In reply to Eric Schmidt.

Eric, thanks so much for your thoughtful reflections. We agree. Helping people meet their basic human needs – like access to food, clean water, shelter, disaster relief and health services – reflects our most immediate concerns as well. That’s why Cisco CSR critical human needs efforts leverage our global employee network and make startup-like investments in early stage nonprofit solutions that are using technology to meet more people’s needs more quickly.

For years, we have been working with the World Food Programme (WFP), which is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting global hunger. Our support has enabled the organization to become much more efficient and effective in combating food insecurity.

We’ve also supported organizations like Water for People. Using smart phone and web-based technology, developed with Cisco support, Water For People monitors water investments by collecting and analyzing data from remote and difficult-to-reach field locations. The data helps increase the water delivery sector’s competency, accountability, and transparency.

Our Foundation, Tactical Operations (TacOps) team and employee giving initiatives have been especially busy lately, working with communities that have been devastated by an unprecedented number of concurrent natural disasters. This includes a current mission that has TacOps in Puerto Rico, working with government agencies and NGO partners to provide much-needed connectivity in this hard-hit region.

These efforts are only a small sample of some of the work Cisco is doing with many organizations across the globe. If you’re interested in learning more about our CSR efforts to address critical human needs, please visit: http://csr.cisco.com/pages/critical-human-needs

If you know of an NGO that is using the power of technology to address some of the challenges you shared in Zambia, please encourage them to apply for grant funding: http://csr.cisco.com/pages/support-for-nonprofits

If you know of a student or recent graduate who has a technology-based solution that could help, please encourage them to apply to our Cisco Global Problem Solver Challenge 2018.

Thanks again for your considerate comment.