Briefing No. 40
What we’re reading
On the Greenwood Place Bedside Table
"Out of the Ordinary" by Marc Stears is an elegant essay on the need to recognise the value in down-to-earth, small scale activity as well as the grand scheme. Stears draws on the work of mid-20th century British writers and artists to propose a way of building the future that focuses on a tangible shared history. It’s inspiring.
Tunainuana (Together We Rise)
CAMFED is a pan-African movement supporting girls to go to school, thrive and become influential leaders and changemakers in their communities. Below is a private link to CAMFED’s powerful film, Tunainuana, which shares the life story of Lydia Wilbard, CAMFED’s Executive Director of Learning and Engagement. As it will be premiered at a film festival in the coming weeks, we ask you not to share the film on your digital platforms at this time. But please do watch it.
Putting Relationships First
Did you ever have the experience of reading something that put into words something that you knew to be true but hadn’t quite articulated? This happened to Rebecca when she read the Relationship Project’s Case Maker.
One Day
Directed and produced by Graeme and Jennie Montgomery, One Day is a multi-award-winning short film about LandWorks’ pioneering approach to prisoner resettlement. If you click just one link from this edition of the Briefing, make it this one. And watch the full 7 minutes. It’s worth it.
Bill Gates spends $9 Billion a year
Chris Anderson, Head of TED, has become obsessed with the idea of what he calls “infectious generosity”. In this interview with Bill Gates - perhaps the Typhoid Mary of infectious generosity - Chris explores Gates’s motivations for getting started in philanthropy, what he’s learned along the way and what he’s excited about.
Blessings
It was a privilege and a blessing to listen live to David Whyte reading his poetry on stage at the Skoll World Forum last week. This short film gives a taster of his work.
And Finally… Penguins
National Geographic filmed a group of young penguins learning to swim - and jumping off the edge of a 50-foot ice cliff.
COMMUNITY UPDATES
About 90 percent of children in Africa don't get enough to eat – and children suffering from malnutrition are far less likely to keep going to school. We were thrilled when our Kenya based community members at Food for Education won the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship last week. If you’d like to learn more about their work, the Skoll Foundation has made a beautiful short film of their work.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Coming up soon in the Pathways to Change programme: we’re talking health with Professor Dixon Chibanda of Friendship Bench and Professor Andrew Bastawrous of Peek Vision on 24th April. We're also hosting an in-depth and interactive grant-making workshop on 25th April jointly with colleagues from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Lydia Wilbard, CAMFED’s Executive Director of Learning and Engagement and Nasikiwa Duke, National Director of CAMFED Tanzania will be our speakers for our virtual roundtable on education on the 15th May.
If you’re interested in learning more or joining any of these events, please just let us know.
HOW CAN WE HELP YOU?
Greenwood Place provides philanthropy support, advice and execution for a small group of strategic philanthropists. We take an entrepreneurial approach to tackling tough social and environmental problems. We work closely with our clients to find the places where they can make most difference, we support their learning and we partner with them to achieve real, lasting change.
The Greenwood is the place in Shakespeare's plays where characters go to grow, change and learn.