Pillars of Transformation

Transformation is one of the stated core values of Opportunity International. How do you define transformational?

How we define transformational is... I'll take it on a couple of different fronts. One, economic, which is we believe because power is defined in economic terms, the solutions have to be economic. And the most effective and probably the only effective solution is an ongoing income. To have an ongoing income you need a job, either work for yourself or somebody else.

The second, if you will, is a social transformation. About 90 percent of our clients are women around the world, women who live on the very bottom of the pyramid. So when we do surveys, we ask them questions about, all right, do they feel more respected in their families? Do they feel better received in the communities that they are part of? Why? Because now they're standing on their own feet, they're contributing. Well, I can tell you that the most recent surveys that we did in India, nine out of ten women said they were more respected in their family and on the street in the community.

I think the third transformation, I'll describe it in terms of - I'm Indian. And like your heritage from Vietnam, we have a very ancient heritage. So in my culture, the ultimate transformation, two Sanskrit words describe it. One is Sukha and other Shanti. Sukha means Joy, Shanti means peace. In fact, every time that the elder blessing in our family and in millions of families around the country is to send off your children to say you are a joy, the life that is filled with Sukha and Shanti. Which is that you are satisfied with what you have and you are at peace with yourself, with your family, with your community and with God. So for us, that is the third transformation that we seek is a life of well-being. The Jewish tradition calls it Shalom. So how do you get there?

I love that. I mean, I love the metrics that you're using. The economic metric, also the respect you get from not only your family, but I would imagine from your community. And also that inner peace, because you can't really have joy without inner peace.

That's exactly right. You couldn't be further right.