GFC On the Road has launched a new feature: sharing the voices and stories of our grantee partners and extending grassroots knowledge globally through guest blogging. The following post is from Amy Oyekunle, executive director of KIND (Kudirat Initiative for Democracy).

Washington, DC - Inspiring (“stimulating or exalting to the spirit”) is the word that comes to mind when I think of my time so far as an international senior fellow with The Global Fund for Children. In such a short time, everyone from the program officers to the president have greatly impacted me. I think especially of my meeting with Maya Ajmera, the founder and president of GFC, as she exemplifies the “yes, we can” spirit of how people can make a difference in the world. Her story of how she began this children’s book publishing and grantmaking organization is nothing short of inspiring.

That evening, as I listened to her story in the blue conference room with my fellow interns, two things struck me. First, as I saw her passion and optimism I was reminded of why I started working with women and girls in the first place—to positively change lives. Second, I was replenished. At a time when I was beginning to have “development work fatigue” and think that maybe it was time to rethink this whole “change the world” dream of mine (yes, I have those days), listening to her put it all in perspective for me. Maya and the GFC team have been doing this for 15 years, and although GFC has made significant contributions in the lives of children globally, Maya reminded us that “the needs of children will never stop and so GFC will continue to be around.” She wants GFC to become “one of the largest grantmaking organizations for vulnerable children globally.” Considering that one of the greatest challenges to grassroots development work is funding, this is an admirable and ambitious goal. Read more