Inspiring people to “live with passion and meaning” has always driven the founder of Engineers Without Borders, Danny Almagor. After studying engineering and business at university, he started Engineers Without Borders so engineers could make a difference in the world via aid work and education.
Danny stayed CEO for eight years and built it up into a national organisation, until he left to start Medivax, a business centring around workplace heath. He realised that “the main driver of Medivax was to make a profit, whereas Engineers Without Borders had a social mission”. That thought led to the creation – together with his wife Berry Liberman - of Small Giants, a company which invests in businesses that have a positive impact on the lives of individuals or the environment.
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| Danny Almagor, Engineer who started Engineers without borders. Photo: Wayne Taylor WMT |
Small Giants has supported companies that include Tom Organic (organic feminine hygiene products), Pots 'N Pans (a restaurant in Vietnam that helps street kids who then work for the restaurant themselves), and a similar organisation in Melbourne called Streat.
What's important to you?
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I do everything with Berry, my partner, and it's very much a combined vision and a partnership. I think what motivates us both is a deep philosophy about the way the world should be. Gandhi's quote that “be the change you wish to see in the world” – it's so simple and so profound. There are those who sit around and say, 'I don't like poverty and I think it should change,' or 'Climate change is scary, I wish someone would do something about it.' We felt we should be part of the movement making the change. We've got three little kids [who are five and under] and felt the responsibility to be part of the solution, not the problem. It was both philosophical and personal.
What are the challenges you've faced and overcome?
Probably one of the biggest challenges is people not understanding, or not actively believing it's possible, or telling you it's crazy. Those are the walls people put up. They say, 'I'm waiting for you to lose your money.' They're the doubters. Sometimes you take on some of that doubt and you really have to remind yourself why you're doing what you do, and have enough support around you to get through that.
Was there a catalyst, or even a moment, when you knew this was what you wanted to do?
For me, it was more subtle. As long as I can remember, I've been active – at school, at uni, volunteering, putting my hand up. I volunteered for school outreach programs, I was very involved in a youth group movement throughout my teens and early twenties, I volunteered at uni with Ardoch Youth Foundation, working with troubled kids. I was always interested and passionate about education and volunteering and making a change. Probably what pushed me most into this field was when I was travelling in India, halfway through my university degree. There was a huge earthquake while I was there that killed tens of thousands of people. There was just devastation, and I remember thinking, 'I'm young, fit and healthy and I want to help out.' I was wondering if there were engineering institutions that I could volunteer for, similar to Doctors Without Borders, but there weren't any. That inspired me to think about Engineers Without Borders, although it took me three years after that to do it. Since then, I never got off the path of trying to lead the change. Outside of this stuff, I spent the last decade supporting other non-profits and social enterprises. I'm the chair of Jewish Aid Australia, which is the Jewish community's aid organisation. I've been on the boards of museums and environmental organisations, and I've spent a lot of time mentoring young social entrepreneurs and change-makers. I've made this a part of my life in every way.
Where do you get inspiration from?
I get inspired by the great big names that inspire us all – like Gandhi and Mandela –and then I'm also inspired by people like Jeff Skoll and Evan Thornley, who are more specific to the field of impact investing. Jan Owen is also incredible. There are many amazing people in Australia. There are all these great men and women who are really a force, doing amazing things.
Are you living the dream?
Absolutely. To be honest, even before I started Engineers Without Borders, I spent a year working in Outdoor Ed, taking kids on camp, which is not what most parents want their kid to do when they've finished an engineering degree. I've always chased things that have made my heart sing. I love every day, I love turning up for work, I love coming home to my family. I try to structure my week so I can find a balance. I've been very lucky, but also very purposeful in answering the question of what do I love to do, and what do I want to do.
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