SKI Charities

Category: Podcast

  • A Conversation with Shyam: 2014 | The Year in Review

    As we begin an exciting new year, SKIC founder Shyam K. Iyer takes a moment to reflect upon 2014. The organization saw a lot of growth this past year – with two programs operating fully in both Chile and Zimbabwe, SKIC’s operating sites. This past year we introduced a new program SKILLS, the SKI Local…

  • A Conversation with Shyam: SKILLS, The Latest Branch of SKIC

    SKIC founder, Shyam, sits down to talk about the latest branch of our organization, SKILLS – the SKI Local Life Survey. SKILLS began this year in Lebu, Chile with the intention of showcasing and supporting the local arts community that thrives there. This branch hopes to illuminate the stories that local Chilean artists have to…

  • A Conversation with Shyam: How SKIC Got Its Name

    Since it’s beginnings in October of 2010, SKI Charities has developed an impressive array of programs in two operating sites, Lebu, Chile and Mutare, Zimbabwe. Despite facing a lot of uncertainties and criticism – both internal and external – the organization’s founder, Shyam K. Iyer, felt inspired to see his project to fruition. After reflecting back…

  • A Conversation with Shyam: Introducing SKILLS, The Latest Branch of SKIC

    A little over a year ago, SKIC founder Shyam K. Iyer spoke to me about his long-term goal to add a third component to his organization: “We have the education [scholarships] and the business [micro-finance loans]. I’d like to do a third, expressing the local culture. Business, education, and culture…The original objective of SKIC is to…

  • A Conversation with Shyam: How we Maximize our Impact

    In our latest “Conversation with Shyam,” the charity’s founder speaks about how we are able to maximize our impact as an organization. Despite being a small, privately-funded organization, SKIC operates in places where the demand for micro-finance loans are high, but the supply is not there. In both Zimbabwe and Lebu, the interest-level in participating…

  • A Conversation with Shyam: How We Find Talent

    “Everyone has talent, but not everyone is given the opportunity to take advantage of it,” says SKIC founder, Shyam K. Iyer. Though SKIC chooses participants selectively, beneficiaries end up being role models for their friends, families, and communities at large. Listen in to hear about how important talent is to SKIC, and how the gifted…

  • A Conversation with Shyam: Building Our Network

    After returning from a recent trip to Lebu, Chile, SKIC founder Shyam got to thinking about how it is that we build our cohort of program participants and project managers. Listen in to hear about the people he met and how these connections enable the SKIC team to grow.

  • A Conversation with Shyam: State of the Foundation

    2014 marks the beginning of SKI Charities’ fourth year of activity. In this podcast, the charity’s founder, Shyam K. Iyer, reflects upon the past year and articulates his goals for the coming year. Listen in to hear our Re-Cap of 2013 and Preview of 2014!

  • A Conversation with Shyam: Health Issues in Chile and Zimbabwe

    SKIC’s mission – to bring entrepreneurship, education, and empowerment to women in Lebu, Chile and Mutare, Zimbabwe –  is a mission that extends beyond providing loans to SKIC participants so that their businesses can begin to take shape. Our charity also works with women to build the confidence they need to network, act upon their…

  • A Conversation with Shyam: The Election in Chile

    A run-off election this upcoming Sunday, December 15th, will determine Chile’s next president. SKI Charities founder, Shyam K. Iyer, sits down to talk with us about the political climate in Chile, and how it affects SKIC beneficiaries in Lebu.