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.