What an inspirational read - Jacqueline gives an honest and open look into how she developed into the person she is by being willing to learn from her mistakes and LISTEN to others. The person she developed into started a great organziation - the Aumen Fund - to make a true difference in the world by providing people with the opportunities to take care of themselves by encouraging entrepenurship.

This was pretty well done--the author goes into international development work as a young woman, working mainly in Rwanda in microfinance endeavors. She goes back to business school later, working on her ideas that charity and markets need to work together--charity alone has a bad track record of keeping track of progress, and markets alone leave behind the poor and invisible. I was more interested in the earlier parts of the book where she was actually working in Africa, a little bit less with the later parts about forming organizations in the US.

One of the best books to explain the difference between philanthropic giving and philanthropic self-gratification, the effectiveness of microloans versus handouts, that I've ever read. While Novogratz's tone is rather dry, the message, especially In the last quarter of this book, is so vital to understanding why pure charity often fails to make lasting change in the attempt to eradicate poverty. With no easy solutions but plenty of thought-provoking ideas, this is easily one of the best books I've read on trying to aid third world populations. Making a strong argument for both listening to, and relying on, carefully selected recipients and local aid workers to help implement lasting change, the Blue Sweater is right up there with "Half the Sky" by Nick Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn in its pragmatic bid for making broad change in communities by aiding women in meaningful ways that, as she cannily points out, don't confirm both sides rather biased beliefs about each other.

I'm really enjoying this book so far. The work she is describing is very interesting, and her lush descriptions of the African scenery and people are lovely. I'm finding it hard to put down, though that may be partly due to my manner of reading -- it's my first Kindle read.

Finished now and it certainly gives a lot to think about how we deal with aid to poorer countries.

Engrossing but not a light read. Amazing how much philanthropy is misguided. This would be great for a book club discussion.

A very inspiring book about one woman's quest to change the world and empower people. Highly recommended.

MUST READ

Novogratz had a solid middle-class upbringing but dreamed of doing more with her life. This book is about her journey to implement the principles she held dear. As she was about to graduate from the University of Virginia she felt at loose ends, not sure what or where she wanted to work, feeling she really wanted to take a year off to “tend bar and ski and figure out how I would change the world.” But to appease her mother she went on the round of interviews scheduled by the school for graduating seniors. Much to her surprise she landed a job with Chase Manhattan Bank, travelling the world to review the quality of the bank’s loans, especially in troubled economies. It was the start she needed, though she didn’t quite fit in with the bank’s conservative culture. So she left her well-paying job on Wall Street to join a nonprofit microfinance organization for women, and went to Africa to “make a difference.” To say she was naïve is an understatement. Even those who were supposedly welcoming her help were suspicious and frequently sabotaged her efforts. But she didn’t give up, and today is the CEO of Acumen Fund, a nonprofit venture capital firm for the poor.

Novogratz relates stories of impoverished women on two continents that are uplifting, humorous, horrendous and heartbreaking. The stories from Rwanda are particularly distressing. But I didn’t connect emotionally with the book. It seemed more like an annual report or business plan. I’m sure my F2F book club will have a lot to discuss – mostly about the issues of poverty and human rights – but I don’t think the book is a great one.