Change Agent: FEED - The Community Lab - AWEARNESS: The Kenneth Cole Blog

Some say that it is the trials and tribulations of life that make us grow stronger. I believe this to be true, and my life experiences have taught me that difficult situations can be catalysts for change. The first time this dawned on me was when I was in my sophomore year in college, and the provision of my family's basic needs became threatened. Financial difficulties made even our basic needs unaffordable, and I found myself too preoccupied with finances to focus on my education. However, difficult situations become opportunities for growth and this experience pushed me to take control of my destiny, which eventually led me into the field of business and leadership. Nearly a decade later, I found myself at an intersection, pulled between my job as an investment banker that promised financial security and an opportunity to lead Community Lab, an innovative, meaningful nonprofit that had yet to raise money to pay a salary.

I became involved with a team of volunteers who were working with a scientist named Prabhjot Dhadialla at Columbia University's Earth Institute and who were passionate about economic development work. They were developing a health worker program that would strengthen the health systems in several villages in Africa by empowering community members to deliver medical services to millions in need. I was inspired by how organically this team had formed, and while at that time there was no official organization surrounding their work, their unique approach to using crowd-sourcing to parse work to volunteer teams attracted me. While volunteering with this team, the need to formalize this approach became evident and I was presented with the opportunity to become the CEO in order to structure this initiative into an official nonprofit organization, which became Community Lab. Captured by the opportunity to transform the sustainable development space with this innovative approach, I made the decision to leave my career in finance for the nonprofit world.

Prior to joining Community Lab, I had spent eight years in a variety of roles in the private sector, in areas of technology, strategy, finance and entrepreneurship. While these experiences prepared me for my role as the CEO of Community Lab, I had little experience in working to eliminate poverty, or strengthening health, nutrition and education systems. When I was young, I was taught that each individual is responsible for "Seva," a term used in Sikh philosophy meaning "selfless service," and that our collective contribution to society is necessary to create a healthier place for all. Through introspection, I came to realize that we live in an interconnected global community, which is evidenced by health epidemics like Swine Flu that originate in one part of the world and quickly spread across the globe. I realized that we are all responsible for the collective wellbeing of our friends, family and community members.

Community Lab's vision is to build the next generation of sustainable systems that meet the health, nutrition, and education needs of communities around the world. We work with international development organizations to develop high-quality systems that are globally connected, locally adapted and accessible to all. At the core of our organization is a community of volunteers and partners from academic institutions, corporations, NGOs, governments, donors and affected communities, who are passionate about creating progressive change. Our belief is that everyone should have access to essential services and resources, and moreover, that it is the responsibility of all of us to participate in the development of these solutions. Community Lab is also a tool for volunteers to develop community-based solutions in a virtual laboratory. It is open to anyone with the necessary drive and commitment for hard work to contribute their time, energy and resources to ensure that people's needs are met both locally and globally, regardless of race, religion, national borders, gender or any other social divisions.

We live in a time where everyone's basic needs can be met. Why should some have to fight to survive, when we collectively have the resources for everyone to not only survive, but also to live healthier and fuller lives?

Change Agent: FEED - The Community Lab

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