maribel, who feels very fortunate to have the opportunity to continue her studies and dreams of becoming an advocate to defend the rights of women in her community. Maribel says that her two sisters and three brothers give her the courage to move forward so that she can help them fulfill their dreams.
We also caught up with Jose, also 17, who completed secondary school and is working toward his degree in Computer Science. Jose's dream is to speak English very well, help his community, and make his father proud.
Because of the donations from our community and the work accomplished during our trips, these kids and many others have the chance to break out of the cycle of poverty that keeps so many from achieving their dreams.
I was thrilled to have a great group of individuals and families join us and share this intimate experience in service. Now, I would like to identify the group of people to join the next trip.
Jose wants to make his father proud. I think he already is.
On May 25th, we will depart again for Antigua. Our group will spend 4 days revisiting the groups we have already started to work with, finding out what needs to be done next to create an on-going, sustainable support system to make a difference in the lives of these deserving kids and families.
Each day we will embark on service trips to a local orphanage, school, or other site that needs assistance. We will continue our work with the local organizations that assist the non-profits of the 22 communities of Sacatepequez, the state where Antigua is located.
Will you join us? Details of the trip (including costs) are available via the link below. We will need to receive applications from interested parties by Friday, April 6th. (Sorry, short notice, I know!)
Itinerary for Guatemala Trip - May 2012
Big Task Trip Application
You can read more about our work in Guatemala here - and see blog posts from members of the group who went on the trip in December.
I hope you will consider joining us. Spending time with these kids will change the way you think about your life and your priorities. This is the ultimate chance to share generosity with people who truly appreciate your efforts.
Posted on January 20th, 2012 by admin
Check out a few of the great posts on the myGreenlight blog this week:
- If the Timing's Right... - The best time to send emails for optimal response is up for debate. Join the discussion.
- Giving as a Business Strategy - A post by speaker, writer, strategist, Dan Waldschmidt.
- Relationship Roundup - Tips on diversifying your influence style, how “NO” can help clear your plate for the important, connecting in the future, and the new connected consumer.
Enjoy!
Posted on January 10th, 2012 by Keith Ferrazzi
I am just back from my second trip to Guatemala, and am feeling more committed than ever to weaving volunteerism and service into corporate America’s 
culture. There are so many in need, and I believe that as in all real relationships, the benefits are mutual – we receive as much or more than we give.
This year, it wasn’t just “my” trip. I traveled to Antigua, one of Guatemala’s poorest regions, with a group of 11 others, all of whom not only volunteered but also made donations (along with some of you via Paypal!). Together these donations will send 25 of the brightest, most promising children to school and pay for food and health care. Thank you to the Livecchi Family, the Lim Family, Gold, Jordan, and those who donated online!
Media entrepreneur Joe Livecchi wrote a trip diary and shared the story of a moment that I think is a strong metaphor for the entire experience. After spraining his ankle and having to sit out some of the day’s fun activities, he wrote: “One of the boys I had talked to earlier came over to check on me. He offers me a piece of the candy he retrieved from the piñata to try and ease my pain… That's when it hit me. I had flown thousands of miles to help these kids and I was the one being comforted by an eight-year-old child who has almost nothing.”
Again, we get more than we give. In fellow traveler Max Lyons’ words, “The transformational impact we're seeking to have in the lives of these children is being returned to me just as much, if not more so.”
Joe’s daughter, Sophie, age 12, wrote her own blog. My favorite line from it: “I suddenly just figured out this whole new world of poverty. Nobody on the other side realizes this world. If everyone could get the experience that I got to come here... The other half would be more grateful, and this half could get more help.”
As I wrote on the blog, I went intending to fund 10 children. I finished the trip with a total of 41 names. Together, between my donations, those of everyone on the trip, plus Paypal, we now have enough money to support 25. That means we’re looking for donations to support 16 more. For $200, these kids can go to school and have their basic needs paid for. I mean it when I say no donation is too small: If everyone who reads this email donates just ONE dollar, we’ll more than cover the $3200 we need for those children, and be able to support several more projects in those villages through Cultural Exchange.
Click here to contribute. I will follow up next week and let you know whether we hit the target!
If you’re interested in reading all the blogs from this year’s trip, here are the links together:
Max Lyons: The Transformational Impact of Service
Growing a Middle Class through Education: The Story of Our Seven
Collaborative Action Comes to Life in Guatemala
For Chet
In Guatemala, $200 Can Change a Life
Joe Livecchi: One Family, One Mission
Sophia Livecchi: Our Guatemalan Mission Through a Child's Eye
Thanks for reading – and I look forward to some of you coming on a future trip!
P.S. Check out Mark Goulston's Usable Insight mailings at: http://markgoulston.com and sign up at the NEWSLETTER SIGNUP window. I've been a subscriber for several years!
Posted on January 3rd, 2012 by Keith Ferrazzi
Max Lyons is an alumni of the myGreenlight program who was part of my group in Guatemala last week. Max sponsored one year of education and healthcare for Liza (pictured) at a cost of $200. We have several other children we are seeking to sponsor, so please donate here if you or someone you know would like to sponsor a child.
Keith and I met just over a year ago through myGreenlight. After a brief conversation about his prior trips to Guatemala and Cambodia/Thailand, Keith invited me to join a return effort to Guatemala.
Having not met anyone else on the trip, I flew down here with a sense that I was stepping into the unknown. Our group spent the past week partnering with local organizations, working with children, and dreaming about the unlocked potential lying dormant within the lives of these little ones. After the first few days here in Antigua, I discovered two core things through my involvement:
1. Our contributions are catalyzing substantial long-term change: In my time in Guatemala, I was able to see what has transpired since the last visit Keith made. During the previous trip a local couple was discovered who opened up their small house to provide free schooling for kids in their village. Once limited by special restrictions, the couple is now able to provide schooling to over 60 children thanks to recent construction.
In another village, a young boy, who had met Keith two years prior, showed up to greet Keith with a huge smile and a Spanish version of Never Eat Alone. It blew me away to think about how much the previous visit must have meant to this boy for him to purchase the book and show up two years later to see his old friend. The relational and educational components have gained considerable traction here.
2. The transformational impact we're seeking to have in the lives of these children is being returned to me just as much, if not more so: I’ve come to a strong belief that my experiences here will allow me to become much more successful in my career. Two days ago, I met a young boy and his family inside a series of rural slums. This little one had almost no clothes, was covered in dirt, and his sandals had been eaten through completely. His mom has to walk 3 hours roundtrip for work where she makes tortillas and brings home $3 a day in wages.
Encounters like this have helped me grow in humility and gain a different perspective on the value of human beings. This has given me a clearer view of how I want to live my life which will enable me to become a better worker, manager, and leader. Participating in these trips going forward will be vital toward moving me closer to the person I long to become.
Posted on January 3rd, 2012 by Keith Ferrazzi
The economic gap in Guatemala is striking. Much wealth and MUCH abject poverty. If only we could provide a kickstart to the middle class...
That's what we are doing around Antigua. We are seeking the highest potential kids and funding their educations. Ensuring they have decent nutrition and ideally supportive family environments. Then we are teaching them mastery of basic people skills similar to those we teach at MyGreenlight.com and at Yale University. And most importantly, we are teaching them the criticality of service and giving back, particularly to the communities they came from in Guatemala. Even after a couple of years, we are seeing the seeds of our work grow.
Two years ago we funded private high school education for seven children from the village of El Hato, sending them to the nearby city of Antigua. These kids were chosen based their grades and the support of their parents. In order to show their commitment, the parents, who had very little, had to find some level of funding themselves.
We knew it wouldn't be easy for these kids to adjust to city life and a top school. They didn't even have the appropriate clothes or grooming. We changed that.
I was excited last week to get back to the village and see how our students were doing. We were sad to hear that one boy had died. Two had dropped out of school because the academics and the social pressure were just too much. But four of our kids, and their proud parents, were there with the biggest smiles.
One is on her way to medical school and plans to come back to the village to provide valuable care in a place where medical care is
limited to a few visits each year by a medic. Another will be a teacher in the neighboring town, the third an accountant and the fourth boy, Fabio, will be a computer programmer. All four of our success stories are committed to making sure future El Hato students have it better than they did.
While we were in El Hato we selected two additional boys, both in their final year of school, to send to Antigua. Both want to be teachers in their village.
In a short two years, we have created a core group of young, community-engaged men and women. My hope now is to grow this program. With your help we could support an additional 10 in El Hato and expand our assistance to several neighboring villages.
In the short term we can start to reverse the education gap, but beyond that my hope is that the young adults we have helped will begin to help their communities engage in the political system, and will vote for officials who will more deeply fund these communities, growing a stronger middle class. Eventually I would like to see those we have supported become a wealthy elite who will have a strong devotion to the communities they came from.
Join me please in helping grow this middle class.
The child they are sponsoring, Abner, is 10 years old and a 4th-grade student at San Miguel Milpas Altas. He lives with his mother, grandmother, and brothers in a small tin house with a cement floor.
