Why I Support the Eradication of Poverty: Donor Stories
On the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we're recognizing three donors who support TechnoServe's mission to create sustainable pathways out of poverty. Hear from Alison Conway, Susan Ball, and Matt Kamm about why they are personally motivated to help eradicate poverty.
TechnoServe looks forward to a day when everyone has an equal opportunity to achieve financial stability. That is why we recognize the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty as a chance to picture a world without poverty and consider the steps it takes to get there.
Understanding that we can’t accomplish this vision alone, we acknowledge those who support our efforts to eradicate poverty. These generous donors have seen success in their own lives and now choose to pay it forward.
We have asked three of our supporters to explain in their own words why they choose to give to fight poverty and how it connects to their values. We invite you to be inspired by their stories and encourage you to consider what you can do to help eradicate poverty.
How Alison Found Purpose in Supporting Poverty Eradication
Alison Conway spent 25 years in London at the intersection of e-commerce and financial technology, leading strategic initiatives for companies from Intel and Amazon to early-stage digital payment ventures. Now based in Boston and active in the venture community, she’s also a longtime supporter of TechnoServe’s mission to create sustainable pathways out of poverty. Her commitment to creating financial self-sufficiency stems from her mother’s experience immigrating to North America.
“I’ve been supporting TechnoServe for about 10 years on and off. I like TechnoServe because they really work to have sustainable answers to eradicating poverty. I think poverty sits at the heart of so many of our society’s challenges. When people don’t have access to basic human dignities, it just becomes much easier for people to be denied their basic rights and potential.
For me, the need to eradicate poverty is linked to the ability to ensure people are self-sufficient, that each one of us can, when push comes to shove, take care of ourselves. My mother, for example, immigrated to North America first. She came to Canada from post-war Germany, didn’t speak a word of English, didn’t have much when she first came over, and had to build everything from scratch. She instilled in me the need to be self-sufficient, the need to be able to make ends meet and take care of yourself.
I think TechnoServe is a different way to help eradicate poverty because the approach the organization uses is all about providing the tool set, the skills, and the education that allow people to be self-sufficient and also start educating the rest of their community as well. It’s that old cliche—if you can teach someone to fish, they can make a living for themselves going forward.”
Fighting Poverty as a Family: Why Matt and Kathryn Kamm Give
Matt Kamm is a managing director and portfolio manager at a Milwaukee-based investment management firm, where he has worked as a professional investor for 25 years. He and his wife Kathryn have three daughters and will soon become empty nesters. For Matt and Kathryn, supporting TechnoServe to eradicate poverty is about extending the opportunities their family has enjoyed to others around the world.
“My wife Kathryn and I have been supporters of TechnoServe for over 10 years now. We have three daughters. They’re almost all out of the house now. We’ve all been just so fortunate with them and with where we’ve been able to raise them and the opportunities they’ve had. We try not to lose sight of that. When we look and see opportunities in the world where even modest amounts of investment can open up incredible opportunities for people who are faced with far fewer resources than we’ve enjoyed, it’s just hard not to want to be part of making those investments happen.
We think TechnoServe’s mission really aligns with our family’s goals and values. We want to do what we can in our lives to help promote opportunity and dignity for all people. And it’s incredibly rewarding for us to be able to do that through really successful organizations like TechnoServe.”
Empowering the Future: Susan Ball’s Commitment to Poverty Eradication
Susan Ball grew up in a manufacturing family spanning three to four generations and strongly believes in the power of making things to build financial prosperity. After raising four children, she channeled her energy into starting small businesses and working on various projects, from chairing the New York Flower Show to joining NGO boards and working in developing countries. TechnoServe has been a perfect fit for her lifelong interest in growing small businesses into successful enterprises.
“I’ve been affiliated with or supporting TechnoServe for probably 15 years or even more. I give to fight poverty because knowing how to produce something and make money from it is really the ultimate way to fulfill yourself, whether you’re growing things or making things.
I grew up in a manufacturing family. My family had started it three or four generations ago, so I grew up with the idea that you build things, make things, and produce things.
When you go to developing countries, young people just have no way to look for a future. I think by giving them the tools that TechnoServe is giving them helps get them out of that poverty level and gives them some self-esteem and some feeling like they’re doing good for their communities. And lots of them go on and pull in other people and get them started. So it’s a win-win all the way around.
TechnoServe does by far the best at doing just what I want them to do. They’re helping people grow their businesses and really helping out around the world. It’s a terrific organization.”
Join the Global Movement for the Eradication of Poverty
Each donor shares a common belief: that every person deserves the opportunity to build a prosperous future. They’ve seen firsthand how TechnoServe’s approach—equipping people with skills, tools, and knowledge—creates lasting change that ripples through families, communities, and generations.
On this International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, we invite you to join them. Whether through financial support, sharing our mission, or simply taking time to learn more about the entrepreneurs we serve, you can be part of the solution. Help us eradicate poverty today.
Ready to make a difference? Learn more about supporting TechnoServe’s mission.
