Goal-Setting Philanthropist with a Passion for Building Better Communities
Olivia-Olly Belcher founded Shivia in 2008. This charity helps poor families in West Bengal start enterprises so they can become financially independent. Her connection to India reaches back two generations to her grandfather, who helped get Mother Theresa her first ambulance. Her father was raised in Calcutta and completed charity work there. These stories inspired her to follow in her family’s legacy. Now, she is finding her life’s purpose through inspiring others.
My Key Takeaways
My interview with Olly was a great one with some immensely valuable practical and practiced advice, driven by a huge heart for her mission.
Olly has come from academia, a corporate grounding coupled with bags of compassion all three as valuable as each other. She strikes a great balance to marry these up to maximise impact – it’s an art!
Coming from a background heavily linked to India, her dad grew up in Calcutta whilst her grandfather raised funds for Mother Teresa’s first clinic and her first ever ambulance. Olly talks about her connections with Mother Teresa and India fondly and is in no doubt this is where her passion was born.
With a vision for change, Olly, through the advice of her dad, had a strong belief that gaining skills to develop her vision was vital. Through this interview you can gain clear knowledge of steps to grow something impactful. Along with the values of authenticity, courage and honesty, Olly says its key to have the right people in the right job. Be clear about your values and mission to all and to communicate well with transparency. She also clearly states that charity should be run like a business and research is vital!
Something I heard from my dad many times throughout my life is ‘your heart is the wind in your sails and your mind is the rudder that guides you’. This interview was a definite reminder of that balance.
Connect with Olivia
Website: https://shivia.com/