Jay Baydala is founder and executive director of UEnd, a non-profit with a mission to inspire North Americans to refocus a portion of their gift-giving budget towards strategic and sustainable projects in the developing world – his underlying goal is to eradicate poverty, one gift at a time.
After an eye-opening trip to Nepal, Mr. Baydala returned to his Calgary condo to discover what he began to see as a wealth of excesses. He quit his corporate job as an IT project manager, a position he’d held for 13 years, sold nearly all of his belongings, including his car and his condo, and spent a year developing a plan. The plan became UEnd, launched under the name ChristmasFuture, in 2007.
UEnd: Poverty offers gift cards for various selected charities – give the cards as gifts to friends and family and the recipient can choose their charity. The multimedia website then keeps donors updated by showing them exactly how their money has helped a community.
In communities of the developing world, projects related to health, education, economy, agriculture, infrastructure, gender, water and sanitation, and community development will be funded, an opportunity for economic independence and sustainability, and to give a voice to those in need.
Nominator: Priscilla Ng, Calgary
