Why I give: Natasha Sakolsky

I believe charitable giving enables us to live our values. Spending money on things depresses me. Spending money on work that makes the world a better place brings me happiness. I am currently paying for two college tuitions (!) so money is tight. But as Rumi says, “You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean in a drop.” So I continue to give.

I have standing contributions to a few nonprofits that I believe are doing good work. But I’d never given to Pact because I work here. I thought, I’m already giving Pact my time. Why donate? But I believe so deeply in the passion, hard work and creativity of my colleagues, the commitments and ingenuity of our partners, and the potential future for the people we serve that I felt compelled to demonstrate that belief is some concrete way.

Our Mines to Markets and Energy for Prosperity teams knock my socks off every day. They are unrelenting in their contributions to Sustainable Development Goal 1 (No Poverty), SDG 7 (Affordable Clean Energy) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). They combine unparalleled thought leadership with a hunger for more and deeper partnerships, greater reach and exponential impact.

Pact so strongly believes in the value of the people that we serve that we are reconceptualizing our global governance structure to create tangible and meaningful ways for those people, our “shareholders,” to guide our mission and strategy. I can’t think of any other organization that is doing this. This not only makes us unique, but makes us owned by and accountable to the exact right people. 

Natasha Sakolsky is executive director of Pact Institute and a Pact donor. 

Join Pact in its mission to end poverty and marginalization at pactworld.org/donate.