Today we’d like to introduce you to Jan Phillips.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I went to Nigeria to lead a Visionary Leadership weekend for a community of Dominican Sisters. The sister who invited me, Sr. Rita, was the director of an NGO called Hope for the Village Child. I offered to volunteer my services in exchange for a visit to a few of the villages the NGO served. They each had a small school, but some had no desks or books. I arrived at one school mid-afternoon to discover lines of children waiting outside the school. I asked my driver why they were there. “Waiting for a teacher,” he said. “But they rarely come.”
My heart broke open. The children rushed to the jeep, tugged at my shirt and pulled me into a classroom. I asked them a few math questions and they knew every answer. They were so eager to learn. “This is your lucky day!” I said to the kids. “Today we know the problem and soon we will fix it. Soon we will have teachers for you here every day!”
Sr. Rita and I met with the village chief and shared with him the problem. Our solution was to build a learning center with an apartment on each end for two teachers who would live in the village full time. He spoke with the villagers and they approved. I came back home and founded Livingkindness Foundation, then set out to raise the $25,000 needed for the building. It took only two years. Now there are 20 solar power laptop computers and 2 full-time teachers. I have raised money by writing grants and producing consciousness-raising events on east and west coasts.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a non-profit is difficult. I am a social activist/writer with no discretionary income.
Also, with corruption in the Nigerian government, we have to be very careful to be sure money gets in right hands and materials are not stolen or intercepted. So far so good,
Livingkindness Foundation – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Livingkindness has a commitment local and global issues. Originally it was established to build the Livingkindness Learning Centre, but now we have a local component that supports racial diversity. The foundation provides scholarships to women of color who are pursuing educational opportunities to amplify their voice in the world.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Opening day for the Livingkindness Learning Centre in Nigeria and the launch of two Women’s Voices, Women’s Visions Conferences in upstate New York.
Contact Info:
- Address: 5187 Arlene Place
- Website: https://livingkindness.org
- Phone: 858-229-0452
- Email: jan@janphillips.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janphillips.sandiego
- Twitter: @theejanphillips
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