Meet Jake Harriman and the Work of Nuru International

Meet my friend, Jake Harriman, a former Marine (combat veteran) and graduate of the Naval Academy, and a 2008 graduate of the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Jake went to the GSB to start Nuru International, a non-profit that would build on a new model to eradicate poverty in Africa (a lofty goal no doubt). Jake feels called by God to develop a sustainable model for reaching out to the poorest of the poor in rural Africa.

I am convinced of the viability of this model, and encourage you to learn about the work that they are doing. You may be live to support them financially or to continue passing the word who share Jake’s passion for making a difference.

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Nuru International Fact Sheet

About Nuru International

Nuru, a Kiswahili word meaning "light," is a new humanitarian organization at the crossroads of innovation and extreme poverty.

Nuru International is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, public benefit charity committed to pioneering holistic, sustainable solutions to end extreme poverty in partnership with the poor. Its mission is to empower rural communities to achieve self-sufficiency and to inspire the developed world to confront the crisis of extreme poverty.

The Crisis

According to the World Bank, 1.1 billion people live below the $1 a day extreme poverty line. 70% of these extreme poor live in rural areas. In this age of stunning advances in the natural sciences, technology, medicine, and business where developed nations can afford to offer their next generation the hope of a better tomorrow, millions still struggle every day to find enough food to ensure their children even see tomorrow.

How Nuru Works

Nuru is NGO 2.0

Nuru International is based on a groundbreaking eight-step model that addresses the interconnected problems of the extreme poor in a way that helps them lift themselves out of poverty, rather than creating a dependency on outside organizations.

These eight steps are:

(1) Listen,
(2) Innovate,
(3) Empower,
(4) Partner x3,
(5) Evaluate (then repeat),
(6) Sustain,
(7) Leave,
(8) Scale.

The Nuru Team

Nuru is a grassroots movement of thousands who have grown tired of waiting for someone else to end extreme poverty in Africa.

Nuru is the vision of Jake Harriman (CEO) and John Hancox (Board Chairman), and shaped by the innovation engine of the Stanford Graduate School of Business (GSB). Philanthropic foundations, venture capitalists and successful Silicon Valley entrepreneurs invested seed money to get Nuru off the ground, and since its launch in Fall 2008, more than 4,000 friends have joined its cause on Facebook. Now 5,000 inhabitants in Kuria, Kenya are counting on Nuru to innovate and empower, partner and refine the next generation of solutions in the fight against extreme poverty.

The Kuria Project

Nuru launched its initial Seed Project in Kuria, Kenya in September 2008, with participation from more than 450 families in the community. The project currently encompasses three core programs: agriculture, water and sanitation, and healthcare. The second Seed Project is expected to launch in Malawi in early 2010.

How to Get Involved

Nuru's goal of ending extreme poverty relies on the courage and action of people worldwide to get involved and Be Nuru. There are many ways to join the cause:

• Donate online at http://www.nuruinternational.org/donate.html

• Sign up for the Nuru Newsletter

• Friend Nuru's Facebook Cause at http://apps.facebook.com/causes/74277

• Join a Nuru College Chapter

• Volunteer to Perform Research/Evaluation

More information on how to Be Nuru is available at:

Nuru Website

Thanks for helping Jake and Nuru to care.

Al