[PHOTO: Rick Reinhard]
David Rubenstein: Save Darfur
I have never been a person who can sit idly by, watching catastrophic events unfold, hoping that “someone else” will take care of it.
In 2004, I first learned about the terrible violence and widespread loss of life in the Darfur region of western Sudan. Entire villages were being burned to the ground and extended families massacred. As hundreds of thousands sought refuge, it became clear that this was far more than a region in conflict. With people targeted for their ethnicity, this was genocide.
I have never been a person who can sit idly by, watching catastrophic events unfold, hoping that “someone else” will take care of it. I suggested that the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Jewish World Service host a meeting to discuss a response. From my studio apartment, I helped organize the meeting and follow up. Sixty-five groups, from the National Council of Churches to Amnesty International to the National Association of Evangelicals, signed a Darfur Unity Statement.
When we learned the Darfur crisis was to be discussed on the nationally syndicated The Diane Rehm Show, we had 48 hours to create a web-based mechanism for donors to send contributions to strengthen our work. I quickly called The Community Foundation, which promptly opened the Save Darfur Fund. That quick response was crucial, as donations grew from dozens per week to dozens per day.
We could not have pulled this off without the financial structure and support of The Community Foundation. We needed to have confidence in the organization managing our funds. We needed someone with a history of working with the local community. We needed to work with people who understood our goals. And, as a new organization, our association with The Community Foundation gave us financial credibility, as well as the opportunity to grow as an organization and expand our reach. Over time, the Save Darfur Fund grew exponentially and, to my initial disbelief, we had become a multi-million dollar operation.
Herein lies the lesson: one person working from a small apartment can leverage the support and involvement of scores of organizations and more than a million Americans, many doing a small part but, together, making an enormous difference.
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