Why I Give: Long-Term Donor Describes How Kupenda Inspires His Trust and Generosity
by Kupenda
Posted on August 13, 2019
advocacy, charitable giving, charity, Children With Disabilities, disability advocacy, disability education, disability inclusion, disability rights, donation, donor, east africa, education, human rights, inclusion, kenya, NGO, non-profit, people with disabilities, philanthropist, philanthropy, sponsorship, vulnerable people
Deepak Kaul is soft spoken. He pauses thoughtfully before he replies and answers with a lot of humility (despite being a software designer for NASA!). When I interviewed Deepak earlier this week I wanted to understand why he has supported Kupenda for so long and what inspired him to start giving monthly last year. His feedback was honest and simple. It reminded me of how lucky Kupenda is to have a community of intelligent, passionate supporters with huge hearts. We hope you enjoying this conversation with our long-term friend, Deepak Kaul.
Jessica: Why do you give to Kupenda when there are so many other charities?
Deepak: When you give to an organization youāre not always sure whatās happening with your money. But Iāve known Cindy since 2005 and I trust her. I just can see the genuineness in what she is doing and what she describes as being called to do. And having a disability herself ā how that has a strong connection with the people sheās helping.
Jessica: How did you decide to give so generously?
Deepak: I try to give 10% of my income. I used to go to church and [tithe] so thatās why I came up with that amount. 10% seems like a good amount to give back to society. That number stuck with me.
Jessica: Why did you decide to give monthly?
Deepak: Iāve always wanted to support the organization but I never got around to it. I decided, letās just a make it so itās an automatic — so I don’t have to think about it.
Jessica: How do you feel about Kupendaās mission?
Deepak: I see how difficult it is for people [with disabilities]. When I see people who are wheelchair-bound I know how difficult it is to get around… itās hard to maneuver. Even with just opening a door. I always imagine all the extra steps they have to think about.
Jessica: Does the fact that weāre working in Kenya impact your giving?
Deepak: I imagine how many amenities we have in the US and how difficult it is even for someone with a disability in the US. I canāt imagine how much more difficult it would be for someone in Kenya and plus the animosity toward them. Here thereās a lot of structure and many [disability] organizations; in Kenya thereās not a lot of organizations like Cindyās helping them.
Jessica: You mentioned the animosity towards people with disabilities in Kenya. How do you feel about that?
Deepak: From what Cindyās told me thereās a lot of negative feelings about [disability] in Kenya. [Those with disabilities] are outcast. People view disabilities as some kind of punishment, like they are being punished for being sinful. So people are less likely to help them because they feel like itās their own problem — that theyāve caused it.ā
Jessica: Any final thoughts you want to share?Ā
Deepak: I feel like Cindy does a really good job trying to help kids. I trust her motivations. Cindy is trustworthy. I don’t have to worry about where my money is going. I know sometimes things happen and people do dishonest things. Cindy does what she can to make sure things are ethical and to make sure the charity is valuable to peopleās self-esteem. So people with disabilities know they have value.ā
Join Deepak in providing regular, life-saving support to children with disabilities byĀ signing up to give aĀ one-time donation, aĀ monthlyĀ gift, or through a $30 monthly child sponsorship.
Want to keep updated with Kupenda and Kuhenzaās work? You can follow them on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. And please also sign up for their monthly newsletter and updates here.Ā
If youāre interested in supporting one of the many children they serve, head over to their sponsorship page to learn about how you can make a difference for just $30 / month.
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