The Independent Women’s Forum bestowed its first “Women Who Make the World Better Award” upon June Arunga, a 25 year old filmmaker/lawyer from Kenya whose fresh, bold observations about sources of poverty break the unworkable molds in current favor. Ms. Arunga challenges, for example, the role of financial aid to poor nations. “There is basic human dignity that comes from people being involved in the market and solving problems and making a living from being useful rather than receiving charity. I don’t think charity is a way to wealth, and I never heard of one telling their children it is either.”
To what does Ms. Arunga attribute her independent and creative approach?
“My upbringing was a huge influence on the way I think. I was raised in the Protestant Christian tradition where you were taught that you had to work hard and be responsible and that your talents were God-given, and you were expected to multiply them. We were taught you had to identify your talent and put it to use.” Read the full interview.
And so she has! Congratulations to Ms. Arunga and thanks to IWF for introducing an upbeat, useful award recognizing the wonder work of women.
This blog post was published at Deal W. Hudson.