So if this posture and worldview of abundance is so prevalent in Tanzania, what does the posture of a charity look like that exists to serve the people of Tanzania?
If your average Tanzanian – living in scarcity – invited you around for dinner, they’d provide an abundance of food, drinks and warm hospitality, even if they didn’t know where their next meal was coming from.
So how should we show up for our donors, partners, and community at Forever Projects?
The reality for most charities is that funds, time, resources, energy, expertise are scarce.
But what if despite these realities, we adopted a generous, trusting and abundant posture?
Shouldn’t our values match those of the beautiful humans we’re serving in Tanzania?
What if instead of setting up a table outside Woolworths and rattling the tin full of coins as customers walked past, we put the tin away and offered to push customer trolleys to their cars? Not because we’re trying to make them feel guilty afterwards, or manipulate them in some way. But because it was generous.
Acting like we have more than enough when we don’t.
Getting this worldview clear in our heads has been SO significant for our team at Forever Projects.
We’re always aiming to lead out with generosity towards our donors and partners.
Showing up at times they want to hear from us.
With stories that resonate.
And juicy invitation to join us.
From a place of empathy, we believe by trying to truly see those who are at various stages of this journey with us, we’ll discover value we can add to their lives. Who would have thought that a tiny startup like ours with finite time, money and energy could add value to individual and organisational donors that appear to have it all? We’re constantly amazed at what value we have to one another’s journeys when we begin with empathy.
(note to self: I need to do an extended series of posts digging into that word value)
So once we believe we can add value, we try. We don’t always get it right, but failure is feedback, and when you notice what didn’t quite resonate, you’re in a much better position to provide better value next time.
And value looks different for each individual donor and partnership. So by beginning with empathy, we’re open to providing what they actually feel is valuable, as opposed to providing them what we value.
So in your corner of the world, what does it look like to adopt a posture of abundance? Leading with empathy for your familiy / friends / customers / staff / clients…. what value can you generously provide even when you feel you don’t have enough to give?
There’s always enough.
Potentially Kinetic 