When Knowledge Becomes Power
It began, as most good stories do, on a return flight from Africa. Shon Abegaz met a young woman who was struggling with her newly established NGO. The mission was worthy, but she lacked the know-how. It was clear that if this young lady could just spend fifteen minutes with an expert, it would change the course of her organization.
There is no shortage of Non-government Organizations (NGOs) in every corner of the world seeking to advance human security and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. From empowering women in sub-Saharan Africa to reconciling warring parties in the jungles of Colombia, the need is great, and the will is there.
Most of these organizations, however, lack the skills and connections they need to make a significant impact. That is where the International Institute for Human Security comes in. They operate knowing if you “give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”
The answer was clear for Shon who said she knew someone who could help her: “I knew someone who would love to help her. I wanted to connect the two. This was not uncommon for me, but this time I wanted to do more, I just didn’t know what or how.”
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