Perreault Magazine - 57 -
When TOMS sells a pair of shoes a corresponding pair is given to a shoeless child in need. We took this model and applied it to the real estate development business, for every condo sold money was reallocated from the marketing budget which funded then construction and gifting of a home for a family living in a slum. Sid and I believe that being adaptable is critical to scaling a business and achieving sustainability. So today we have added “community to community” and individual tax deductible donations so we can expand our market beyond developers.
What has been the most gratifying event you have experienced since starting World Housing?
This is an easy answer. Late one night I received an email from Scott Neeson telling me this story: He was touring a wealthy donor from New York through the dump in Cambodia. This gentleman had never been to a slum and was completely shell shocked at the desperate conditions. When he got to our community of homes we had just gifted he sat on the edge of the garden to regain his composure and saw one of our new homeowners doing her wash. Like many that see the dump for the first time he instinctively offered her a significant amount of money. The woman turned to the man and said, “thank you, but I don’t need it. I have a loan from Scott to start my bottled water business, my children are in school and I just received this home. You should donate to Scott so he can give it to someone who needs it”.
The email made me cry as both Scott and I knew that receiving a home along with a micro loan and education was a tipping point for the woman’s self-esteem. After years of living in a dirt floor shack surrounded by garbage and crime she had control over her life and belief in herself.
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