Liquidnet Holdings, Inc.

About Liquidnet's Program
Liquidnet Founder and CEO Seth Merrin provided the inspiring vision and leadership under which the company developed a partnership with the Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village near Kigali for children orphaned by the 1994 genocide in Rwanda. This initiative is based on Liquidnet’s philosophy of, “The potential of one: one person can make a difference, one idea can lead to change and one company can have an impact.”

Established in partnership with the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee – a nonprofit experienced in international humanitarian relief efforts – this 150-acre village provides a comprehensive living, learning and healing community for 500 traumatized Rwandan teenagers.  Agahozo is Kinyarwandan for “a place where tears are dried” and Shalom is Hebrew for “peace.”  Based on an Israeli model that initially served orphans from the Holocaust, it is believed that Agahozo-Shalom is the first project to bring the youth village model to Africa.   Once completed, the Village will feature 50 buildings including 32 five-bedroom homes –  students live in “families” of 16 children and one “house mother,” typically a widow from the genocide.  All of the facilities are built by Rwandans and supported by the NGO community, as well as local businesses and government leaders.

Liquidnet’s investment in Agahozo-Shalom has totaled nearly $6 million since the project began in 2006. The Agahozo-Shalom Youth Village is the cornerstone of Liquidnet’s Global Social Engagement program, which focuses on channeling major financial and human resources to one critical social challenge to effect change, rather than making small grants to an array of programs.  Liquidnet commits 1% of revenue to addressing global challenges and also focuses on integrating the project into the company’s operating philosophy.  For example, Mr. Merrin presents progress reports to the company’s Board of Directors at the annual Liquidnet Summit, and quarterly to the company’s 420 employees worldwide. Employees are encouraged to participate by collecting and shipping supplies, and by making donations through the company’s matching gift program, “Double Down.”  In addition, over two dozen Liquidnet employees have been sponsored by the company to travel to Rwanda to provide volunteer services.  To date, more than three quarters of the company’s employees and their families have been involved with the village.

To broaden worldwide awareness of the project and to foster the development of similar initiatives, Liquidnet participated in the Clinton Global Initiative, which featured the village during its 2008 international gathering.  The company has also promoted the village as part of Liquidnet’s sponsorship of the Wall Street Charity Boxing Match, created “Race4Rwanda” which in 2007 and 2008 raised $150,000 for the project, and built two Web sites to make project information and progress available worldwide. 

Liquidnet’s leadership in the Agahozo Shalom Youth Village is bringing aid to hundreds of children who previously had little chance of a healthy existence and lacked educational opportunities, enabling them to make change in their region of the world. This project has also had a measurable positive impact on the company.  It is helping to boost employee morale and retention, to build client relationships, and to connect with the company’s various stakeholders.

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