The Blue Sweater: Connecting the Dots Between Wealth and Poverty in a Global Society

Klassy Books: If you like to know about things and people that are working around the world, this is a great book.

United States on Feb 06, 2024

Shreyans: Must read and so relevant for today’s world. Deeply engaging and insightful for anyone who needs a source of inspiration to take action and start contributing to make a positive social impact

India on Sep 05, 2022

Maria Luz: Che ispirazione! Per cambiare il mondo bisogna esporsi in prima linea e collaborare. Jacqueline é l’eroina del XXI secolo che ha cambiato il mondo

Italy on Dec 07, 2017

Cliente Amazon: A must for anyone living in 2016. A pity it is not translated in Spanish and French for more people to enjoy, learn and find true inspiration.

Spain on Dec 06, 2016

Joshua Dekker: この本のメッセージは「持続可能な貧困対策は、従来型の寄附ではなく、世界に変化を生み出そうとしている社会起業家に投資することだ」というもの。ルワンダでの社会起業家としての実践やロックフェラー財団でのワークショップで培った経験に裏付けられた議論は非常に示唆的だった。特に自分の失敗を隠さず、それから学んだ教訓を共有してくれるのはありがたい。
特に「なるほどなぁ」と思ったのは、技術志向の社会起業家と地域密着型の社会起業家をペアにして活動させた方が、結果を出せるということ。実際の事例に基づいた説明は非常に説得力があった。新技術に未来を観た起業家と、具体的な効果をイメージできない貧困層の顧客との間にギャップが生じるであろうことは想像に難くないが、それに対する処方箋は実戦の裏付けがないと描き出せないだろう。
Social Entrepreneurshipに興味ある方は、是非一度手に取ってみてください。

Japan on Feb 09, 2015

Ben Nottingham: This is one of the most inspiring books I have read. Jacqueline Novogratz gives an incredibly honest and humble insight into her experiences of working with people living in some of the most extreme conditions imaginable. From her work in Africa setting up organisations to provide the means to empower local women, to her role in founding Acumen Fund which supports social enterprises and leaders in developing countries across the world, Jacqueline rights as someone who has witnessed the best and worst of human nature. Through the book, Jacqueline gives a detailed and eye-opening account of her work with communities in developing countries including the many mistakes and lessons she's learnt along the way.

I recommend this book to any one who is interested in social impact and international development. I also believe this should be mandatory reading for any course on Leadership, as Jacqueline Novogratz puts forward a compelling case for why values such as humility, vulnerability, empathy and dignity are the pillars of true leadership.

A great read!

United Kingdom on Mar 30, 2014

Stephanie Doe: This book can't be everything to everyone. If you go into this book expecting a "how-to" guide on starting something like the Acumen fund, this is not your book. However, if you are interested in understanding the degree of fortitude required to dream as big as Novogratz has, then you will be pleasantly surprised.

Novogratz offers detailed (albeit long) accounts of her transformation from international banker, to naive do-gooder, and finally to being one of the most effective social entrepreneurs today. I agree with some readers in regards to the long length, but if you begin the book knowing that it is an account of her personal development journey, you will identify with a lot her epiphanies as someone wanting to do good in this complex world.

I am 25 years old and I've been searching for a way to do substantial and sustainable good in the world since I was 14. I don't think Novogratz was exaggerating when she opens with the honest admission that she has "dreamed of changing the world" (p. vii). We need dreamers. A keynote speaker at a nonprofit leadership workshop I recently attended asked the group an interesting question: "How different do you think we would...

United States on Apr 18, 2011

Himanshu Sharma: Brief Description
Blue Sweater is story of Jacqueline's journey on the road of change. What challenges & hardships she felt and how she conquered over those challenges with new perspective, gave us a valuable insight into a life and experiences of a social entrepreneur. Jacqueline left a high paying wall street to work in developing and poor nations of Africa. Though she was having noble intentions and raging passion to change the world for good but world had a whole lot different colors and spices in store for her. She went from country to country, started a women microfinance organization in Rwanda, worked with African governments, led teams at Rockefeller foundations and went on to build one of the most successful social entrepreneurial company called `Acumen Fund'.

Interesting points and Take-aways from this amazing book -

' How we all are connected?
Sometimes we can't even imagine how our daily actions and activities are affecting others in the world. We saw one example of blue sweater that traveled across continents. This was a tangible example. But the way we consume light, water and energy and how that in turn affect our less fortunate brothers and...

United States on Jan 04, 2011