Danielle founded Amal Alliance to empower displaced children through social development programs at refugee camps and informal settlements around the globe. She recently attended her first Taproot program, our 9/11 Day of Service pro bono Speed Consulting—and she’s already excited about what comes next!
Diving in
Amal Alliance is an entirely volunteer-run organization at this point. While we have been so grateful to receive support from volunteers and interns, it’s very challenging to find quality talent willing to offer their services for free. With a limited budget, we depend on our volunteers. At the same time, we’ve recently received high demand to scale our model and replicate it in 14 different countries. We require a strategic plan that will get us the resources to bring support to the little ones that need it most. Meanwhile, while we know that we need to reach our target audience, we’re struggling to identify who that is and how best to reach them.
Faced with so many complicated challenges, it’s hard to figure out where to begin. How can we cultivate reliable volunteer commitment? How can we meet the demand to scale our model when we don’t have the funding or the staff? And, what’s the point of doing something awesome if no one knows about it?
I knew it was time to address the challenges my organization was facing. Luckily, Taproot’s pro bono Speed Consulting event offered the opportunity to talk about all of these questions. We turned to this event to find the concrete, actionable advice needed to bring us to the next level.
Pro bono Speed Consulting was just the beginning
I’ve only begun engaging with Taproot, and it’s already invigorating! So far their volunteers have provided wonderful feedback that allows my team to look at things from various lenses and viewpoints. I’ve been struck by the volunteers’ diligence, preparedness, and overall interest.
To the volunteers I’ve worked with: THANK YOU! You’re not just donating your skills; you’re also supporting the work that enables a displaced child to shine bright through laughter, play, and smiles. You’re making it possible for a displaced teenager to narrate their own story through creative writing, dance, or the arts. We need more people like you in the world.