Chapter 1: Innocent Abroad

pg. 1 - 19

"There is no passion to be found playing small in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." -- Nelson Mandela

Jacqueline Novogratz begins all her chapters with a quote that strongly relates to her narrations. Thought it was nice, so I might as well let you know what they say before beginning to write, too.

Summary:

She starts the chapter with a most odd topic: a sweater. It was a blue sweater (big surprise there) with an African motif across the front---two zebras walking in front of a snowcapped mountain. Novogratz talks about the sweater and how she went through both elementary and middle school wearing it, being deeply attached to the sweater since it was a gift from her beloved uncle. It isn't much to say that when she reached high school her opinion about her sweater changed. Boys started making fun of her because of it, and, of course, instead of telling them to mind their own business, she got rid of the sweater.

The poor piece of cloth had made a complex journey from Alexandria, Virginia, to Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. It was first dropped off in a Goodwill and owned by a little American girl, then went back to the Goodwill once more before traveling across the ocean. The author ran across her beloved blue sweater when she was jogging (already age 25) on the hilly streets of Kigali, Rwanda. She saw it being worn by a small, scrawny African boy. The sweater was tattered and dirty, and it reached well below the boy's knees. It had come a long way. Novogratz tells us that the story of the blue sweater reminded her of how we are all connected. Our actions--and inaction--touch people we may never know and never meet across the globe. Seeing the sweater on that child renewed her sense of purpose in Africa.

This is where the real story begins.

We are given the author's background story---where she was born, where she went to school, what values her parents taught her, and what types of jobs she was interested in once she graduated college. She never really thought about being a banker at first, but when she was offered the opportunity to work as one, she took the job “just for practice.” After all, what harm can a little of experimenting do?

As it turns out, she loved the job, and after a couple of years she becomes an international banker who is sent to Rio, Brazil, to do some work. There, she is awestruck by the beauty of the place, but challenged by societal rules. Helping poor children on the streets was looked down upon. Guess what Novogratz did? She invited one small boy, Eduardo, to in the hotel she was staying in. The way the manager of the hotel treated the poor child and the explanation he gave to her opened her eyes. The rich and privileged didn’t even give the poor people a chance to enjoy a moment of peace, they didn’t even look at them; they were, in reality, a nuisance.

The unfairness of this event brought Novogratz to her boss, asking to found a project in which the bank could donate to the poor people of Brazil. Her boss literally laughed and patted her head making it clear that that was an impossible and most ridiculous idea before saying, “If you don’t change, in time, the culture will change you anyways. So make it easy on yourself and combine your work ethic with a more professional style.” She didn’t settle for this, though. She wanted to influence the world, to make a change, but she also loved being a banker. Dilemma?

She began exploring in earnest the possibility of working internationally in banking for the possibility of working internationally in banking for the poor. In exploring organizations involved with microenterprise, she chanced upon a nonprofit microfinance organization for women based in New York City. It focused on women’s issues. Well, she had to start somewhere. She wrote the woman in charge a letter where she explained the she wanted “to be a bridge, an instrument of peace wrapped in a love of financial statements, of telling stories through numbers, of trying to build companies through strategic financing and management support.” In her interview she explained that she would do almost anything to be sent to Brazil to help build systems to make loans to low-income women. After a few days, she was given the job. But not to go to Rio, but Africa; a whole turn for Novogratz.

She had to think it through. Her boss (banking job boss) had just called her to offer her a high-position post, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, with high pay and people to work under you. On the other hand, she had the choice to go out and make a difference, help people, and be adventurous; her life’s dream.

She went to Africa.

Novogratz was sent to a conference in which some of the most influential African women gathered to discuss the problems they would be facing, the rules they would be changing, with this program. She was not received very warmly, and was told firmly that they didn’t need he there. A little taken aback, but still firm on her resolve, Novogratz made several African friends outside that conference. One of them, Cissy, invited her to her home in Uganda, once “the pearl of Africa,” now layed in shambles, with boys walking around the streets with guns in their hands and buildings falling apart. Cissy’s house was extremely modest, and Novogratz found herself eating several plates of food at breakfast, lunch, and dinner, since one never knew when one was going to eat next; bathing herself outside with a bucket and freezing water from a well; ironing her clothes with a medieval coal iron, and hearing shotgun go off in the night and sleeping with her passport under her pillow. She loved it there.

Novogratz knew, however, that soon it would be time to return to work, and so she called to go to her office. She was enthusiastic and ready to work, eager to demonstrate to the African women she was going to work with her plans, capabilities, and dreams for the rights of women in that country She was going to do all she could to help women help themselves. She didn’t think for a minute of all the things that were soon to throw water—as cold as that in the bucket at Cissy’s house—on her dreams.

Analysis:

Novogratz is constantly fast forwarding or rewinding in her narrative, connecting past and future events together. I find this quite a tactful way to narrate since it shows what led her to make certain decisions, why she was affected by certain things, and by the simple fact that her anecdotes are quite amusing, and sometimes touching.

Foreshadowing is another big thing with this author. I find that the way she uses this gives a little spice to the narrative, making the reader stay on edge to know what happens next. I could barely keep myself from continuing to chapter two. I believe that if I had, this blog would have been much longer than it already is.

Her words are fluid, and her word choice is perfect. Also, she seems to keep in mind not to get of topic, all her anecdotes connect with the main topic.

Connections to…:

            Journal:

           

            This chapter has a slight connection to the journal that I wrote a long time ago. The fact that I want to get banks and larger corporations involved in helping the poor people of third-world countries is the bridge between the words on my paper and the words on the book.  However, I believe I may end up changing my plans, and the ones I have in mind don’t connect at all with this book. At least for now.

            Video Campaigns:

            Definitely compares to the video campaigns of DonorsChoose and the campaign the band made (can’t remember their name at the moment.) How does it connect? Well, DonorsChoose allows people to chose which project to donate to, let it be to buy books, pencils, etc. This book, however, gives women in Africa the chance to come work for a starting project in which they can chose whether to help fight for women’s status in Africa, or to stay and be subdued by men (they still lived by the Napoleonic Code.)

            It compares to the video campaign of the band due to the fact that these women are literally going to build centers in which women from all over Africa can come and be heard. They are going to solve the problems of women’s status in Africa just like the band little by little solved housing problems in their community, along with helping to feed and clothe the poor.

            The Power of Unreasonable People:

            Novogratz is basically an entrepreneur. She is working to accomplish her goals and she is not taking a “no” for an answer. When she was pushed, she stood back up again and pushed back so that her dream of helping the community could be set on motion. Also, she is doing it for the adventure, with no fallback plan, just planning for what is to come and giving it her all. A true entrepreneur.

Notes: Sorry, it's  bit long...