A couple of months ago I posted about how I have made a changed in my approach to benevolence, which is that I am looking at it as an investor and I’m trying to produce the most good from my resources. Just a heads up, I’m now three months into this and I love it! I get to play a small part in helping so many people in so many different ways! 

If you want to go back and read the full details of this ideology that I’m coming from, check it here: 
https://grantxstorer.com/2016/07/desensationalized-giving-the-beginning-of-social-investing/

But I wanted share about one more critical addition to my list of organizations that I’ve committed to investing in. It’s called Education for Employment (EFE). 

I first heard about EFE from the book “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek, which I had read about 4-5 years ago. I remember their story really impacting me, but I had quietly forgotten about it. I remember noting that I was going to look further into their organization, but I forgot about them. Then after I had implemented my Social Investing program, I remembered that there was an organization out there that was doing some critical work that I had first read in a book somewhere. After retracing some steps, I found the organization and linked it back to Start with Why.

Education for Employment is an organization that works in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) and they train unemployed youth and connect them with hiring employers. 

Why is this important? Because while the external objective is to fix the unemployment crisis, it was started by Ron Bruder after 9/11 as his own method of fighting terrorism. 

What does job training have to do with terrorists? Because while it is easy for us to lump terrorists as these sub-human monsters and are also tangible evidence that Islam is the cause of all evil in this world, the fact is that at the core of it all, these are people without hope. 

I want to make sure I don’t get lumped into either extreme: I’m not saying that our proactive war on terrorism is absolutely wrong or saying that all we have to do is be nice to people and they’ll be nice nor am I against our troops serving to protect us from the current situation. We have to see beyond the present layer and see what is the root that is perpetuating this crisis. What Ron Bruder determined was that terrorism is a symptom of lost hope. These men grew up in environments that deprived them with means of pursing a fulfilling future. In this dispair, when someone comes next to you and says it isn’t your fault but it is the oppression of infidels who murder your people and violate and deface the morals of your God and that you can have an eternal purpose by fighting for Allah, you now have meaning for your life. You now have some kind of future. 

Granted, we can see how horrific that individual’s decision was, but before that dehumanizing indoctrination begins, there is innocence that was lost. EFE wants to help bring hope to the next generation in this critical region. 

If you notice a trend in my organizations, that is because I believe that most of the external problems we see in this world are only symptoms to deeper problems. Criminals, Terrorism, abortions, and homelessness aren’t because of “bad” people, it is the result of society’s failure earlier down the road. We don’t blame cancer patients or other sick people for their current reality; we see a person who is inflicted with illness and we try to remedy their condition. That is what these people need. 

So as of last month, I have included EFE into my monthly investing program. I am doing the little I can to contribute towards worthy causes. 

To check out more about Education for Employment and to donate, go to: 
http://www.efe.org/