One of the nights I shared a bit more about why I chose to work for Opportunity. I talked of how if I was in the shoes of many of our clients (very little hope and chances offered) I would do whatever it takes. To feed my kids. To provide for my wife. To help my community. And that’s not just me, many of us would do the same. We would do whatever it takes to stay alive and provide for others. So I spent some time thinking more about the being in a “whatever it takes” state and realized how powerful it can be for either good or evil.

Think about it for a second. If you are willing to do whatever it takes and have no options what is to stop you from turning to violence? To drugs? To selling your body? To trafficking others? You will do what you feel like needs to be done no matter what the consequences.

But what if we could use that energy for good. How much harder would you work to make a profit and pay back your loan if you were given an opportunity? How much farther would you walk to get to school to try to get a better future? The reason you go to countries like Rwanda and have great hope is that the people have a vision and passion to move forward and will do whatever it takes to get there.

It is then our role as Rwandans, Canadians or others involved in development to ensure that we harness that power, that energy for good. And to me that comes in the form of providing opportunities. In the form of education, loans, training, nutrition, savings and so on. If we can continue to find ways to provide opportunities I know that people will work their way out of poverty transforming their lives, their children’s futures and their communities. How do I know? Because they will do whatever it takes…