A Message From Nicole Verkindt - Founder GlassFrog
This project is a result of my personal frustration with the inadequacies of aid in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Haiti. The link between the vast availability of human resources and provisions versus tangible progress in relief and development goals were indiscernible during my time on ground in Port-au-Prince. I do not deny that progress in responding to the magnitude of such a disaster was hindered by the devastating setbacks in human life and infrastructure, yet I am hesitant to accept that we are exhausting our full potential as a global community.
GlassFrog was created to give a voice to everyone who, like me, is unwilling to accept that status quo is good enough. My hope is that this becomes an open forum used to discuss the effectiveness of international relief efforts, providing a more transparent view of the bureaucracy accompanying aid. Our intent in launching the website is to provide like-minded readers with accurate, relevant and modern information regarding the allocation of your donated dollars, and what direct and indirect impact this has had on the region or individuals Non-Profits intend to help.
GlassFrog was created to give a voice to everyone who, like me, is unwilling to accept that status quo is good enough. My hope is that this becomes an open forum used to discuss the effectiveness of international relief efforts, providing a more transparent view of the bureaucracy accompanying aid. Our intent in launching the website is to provide like-minded readers with accurate, relevant and modern information regarding the allocation of your donated dollars, and what direct and indirect impact this has had on the region or individuals Non-Profits intend to help.
What is a "Glass Frog"?
A glass frog is a real animal found in South America. It's defining characteristic is it's translucent skin, which allows observers to view the inner workings of it's digestive tract and major organs. Since we wanted our organization to embody everything "transparent", this attribute was a major source of inspiration. Additionally, the glass frog, as well as many other frog species, are extremely sensitive to changes in their environment. Often referred to as an "indicator species", frogs are among the first to be impacted by small environmental changes that would typically go unnoticed by humans; an early warning sign. The changes in their small bodies keep us accountable for the hardships we impose on them and the world: deforestation, global warming, pollution. This is the second characteristic we felt was applicable to our organization: accountability.
 |
| A glass frog |
