“We cannot settle for survival”: Evolving as Prosper Global
“We cannot settle for survival,” said Prosper Global CEO Tjada D’Oyen McKenna. “We can’t choose between responding to today’s crises and helping communities prepare for tomorrow.”
Tjada, in conversation with Bob Safian on the “Masters of Scale: Rapid Response” podcast, discussed crises across Nepal, Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza—and how Prosper Global is on the ground alongside communities.
“Our mission and values have been to help people live their best, full, productive lives, particularly people who are beset by issues caused by poverty, conflict, or climate change,” said Tjada, reflecting on the recent evolution of Prosper Global to Prosper Global and our relentless pursuit of prosperity for all. Together, Tjada and Bob explore what it means to confront unprecedented need without losing sight of what’s possible.
Transcript excerpt from “Masters of Scale: Rapid Response” episode: “Rebranding in a war zone”
Tjada D’Oyen McKenna: We cannot settle for survival. We can’t choose between responding to today’s crises and helping communities prepare for tomorrow. And also, it’s a message of hope and defiance, right? There are so many examples of people thriving and being able to do great things in the midst of really difficult circumstances. We’re really trying to change the narrative about what our aspirations should be and what we can achieve. We are not aiming high enough.
Bob Safian: That’s Tjada McKenna, CEO of Prosper Global, which provides humanitarian support around the world and was long known as Prosper Global. Tjada just rebranded the organization to Prosper Global as we head into UN General Assembly week in a bid to change the dialogue around crisis relief. With aid services under unprecedented financial pressure following funding pullbacks by the Trump administration, Tjada talks about recent visits to Syria, Ukraine, and Sudan, shares insights about conditions in Nepal after the devastating flood, and outlines what governments and donors are often missing when assessing crises. Tjada’s commitment to those in need is warm, but her resolve is steely, even calling on AI firms to step up in helping nonprofits like hers. There’s a lot to learn and be inspired by in her defiant optimism, so let’s get to it. I’m Bob Safian, and this is Rapid Response. I’m here with Tjada McKenna, CEO of Prosper Global, formerly known as Prosper Global. Tjada, welcome back to the show.
Tjada: Thank you for having me. It’s great to be here.
Bob: I am eager to discuss the renaming of Prosper Global, but first, while I have you, I have to ask about the flooding in Nepal. You’ve been on the show before talking about humanitarian crises in Ukraine, Gaza, and Syria. What’s the situation now in Nepal?
Tjada: Nepal is a devastating situation. It is a country that, in a matter of months, has gone from crippling heat to this severe catastrophe and flooding. The reality is Nepal is very prone to climate disasters, mainly due to issues that they had no contribution to. Obviously, we’re there helping people immediately with food, hygiene kits, and shelter, but what’s really important for Nepal is helping them build for the future because these kinds of crises are recurrent. This one feels crazy and unexpected, but the reality is these crises keep happening. Some of the longer-term work we’ve been doing in Nepal has been helping to stop riverbank erosion by planting different grasses and helping people with emergency and disaster preparedness. Those are the things people need to be resilient and survive the next one.
Bob: And this particular slide that started all this, do we know if it’s related to climate change? Will we ever definitively know?
Tjada: If it’s related to a melting glacier, I think it’s hard to argue that it’s not climate change-related. The reality is we have this increase in very dramatic, severe weather-related incidents. They’re coming faster, closer together, and more severe than they ever have before. We can call it whatever we want, but we’ve got to meet the needs of people who are being impacted consistently by these kinds of issues.
Bob: In the midst of that, Prosper Global officially launched a rebrand to call itself Prosper Global.
Tjada: Yes.
Bob: You’ve said that you outgrew the old identity. Can you explain that? You’re not about “mercy” anymore?
Tjada: Yes. I think organizations outgrow identities just as people do. A lot of people’s classic definition of aid is swooping in to save the day, whether it be food, and thinking of ourselves as the agents of mercy. The reality is we are there in emergency situations providing people with what they need, but oftentimes that crisis is just the beginning. We’re also there with communities, working with them to provide the conditions for longer-term sustainability and prosperity. When I would talk to potential donors about the kinds of things that we do, I would talk about cash assistance, but also things like seed insurance or the use of blockchain for identity management. One time, a potential donor said to me, “That has nothing to do with your name, Prosper Global.” These long-term, innovative, market-oriented things weren’t encompassed by Prosper Global. Our evolution to Prosper Global is really trying to shorten the conversation a bit by stating our values up front. We believe everybody has the ability to prosper, not just survive. Often, it doesn’t take that many resources to do so, and we invite people into that journey with us.
Bob: This focus on prosperity in the new name, it’s not changing the focus or strategy behind the organization. It’s better reflecting what you’ve already been doing.
Tjada: Our mission and values are the source of continuity, not our name, right? Our mission and values have been to help people live their best, full, productive lives, particularly people who are beset by issues caused by poverty, conflict, or climate change. That outward statement of our mission and values has not changed at all. I was having a conversation with someone about the fact that we have a venture capital fund and that we’ve had one for 10 years. I was talking about the businesses we invest in. They’re businesses that serve these types of communities, helping them with financial services products and things like better building materials for climate-related challenges. And someone said, “But you’re Prosper Global. What are you doing in venture capital? Why do you know about that?” I think Prosper Global really describes the way that aid started, not what we are doing today, not how we operate, and not where we are going or where we have been.
Bob: I was thinking that it’s not a typical corporate rebrand because of how long and hard it can take for reputation and trust to be built in some of these communities where you work. Changing the name could make things more dangerous in the near term for some of those on the ground, physically dangerous.
Tjada: Yes. We are in over 30 countries. In many of those countries, we have remote substation offices, often in conflict zones. The communities know Prosper Global. They knew to look for the prior Prosper Global color. So, we do have a phased transition. It has really been country by country, with people telling us what the right timing is and what the context of that is. We’re getting people used to the fact that our identity has changed, talking to different government officials. But we work in very complicated countries, sometimes with contested governments. There’s not just one authority that you’re talking to. So it is a process. Safety is on the line. We don’t travel with armed guards. We don’t carry arms. We are able to work because of the trust of the communities that we serve.
Bob: I could see the conversations being difficult for you with some of your team members who are there.
Tjada: Yeah.
Bob: For you, in your conversations to raise money, sure, it’s easier to have this name, but for them, changing it doesn’t necessarily make it easier.
Tjada: It’s been interesting because 90% of our staff live and work in the communities they’re from. Some of our program staff are the first people to really get it because they see themselves in it. They’re like, “Yes, we are not just charity cases. We want to prosper.”
“There are innovative things going on where we are.” It was more people from the Global North who were like, “Really?” I think a lot of our staff got it right away, and they felt really proud. This is us building our next chapter and how we want to be perceived in the world.
Read full transcript here.