Rebranding in a war zone, with Prosper Global (formerly Mercy Corps)

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Tjada McKenna (0:27)

We cannot settle for survival. We can't respond to choosing between today's crises and helping communities prepare for tomorrow. And also 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. And so 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 (0:57)

That's Tjada McKenna, CEO of Prosper Global, which provides humanitarian support around the world and was long known as Mercy Corps. 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 and 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 Bob Safian. I'm here with Tjada McKenna, CEO of Prosper Global, formerly known as Mercy Corps. Tjada, welcome back to the show.

Tjada McKenna (2:11)

Thank you for having me. It's great to be here.

Bob Safian (2:14)

I'm eager to discuss the renaming of Mercy Corps. But first, I have to ask you about the, well, I have you, the flooding in Nepal. You've been on the show before, talking about humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, and Gaza, and Syria.

What's the situation now in Nepal?

Tjada McKenna (2:32)

Nepal is a devastating situation, and it is a country that, in a matter of months, has gone from crippling heat to now, this like severe catastrophe and flooding. And 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 in terms of food, and hygiene kits, and shelter. But what's really important for Nepal is really helping them to build for the future, because these kinds of crises are recurrent. I mean, this one just feels like this crazy, unexpected kind of, you know.

But the reality is there are these recurrent crises. And so really, some of the longer term work we've been doing in Nepal has been helping to stop river bank erosion by planting different grasses, helping people with emergency and disaster preparedness. And those are things that people need to kind of be resilient and survive the next one.

Bob Safian (3:30)

And this particular slide that sort of started this all, do we know if it's related to climate change? Will we ever definitively know?

Tjada McKenna (3:40)

I think 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 these very dramatic, severe weather related incidents, right? They're coming faster, closer together, more severe than they ever have before. And so I think we can call it whatever we want, but basically we've got to meet the needs of people who are being impacted consistently by these kinds of issues.

Bob Safian (4:11)

In the midst of that, Mercy Corps officially launched a rebrand to call itself Prosper Global.

You've said that you outgrew the old identity. Can you explain that? You're not about Mercy anymore?

Tjada McKenna (4:27)

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. And the reality is we are there in emergency situations providing people with what they need. But oftentimes, that crisis is just the beginning. And so we're also there with communities, working with them to provide the conditions for longer term sustainability and prosperity. So 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. And I had one time a potential donor said to me, that has nothing to do with your name, Mercy Corps. Like these kinds of long-term, innovative, market-oriented things, Mercy Corps doesn't encompass that. Our evolution to Prosper Global really is trying to shorten the conversation a bit, extending our values up front.