After writing my last
post about how I discovered the book
The Give-Back Solution by
Susan Skog, Skog's wonderful publicist saved me the $10 that I could nary afford by sending me the book to review. Needless to say, I was thrilled.
I originally meant to save the book until after finals but, after opening it just to get a glimpse of the contents, I found myself enthralled and had to read the entire thing as quickly as possible. Susan Skog's history as a journalist, voluntourist, and agent for change in various capacities has led her to write this veritable how-to guide for anyone looking to fulfill their humanitarian duty and give back to the world. There is so much that I want to say about this book that my post would be twice as long as it is if I listed everything. Skog is so passionate about her work that the writing at points borders on corny (and ya'll know that I don't do corn) but it's clearly just because she believes in what she is writing so strongly. This honest passion even allowed me to forgive her when she used terms like "sassy" and "urchin" to describe a native child (terms that are sure to give pause to a BAP), she clearly does not mean it to be condescending or cruel and in fact, the story is so painful and affective that it caused more than one tear to well up behind my glasses.
That's one of the most powerful things about
this book. It is written for people whose adrenaline rushes when they read an article about an injustice occurring miles away or see a story on CNN about a region they'd like to help, but don't know how. While the editor's pencil could have been a little more generous in the first few chapters (or maybe that's just the lawyer in me coming out), the stories, interviews, and statistics in this book do nothing to quell the desire for change and everything to encourage you to participate. Unless you are the world's only living heart donor, it will be impossible for you to read this book without planning a hundred trips you'd like to take ASAP.
For me, the most evocative story was that of a little
Ugandan girl named Mildred, who desperately wanted to go to school. Skog tried, but couldn't find a way or place to send her, and the disappointment that Skog felt is equally matched by that of the reader. I'm sure that only Mildred felt it more. As the recipient of a very privileged and expensive education, including four years at a
women's college, I have always felt simultaneously blessed and guilty about the millions of little girls who look like me (and those who don't) but will never have the same opportunities. It isn't fair, it isn't right, and there's nothing I can do about it. Or at least, that's what I thought until I read this book. Now I feel that if we all just did a little something, we really can make a larger difference.
Which is where my obsession comes in. I am a total
microfinance groupie and Skog includes a full chapter on this incredible phenomenon in her book and it is really illuminating. For one, she actually scored an interview with
Muhammad Yunus, which is amazing, but she also includes numerous resources for how you can use $50-150 to change someone's future. In case you haven't heard, micro loans allow people, usually women, to start businesses in their countries that allow them to have a livelihood, become financially independent, and provide for their families. If we can give more women the opportunity to support themselves, they can work, provide for their families, and send their children to school. I cannot even begin to describe how important this is, or why I (like everyone else on Earth) am an enormous fan of this concept. Read this chapter in the book and get started. Or get started
here,
here, and
here.
Overall, this book is a phenomenal resource for people interested in
voluntouring with one of the
many established organizations, most of which Skog writes about. You can read
this book cover-to-cover or use it as a reference for your particular needs and interests, and even if you're someone like me and are going abroad to volunteer on your own, the book has more resources and ideas than you'll ever need. I honestly hope that we'll all take part in the give-back solution, that we'll all take advantage of our spectacular luck in having been born Americans (or in any other "Western" nation), and will understand that yes, we have a responsibility to humanity, but that giving back can be fun, adventurous, and rewarding for each of us too.
My Top 10 Give-Back Links (not necessarily in order):
1.
Heifer International2.
Teach For America3.
Modest Needs4.
Donor's Choose5.
Dress for Success6.
Kiva7.
Beads for Life8.
Room to Read9.
Idealist10.
(Red)Like this post? Subscribe for more travel tips, stories, and reviews!
Posts
I finished my first exam!! Woohoo! As a reward to myself, I watched a movie sent to me by the good people of Miramax to celebrate the release of Enchanted April on DVD for the first time. I had never seen this film and was thrilled to spend a lovely afternoon not studying, and watching a movie.
