190: Creating Meaningful Impact That Goes beyond Raw Numbers — Reshma Patel with Impact Network

Stories are essentially data with a heart.

Reshma Patel is the Executive Director of Impact Network, an non-profit organization that serves over 4,000 students across rural Zambia, and provides them with quality education. For just $3 a month per student, Impact Network is able to provide a child with quality resources and tools to learn. On the show, Reshma discusses how they are able to make their programs sustainable in rural and poor Zambia, the positive impact it has on communities, and so much more.

“As long as we have food/help from the World Food Programme, we offer food to all of our students in all grades.”

Tweet This

Key Takeaways:

[3:25] Reshma shares who she is and a little bit about her background.

[6:10] How does Impact Network help children and schools?

[10:35] Reshma found out that not only did these poor and rural communities need schools built, but they also needed resources to pay teachers and get the right supplies. How could Reshma and her team make this sustainable?

[17:15] Children in Zambia have to walk 2km to school and they face a lot of external obstacles just to get to school. This is why the learning plans have to be active and engaging to keep the dropout rate low.

[19:10] Aside from providing education, how does Impact Network help combat these external obstacles the children face?

[21:00] It only takes $3 a month to help a student. $3 a month!

[21:25] According to the American University’s evaluation of Impact Network, the charity was able to increase numeracy and literacy in their students by about a third of the cost of government schools.

[25:35] Impact Network makes an active effort to work with the local government to help improve quality of life for everyone.

[31:30] What has the impact been like on the children? What kind of feedback has Reshma received so far?

[37:15] Despite working really demanding financial jobs in the past, Reshma believes this is the most challenging job she has ever had…and she loves it.

[42:45] What lessons has Reshma learned after being a part of Impact Network for the last 4+ years? And, what’s next for Reshma?

“Impact Network was able to increase numeracy and literacy in our students by about a third of the cost of government schools.”

Tweet This