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Omidyar Network: a combination of nonprofit and for-profit.
"Many people don't distinguish between charity and philanthropy, but to me there's a significant difference.
When I use the word 'charity,' I think of what's needed to alleviate immediate suffering. It's just pure generosity
driven by compassion, and it's important but never-ending workâthere will always be more suffering.
Philanthropy is much more. It comes from the Latin for 'love of humanity.' Philanthropy is a desire to improve
the state of humanity and the world. And if we want to make sustainable change, we have to put all the tools
at our disposal to their best possible use.
Initially we drew some criticism for our hybrid approach. Businesspeople going into philanthropy or nonprofits
typically have the idea that they need to 'give back.' This implies, of course, that when they worked in the
business world, they were 'taking away.' I've tried to challenge that assumption. A true philanthropist will use
every tool he can to make an impact."
PIERRE OMIDYAR
Founder of Omidyar Network
