Song of the Bird King is honored to feature the compassionate and tireless work of internationally recognized humanitarian, Carl Keyes and AIDfortheWorld.org.

Carl Keyes is an internationally recognized humanitarian who has orchestrated some of the most significant emergency relief efforts in the history of the United States. His first response efforts in Hurricane Katrina and the September 11th crises were recognized formally by the US Senate and the President of the United States as his efforts were inserted into the Congressional Record of the United States.

Keyes is Founder and Managing Director of AID for the World and has expanded his relief efforts to include people who live perpetual crisis everyday due to a lack of basic life necessities. He has spent 24 years of serving people both in the US and in 31 different countries as well as nine years of living in Bushwick, Brooklyn in one of NYC most difficult neighborhoods.

SOTBK: What is the philosophy of AID?

Keyes: Living for a higher purpose is to live a life of sacrifice, which has long-term effects we may never know, let alone understand. Could the ‘butterfly effect’ be true? The idea that one butterfly could eventually have a sweeping ripple effect on subsequent historic events seems far-reaching.  Although it is true that each life has an effect on another. Each person we come in contact with, an event we attend or don’t attend, choices we make on a daily basis all develop into potential factors in the lives of others. Taking this premise into the life cycle unlocks an innovative and stimulating pathway for adventurous and compassionate living.

“That man is good who does good to others; if he suffers on account of the good he does, he is very good; if he suffers at the hands of those to whom he has done good, then his goodness is so great that it could be enhanced only by greater sufferings; and if he should die at their hands, his virtue can go no further: it is heroic, it is perfect.”  - Jean De La Bruyére

SOTBK: What are some of the details of your work?

Keyes: Sandy Schuman, from her book, Creating a Culture of Collaboration states, “Management scientists Quinn and Guile (1988) studied the dynamics of how and why innovations survive, thrive or die. They concluded that, like babies, innovations require proactive, flexible, and attentive care of three agents – parents, guardians and pediatricians. They found that venture teams composed solely of dispassionate experts are not effective, because innovations are just as unpredictable and vulnerable as babies. The two men concluded that they succeed only when the same key players provide customized attention, judgment and maintenance:

A parent who loves the project irrationally

A guardian who protects the project with resources and authorization

A pediatrician who contributes advice and technical assistance about project development.”

Each person plays a different role in order to cover all the bases. Frederick Bastiat, the French economist said, “There is only one difference between a bad economist and a good one: the bad economist confines himself to the visible effect; the good economist takes into account both the effect that can be seen and those effects that must be foreseen.” And so, out of the above references we at AID built a “Three-Mind Creation Construct”.

When working with people across the country, who are seeking employment, my suggestion is usually the same. Have you tried to create anything, instead of just waiting for government help or a job to come along?  This is one of the key factors that has prospered America. We used to build the best mousetrap.  The Three-Mind Creation Construct are three people who sit down and collaborate in brain-storming sessions to 1. Find out what resources are available, 2. Find someone who lacks what you have available, 3. Create a rail to link the two, 4. If needed, find an investor.

In a small Midwest town, a salesman, an architect and a sanitation worker came together and started a business using discarded half inch rounded metal and what appeared to be useless, leftover electrical wire.  The three of them formed a company and are producing lawn furniture made from these items. One gathers, one builds and one sells.

Coffee from Burundi, one of the poorest nations in the world sells to a company in Greece by the metric ton, who in turn sells to our coffee plant outside Kiev, who makes such a good profit they are helping to purchase farm equipment for the farmers, who in turn are feeding the poorest of the Ukraine with 10% of their crop.  Therefore the poorest Nation in the world are feeing some of the poorest people in the Ukraine.

SOTBK: What about Co-operatives?

Keyes: Just about all the businesses we help establish overseas are co-operatives.  A flour mills in Ghana, an agriculture projects in Zambia, a soap factories in Zimbabwe, fishing boats in Burundi are all co-op’s.

In Burundi there are over 50,000 families in the fishing co-op.  50 families share one set of boats. They catch enough fish to 1. eat all month, 2. sell fish and have enough money to buy other household goods, 3. pay back the loan for the boats within 12-15 months.

SOTBK: Is AID involved in any Green Projects?

Keyes: We recycle plastic bottles and make high-end women’s clothing. First store opened in 2008 in Miami.

Light poles that have both solar power and a wind turbine, which are made from recycled concrete. At the base of the pole are outlets and bench so you may plug in and work on the computer.

Village sanitation projects and treatment plants, both overseas and in the Appalachia region.

Oxy-fuel Plants. When coal is burned with the air, it creates fossil fuel.  However, when coal is burned with pure oxygen, the burn-off is clean.  There is only a -5% loss of burn efficiency.

Green roof design and installation.

Free range chicken brood-bitch farms.

Starting a new project by using discarded corn to make plastic water bottles.

Using photovoltaic cells in between insulated glass roof covering at bus stops.

Helping cities to become downtown pedestrian areas, using a BIXI system,  BIXI comes from the 2 words bicycle and taxi.  You can rent a bike anywhere in town and return it anywhere, by using your credit card to unlock the bike.  The BIXI parking stands are powered by a solar panel.

Cistern agricultural drip projects.

Telephone wire basket making.  Egg carton ottomans.

“A man is called selfish not for following his own dream, but

for disregarding his neighbor’s.”  ~  CDK

www.AIDfortheWorld.org