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The husband and wife team, who live in Scarsdale, are co-authors of "A Path Appears,” about philanthropic innovations worldwide that combat poor early-childhood education, poverty, malnutrition, homelessness and many other difficult problems.
Kristof, a two-time Pulitzer Prize winner and New York Times columnist, is often called the “reporter’s reporter” for his human rights advocacy and his efforts to give a voice to the voiceless. Sheryl WuDunn, the first Asian-American reporter to win a Pulitzer Prize, is a business executive and best-selling author.
WuDunn shared some of the personal stories of children she met in Africa, showing poignant videos and photos illustrating the tales of the girl who, with help, rose from the slums of Kenya to the ranks of Harvard. Noting that human attachment at a young age is a more significant predictor of graduation from high school than IQ, WuDunn stressed the importance of nurturing and child rearing.
Kristof elaborated on the inherent challenges of bringing about change. He commented that those who are well off might experience a gap in empathy as the result of being insulated from the poor and those in need. He also recognized that any one individual may legitimately believe his own contribution is a mere drop in the bucket, but firmly believes that drops in a bucket can make a difference.
He illustrated this point with the story of one young girl who decided to raise money for a charity for her ninth birthday. Tragically, she died not long after surpassing her $300 goal, but succeeded in raising more than $1 million.
Kristof explained altruism can become a selfish pleasure, evidenced by functional MRI studies that show the same type of brain activity results from receiving and giving and markedly lower mortality rates among those who volunteer regularly.
“A Path Appears,” will be the subject of a PBS documentary airing early in 2015. For those who missed the chance to get a signed copy of their book, autographed copies may still be purchased from Scarsdale Adult School, with proceeds of the sale donated to the adult school and the Nurse Family Partnership.
For more information or to order a copy, call Scarsdale Adult School at 914-723-2325.
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