Givology - give to learn, learn to give

Givology: Blogs

• #GivologyGrads: Tanzanian Childrens Fund

  Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 11:54:25 PM by Givology Staff

  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif]
  [/font][color=#669900]The Tanzanian Children's Fund (TCF)[/color] is dedicated to improving the lives of marginalized children in the Karatu region of Northern Tanzania. The Rift Valley Children's Village (RVCV or the Children's Village) was created in 2003 to provide a loving home and a life of opportunity for orphaned children. Today, almost 100 children lead happy, healthy lives at the Children's Village. They receive far more than food, clothing, and shelter; each child at the Children's Village grows up securely knowing that they are loved and that they are an integral part of this unique community. They are not up for adoption; the Children's Village is their permanent family, nurturing them to become productive citizens and future leaders of Tanzania.
  Although the Children's Village is their main commitment, they recognize that the most effective ways to improve outcomes for marginalized children is to strengthen the communities in which they live. Recognizing the complex nature of the challenges facing the wider community in which it operates, TCF and RVCV has taken an innovative, multi-pronged approach to combating poverty and improving the lives of marginalized children throughout the region.
  
  [font=Arial][color=#0099ff][b]THE PROJECTS [/b][/color][/font]
  [font=Arial][color=#669900]Feed RVCV's Growing Youngsters: [/color][/font]
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  [i]Young boys in Manyara House eating with their House Mother Mama Koko. [/i]
  The Rift Valley Children's Village provides a permanent, loving home for 97 marginalized children and young adults. Children live in houses according to age and gender with three Tanzanian "Mamas" who help raise these young children.
  -Manyara House is home to 11 young boys, ranging in age from 5 to 12.
  -Serengeti House is home to our young girls, ranging in ages 6 to 15.
  At RVCV, they want all of their kids to experience a happy and healthy childhood, which means never having to wonder where their next meal will come from. RVCV's 7 houses provide their children with nutritional meals and high protein snacks. You can help their kids grow healthy and strong so they are on their way to becoming Tanzania's next generation of doctors, tour guides, accountants, and lawyers!
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  [i]Gyetighi Primary School Lunch program[/i]
  Young RVCV primary school students are just beginning their education and RVCV wants to ensure that they have all the tools needed to succeed. Many of their children are preparing for the Standard 4 and Standard 7 National Exam which will determine their plans for secondary school education. With nights and weekends spent studying, these kids definitely need to get a good night's sleep and a nutritious meal to stay focused.
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  
  [b]The Graduates[/b]
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  Raif - "Raif (4) is our youngest child at the Children's Village. Raised by three house mothers and 10 brothers and sisters, Raif needs nutritious meals to stay focused and prepare for his first year of Kindergarten next year! With a smile that is sure to charm any visitor or volunteer, Raif's strong English skills and endless energy, we are confident that Raif will excel at Gyetighi Primary School."
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  Raymondi (12) - "Raymondi is the oldest child in Manyara House, where he lives with his 10 younger brothers! Ray's imagination, enthusiasm, and intelligence has positioned him as Top 5 in his class in for 3 years in a row. As a Standard 5 student (5th grade), Raymondi is growing fast and needs more food than most of the boys in his house to stay fit and focused!"
  [color=#669900]
  [/color]
  [color=#669900]Send High School Graduates to College[/color]
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  Less than 10% of Tanzanian students attend higher education! As children grow, their expenses do too. At RVCV, they encourage their children to dream big and reach for their dreams of becoming tour guides, doctors, and entrepreneurs!.
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  In Tanzania, employers often only consider applicants with college or university degrees, preventing the majority of Tanzania's youth from earning a sustainable wage. If given the opportunity to attend higher education, the students at RVCV have the best chance of providing for their future families and impacting marginalized populations within Tanzania. Graduating from Secondary School is a momentous accomplishment within itself, and with help, these students can achieve so much more!
  
  [b]The Graduates[/b]
  
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  William Wayda - "William is a recent Form 4 graduate, who scored in the highest Division (Division 1) on his Form 4 National Exam. From a young age, William has always had a passion for helping people, especially within our RVCV community. William dreams of becoming a doctor so that he improve the healthcare system in Tanzania and make sure that even rural communities have access to physicians. Help William achieve his dream!"
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  Fatuma Ramadhani -"Fatuma recently graduated from Oldeani Secondary School in December 2018. Growing up at RVCV, Fatuma formed close relationships with our organization's social workers, which inspired her to pursue this line of work. Fatuma is hoping to study Early Childhood Education so that she can understand ways to help Tanzania's impoverished youth."
  
  [b][color=#0099ff]Want to play a part in supporting Raif, Raymondi and other graduates of TCF in this milestone?:[/color][/b]
  -[color=#669900][b]Donate[/b][/color] via paypal (finance@givology.org) and include a note to the student you want to fund. They will be transcribed and shared with students at the end of the campaign! They love receiving words of encouragement!
  -[color=#669900][b]Share[/b][/color] this opportunity with friends, family, and fellow grads using #GivologyGrads
  -For more information check out the Givology Instagram!
  Want some more inspiration? Check out a previous interview we did with Peggy Wiles Bacon, Director of the Tanzanian Children's Fund.
  
  [u]For more Givology follow us on:[/u]
  Twitter[url=https://twitter.com/Givology] @Givology[/url]
  Instagram[url=https://www.instagram.com/givology/?hl=en] @givology[/url]
  Subscribe and listen to the[url=https://soundcloud.com/givology] Givology Impact Series here[/url]
  
• #GivologyGrads!!

  Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at 08:12:00 PM by Givology Staff

  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  It’s that time of year again, GRADUATION SEASON! Students are donning gowns and crossing stages around the world to represent one of the greatest achievements in the life of a student. After all of the hard work and persistence, it is a celebration of getting one step closer in achieving their dreams!
  In many places around the world, there is joy but also a realization that as children grow, their expenses do too. Without support many of these dreams are unattainable, which is why for the next few weeks we will be celebrating our [color=#669900][b]#GivologyGrads![/b][/color] Look out for highlights on Instagram and the blog to learn more about individual students in grassroots projects around the world as they move from one level of education to another.
  
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  Want to play a part in supporting them in this milestone?
  - [b][color=#669900]Donate[/color] [/b]via paypal (finance@givology.org) and include a note to the student you want to fund. They will be transcribed and shared with students at the end of the campaign! They love receiving words of encouragement!
  - [color=#669900][b]Share[/b] [/color]this opportunity/campaign with friends, family, and fellow grads using [color=#669900]#GivologyGrads[/color]
  On behalf of Givology, we would like to say: [color=#669900][u]Congratulations, Class of 2019 all around the world![/u][/color]
  For more Givology follow us on:
  Twitter[url=https://twitter.com/Givology] @Givology[/url]
  Instagram[url=https://www.instagram.com/givology/?hl=en] @givology[/url]
  Subscribe and listen to the[url=https://soundcloud.com/givology] Givology Impact Series here[/url]
  
• Impact Series Podcast: Gramin Shiksha Kendra (GSK)

  Monday, June 3, 2019 at 09:39:05 PM by Givology Staff

  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif]
  [/font][font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif]Source:[url=http://graminshiksha.org.in/img/slider/5.jpg]http://graminshiksha.org.in[/url][/font]
  [color=#669900]“Why we say it is a community-owned school is because the need rose from the community we didn't impose it on them.”[/color] [url=https://ctt.ac/pT9ek](Click to Tweet)[/url]
  Guest: Tali And Ekta
  Hosted By: Macy Huang
  
  Subscribe and listen more of the[url=https://soundcloud.com/givology] Givology Impact Series here[/url]
  For more Givology follow us on:
  Twitter[url=https://twitter.com/Givology] @Givology[/url]
  Instagram[url=https://www.instagram.com/givology/?hl=en] @givology[/url]
  
  [color=#669900]Gramin Shiksha Kendra (GSK)[/color] is an organization registered in 1995 with the goal of providing education to children around the Ranthambore National Park,. They believe that schools are an extension of the community rather than a mere service provider. Hence community involvement lies at the heart of all of GSK’s interventions.
  [color=#669900]Tali [/color]started her time with GSK in 2016 as a fellow through the American India Foundation Clinton Fellowship.. After some time away at grad school, she joined the team focusing on fundraising and communications.
  [color=#669900]Nepeta[/color] a postgraduate student, started our her time at GSK teaching english to the upper primary grades, Nepeta now works on english programs and early childhood education.
  In this episode we talk to Tali & Nepeta about their community of change-makers, agriculture and Buffalo
  
  [color=#669900]H I G H L I G H T E D - E X C E R P T[/color]
  “So not only are we kind of working with the community as well and having a program run by the community but we really, the founders really wanted something that would address the culture of education in the area. Focus on learning through activity based learning. A learning in in which teachers are mentors and not figures of authority. As sort of a way to really encourage critical thinking and encourage kids to attend school and engage the community in the schools.”
  
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  Source [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif]:[/font][url=http://graminshiksha.org.in/img/slider/5.jpg]http://graminshiksha.org.in[/url]
  
  S H O W -N O T E S
  WWF and the History of GSK: Creating a legacy [b][2:25][/b]
  Setting the Groundwork: The 1st School [b][4:20][/b]
  Relocation & Student Selection: Opportunities beyond Agriculture [b][6:41][/b]
  Challenges in the field: Seeing the forest beyond the trees & relocation [b][8:51] [/b]
  Holistic education doesn’t stop at textbooks [b][11:15][/b]
  The gift of volunteers & the power of sports [b][12:29][/b]
  Flagship programs and measuring impact: [b][16:46][/b]
  Grassroots (adjective) grass·roots | \ gras-rüts , -ruts\: (Synonym: GSK): emphasis on community [b][22:11] [/b]
  Areas of opportunity & solutions: what would we change if we could [b][24:05][/b]
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][/font]
  [font=OpenSansRegular, arial, sans-serif][color=#669900]R E F E R E N C E S [/color]
  Find out more about the [url=http://graminshiksha.org.in/index.php]mission[/url] of GSK and their [url=http://graminshiksha.org.in/approach.php]programs[/url]
  [/font]
  
• Volunteer Spotlight: Alex Yu

  Wednesday, May 29, 2019 at 07:37:26 PM by Givology Staff

  
  
  
  In the era of digital plentitude today, social media is a pivotal platform in attracting followers, building awareness, and publicizing aspirations for a nonprofit like Givology. Behind Givology’s social media is the team’s co-director, Alex Yu. For the past three years, Yu has been a vital member of the team: his responsibilities now include facilitating weekly social media calls to crafting daily posts on Givology’s largest social media page on Facebook that reaches up to hundreds of followers.
  
  Currently finishing up his junior year in Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Yu first encountered Givology at an internship fair in his school during his freshman year. Yu joined the team because he saw merit to Givology’s 100% volunteer model and the flexible, remote working environment.
  
  In addition, being raised in an affluent community with a multitude of rich education opportunities, ever since learning that this is not the case for countless youth around the globe, Yu stood strongly with Givology’s core mission to cause tangible changes in the education of the underprivileged students. “Education is unfortunately a privilege for students around the world when it should be a right,” he said.
  
  Since then, Yu has been constantly inspired by the passionate energy of the team. “Everyone at Givology is involved and genuinely cares about the work they do, and we all share that common interest,” he noted.
  
  Givology’s Chief Talent Officer Neil Kothari recounted his collaboration with Yu when recruiting for the summer internship program at their high school. “He did an exceptional job with articulating Givology's mission and summer internship program and fielded many questions from potential applicants,” Kothari said.
  
  Yu has come to appreciate Givology’s collaborative spirit even as most of the work is done remotely. “Because we all work remotely, our weekly conference calls require lots of input from volunteers and it is engaging work and interesting to learn about all the different perspectives and ongoing projects people on the team are doing,” he said. In particular, he enjoyed the Back to School Campaign at the start of this school year as well as the Week of Giving over the past Thanksgiving break. “We really got people's attention and were able to make lots of contributions and reach out,” he recalled.
  
  When he is not brainstorming ideas for the coming week’s post, Yu can often be found solving 3 x 3 Rubik’s cube in 12 seconds or playing basketball for his school. Kothari described Yu as an “incredibly hard-working” and “pragmatic yet understanding” friend. Neeyanth Kopparapu, a junior at TJHSST, agreed to Kothari. “He's a very nice and hardworking person,” said Kopparapu. “We did a lot of projects together in middle school because we had like a lot of classes together at that point and he had like a lot of creative ideas,” he added.
  
• Volunteer Spotlight: Deepika Mehta

  Saturday, May 4, 2019 at 03:32:00 PM by Givology Staff

  
  
  When Deepika Mehta, Co-Director of the Givology Chicago chapter, was asked about her motivation to stay involved in philanthropic efforts to make education accessible, she recalled Nelson Mandela's quote: "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."
  
  Ten years ago, Mehta visited her grandfather in India where he showed her around his hometown in rural Rajasthan. During the peregrination, Mehta discerned the obstacles that many children were facing before their path to education. “He showed me the challenges kids faced within the schools there, such as lack of equipment, books, or even bathrooms,” she said.
  
  To alleviate these hurdles of such children, Mehta’s grandfather had been conducting humanitarian work, which inspired Mehta to do the same. “All kids should have access to a proper education, and it is extremely important for me to contribute what I can to make sure that is the case,” she said.
  
  Mehta began school at the age of three in India. At the age of six, her family moved to Iowa where she grew up and attended college at University of Iowa. Currently, Mehta is an Investment Analyst at CNA Insurance in Chicago, and a Chartered Financial Analyst
  
  As the Co-Director of Givology Chicago’s chapter, Mehta’s responsibilities include empowering board members to organize fundraising events to sponsor scholarships for women in rural Indian communities. She has been serving on the board for the past two years.
  
  Mehta recounted her first interaction with Givology. “I found out about Givology Chicago through attending one of their fundraising events, a Doonya workout class two years ago,” she said. The conviction of the board members to the cause that she glimpsed on her first sight captured her. After researching more about Givology and its mission, Mehta decided to take part in the team. “It was an opportunity to work with a group of dedicated, intelligent, and driven young professionals to help women in rural India overcome financial barriers and achieve their educational dreams,” she said.
  
  Through Givology, Mehta experiences fulfillment through causing tangible differences to the lives of Givology Chicago’s scholars. Additionally, she has been able to expand her personal and professional network. She added: “Learning about the nonprofit industry has been very interesting and incredibly rewarding.”
  
• Volunteer Spotlight: Neil Kothari

  Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 10:18:18 PM by Givology Staff

  [img]/images/user/1842_9643284073612996122.png[/img]
  A senior at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Neil Kothari has been a valuable member of the Givology team. Leadership comes naturally to Neil - he serves as both the Student Body President and the Co-Director of the Peer Tutoring Center. One of his focuses is computer science - for his senior research project, Neil is developing an application that analyzes consumer complaint data regarding financial institutions.
  
  Growing up in Fairfax County, a suburb of Washington DC, Neil often worked on political campaigns, supporting various legislation important to him and his community. “Over time, I found the issues that resonated with me, one of which happened to be education,” he says. He also comments that with the rise of internet giants, technology and education are increasingly important.
  
  Neil has always had access to quality education. He states, “[Education] has given me the foundation I need to make an impact in my day to day life and taught me the skills necessary to succeed beyond the classroom – how to ask questions, how to think critically, work on a team, and that everyone’s ideas are valuable.” Neil believes that through Givology, he can help give the same opportunities that he received to others that are less fortunate.
  
  Neil first learned of Givology at his school’s internship fair. After further investigation, he got in contact with Joyce Meng, Givology’s founder and also Thomas Jefferson alumna. He began his journey with Givology as a development intern in Spring 2017. With his creative ideas and initiative, Neil rapidly took on more responsibility and now serves a permanent role as the HR Director/Chief Talent Officer, where he can be found recruiting new volunteers, conducting interviews, making hiring decisions, and assigning people to teams and projects. His most enjoyable project so far was when he conducted a financial and charitable analysis of several partner organizations.
  
  Neil sees his work at Givology as his way to give back to the community. While other nonprofits and NGOs take cuts out of donations to fund marketing and operations, Givology first stood out to Neil as it is 100% volunteer-run, keeping costs low and maximizing the impact of every dollar. “Every member of the Givology team participates from the goodness of their own heart, inspiring me every day with the unique passion and energy they bring to the table,” he says. He lives by a quote from Nelson Mandela, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
  
• Grassroot Organizations

  Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 10:32:44 PM by Givology Staff

  Grassroot Organizations
  
  At Givology we connect with grassroots organizations across globe that impact the community through education and other basic needs for kids. We publish their high priority projects and help raise funds to fulfill their goals. Grassroot partners play important role at Givology. Let's examine what are grassroot organizations and what are the benefits of working with such organizations.
  
  Grassroots means: the common or ordinary people. Grassroot organizations or groups start locally. They form to address the specific cause which will impact the people in that locale. The tasks of the organization are usually done by volunteers. They motivate community members to get involved and take responsibility. These organizations employ bottom-up decision-making approach. They are powerful in bringing public attention to the issues.
  
  Benefits:
  
  Interactive: This kind of engagements create two-way relationship. They are direct link to the projects we donate to. We get regular updates on the status of the project which will help monitor the impact. We can achieve more transparency through grassroot organizations.
  
  Local: As we reach across the globe, working grassroots organizations will help us to have better communication with the students we are helping. Being a local these organizations put a human face to our mission increasing the personal connections and trust. This will enhance the interaction between students and donors.
  
  Scalable and Sustainable: Grassroot organizations are engines behind Givology. They are the connecting link between our vision and true educational needs around the world.Through these field partners we can reach more and more communities. They help us identify high impact projects.
  These engagements are built on strong relationships and trust. Once that is established, they are easy to sustain also we can have tremendous long-term results.
  
  For example the organization called ‘Amar Seva’ from Jaipur, India serves rural communities and slum areas in Jaipur. This grassroot organization runs a school to provide quality education to poor children and women. It also facilitates skill based activities to empower women. By donating to their ‘Long Term School Fund’ project, Givology provided long-term financial support to the organization. Through this partnership we could reach a community far far away and also were able to track the impact via the letters and pictures received.
  
  As explained above partnering with grassroot educational organizations around the world benefits Givology immensely in achieving its mission.
  
• Volunteer Spotlight: Kiley Williams

  Tuesday, March 12, 2019 at 03:34:04 AM by Givology Staff

  
  
  There is a lack of doubt: Givology wouldn’t be the same Givology it is today without Kiley Williams who has been a core member of the team since the launch. In the fall of 2008, Kiley was introduced to Givology through a mutual friend he shares with co-founders Joyce Meng and Jennifer Chen. Since then, Kiley has been the powerhouse behind the technology team to deliver the best experience for our users and community.
  
  As a security architect as his day job, Kiley works with “the pre-sales and post-sales of technical client engagement,” commonly referred to as sales engineering. In Givology, he employs similar skillsets when mending the Givology website as well as when erecting the upcoming mobile app. “It has been tough, but we have been getting some great volunteers joining in to help with making sure we get our next iteration done well. It's exciting!” he said.
  
  Kiley spent his high school years at Randolph-Macon Academy, which he described as an “academically advanced military school for high school.” He recounted his experience as a window to the reality on behalf of the academics and the social atmosphere. However, the impact that the school had on him was beyond the scholarly rigor and the communal current: “it exposed me to many different cultures, languages, and beliefs that shaped my approach to solving problems, and resolving conflicts across vastly different backgrounds,” he said. The school had emphasized the merit behind diversity, a message that Kiley took to heart. Such experiences ingrained the goal in his mind to work towards assisting more people towards success.
  
  Kiley accredited the establishment of such resolution to his parents as well: “They believed that no matter where you were, as long as you were safe and were able to get a good education, then you could be successful in your endeavors,” he said.
  
  As a result of such aspiration, Kiley volunteers for Givology: he believes that Givology is the gateway to proper education to many students. “We are enabling people all around the world to make a difference in the lives of students and teachers who they may never otherwise be able to help,” he noted.
  
  Currently, Kiley is focusing on the launch of the mobile application of Givology in June. While rewarding, he points out that there are challenges as a result of the outdated platform that supports the current technical architecture. “Since it was originally built in 2008, we have had to go back and completely refactor the way that the underlying data layer works,” he said. However, nonetheless, he is counting days until the launch gleefully. “This is a significant challenge to any normal business organization, so being able to get to this point with all volunteer labor is very rewarding, and excites me,” he said.
  
• Volunteer Spotlight: Avani Fachon

  Friday, March 8, 2019 at 04:41:04 AM by Givology Staff

  [img]/images/user/1842_13531407254517760362.png[/img]
  Avani Fachon’s conviction in the importance of education started at a young age. Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, her parents instilled in her several of her beliefs, many of which are centered around the value of education. Avani believes her own education has played an invaluable role in shaping who she is today, developing her interests, passions, and personal worldview. “Education has taught me how to form original opinions and interpret the world around me through my own personal lens,” she said. These strong beliefs have led Avani to focus on Givology and the issue of accessible education.
  
  Currently a sophomore studying Biology at Bard College, Avani is an indispensible Givologist and is the Social Media Director / Chief Marketing Officer at Givology. She began her journey with Givology in August 2016 as a Development Intern, in search of an internship for a nonprofit. “I really admired Givology’s mission, vision, and impact, and knew that I wanted to be a part of the organization,” she said. She was particularly interested in Givology’s aspect in that it works with specific organizations on a global scale, each prepared and able to solve issues within communities at a grassroots level.
  
  As Social Media Director, Avani organizes Givology’s daily content and runs two of the nonprofit’s social media channels. She states that Social Media grants her the ability to share powerful stories and content about Givology’s impact on students and schools worldwide. “I love the creativity and storytelling that is involved in content creation; I believe that stories have power to create connection and social change,” she said. Social Media is a key component in building awareness in Givology’s mission, and Avani has done a tremendous job as team leader.
  
  Among many projects Avani has worked on in her years with Givology, one of her favorites was “Green Apple Giving”. In this 2018 campaign, Givology donated 25 cents every time the green apple emoji was used alongside the hashtag #greenapplegiving. She commented on the uniqueness of this campaign, and how she really enjoyed organizing and observing this event.
  
  Avani believes that access to quality education is essential to the empowerment of individuals, the advancement of communities, and the alleviation of poverty. “I am so glad that I am able to contribute to the creation of accessible education through Givology,” she said. Avani strongly resonates with a quote from Irish poet W. B. Yeats: “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
  
• Volunteer Spotlight: Vandana Subramanian

  Wednesday, February 27, 2019 at 06:32:01 PM by Givology Staff

  
  
  Vandana Subramanian, a computer science major at Carnegie Mellon University, balances multiple roles as a core member of the Givology volunteer team. As the Chief Development Officer (CDO) and podcast interviewer for the Givology Impact Series, Vandana can be found working anywhere from coordinating recruitment and the onboarding process to featuring education leaders around the world in podcasts.
  
  A native to Northern Virginia/ DC area, Vandana was able to take advantage of the ample diversity of the educationational opportunities while growing up. In particular, she pointed out the heavy influence that her parents and teachers had on her-- “especially in cultivating my love for learning,” she said. As a result, she developed a strong conviction towards quality education for all, the motivation behind her devotion towards Givology.
  
  Vandana’s involvement with Givology started as an intern on the tech team. “It gave me a hands-on opportunity to learn about how a non-profit functions,” she said. Her continued dedication since then led her to the role of CDO she is today.
  
  In addition, Vandana has interviewed speakers for the Givology Impact Series podcasts, featuring international changemakers in education. Vandana ascribed the podcasts as a mechanism for interested organizations to acquaint with the core mission of Givology through listening to inspiring speakers who are helping their communities and measuring their results. She learns much about her interviewees through the podcasts: “It’s also nice way to see how organizations use impact evaluation to assess the efficacy of the work and maximize impact per dollar donated,” she said.
  
  Vandana attributes Givology’s success to the commitment displayed within the volunteer team, an observation that influences her selection criteria when recruiting. “We’re making an effort to focus not only on recruiting great talent, but also retaining talent,” she said.
  
  Vandana described volunteering with the Givology team as a way for her to employ her expertise for a greater cause. “From the letters we receive from students we support to conversations with other nonprofit executives about how education has transformed lives and communities, it’s been a really inspiring experience,” she said.
  
  “Givology is making a difference, and that’s something I proud to be a part of,” she added.