Design can change the world. I think that in different industries, in politics, and in government, if industries can hire more for strategic design and use more strategic design processes, we can resolve problems in an effective way.
-Paulina Garza Gordoa
Episode Summary
In this new episode of Logistics With Purpose, hosts Luisa Garcia and Astrid Aubert welcome Paulina Garza Gordoa, the director of Institutional Development at Un Kilo de Ayuda (One Kilo of Help), to the show. Paulina shares her journey from being an industrial designer to working in the social sector, emphasizing the importance of strategic design in solving global problems. She discusses her work at Un Kilo de Ayuda, an organization that focuses on early childhood development and provides emergency relief in disaster-stricken areas.
Listen in as Luisa, Astrid, and Paulina discuss the importance of logistics in disaster relief situations, efficient processes, encouraging companies to support NGOs, and so much more.
Episode Transcript
Intro/Outro (00:02):
Welcome to Logistics with Purpose presented by Vector Global Logistics. In partnership with Supply chain. Now we spotlight and celebrate organizations who are dedicated to creating a positive impact. Join us for this behind the scenes glimpse of the origin stories change, making progress and future plans of organizations who are actively making a difference. Our goal isn’t just to entertain you, but to inspire you to go out and change the world. And now here’s today’s episode of Logistics With Purpose.
Luisa Garcia (00:35):
Hello and welcome everybody to your new episode of Logistics and Purpose. I am Lisa Garcia, and today I am with my co-host, Astrid, and we are very excited because today we have a great guest. She’s Paulina Garcia from Welcome Paulina. How are you doing today?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (00:51):
Hi, Lisa, Anita to see you again. Thank you for the opportunity to talk to you and have this amazing conversation. Thank you very much.
Luisa Garcia (01:00):
Yes, thank you for being here.
Astrid Aubert (01:01):
Thank you Lisa also for invite me and to do this co-host with you. Let me make a little brief about Paulina Garza, gua, director of the Institutional Development Atula or one kilo of help in English. Welcome Paulina to the show.
Paulina Garza Gordoa (01:18):
Thank you very much. E
Luisa Garcia (01:19):
Okay, Paul, for starting our interview. We’re going to make a quick question section we have, so we’re going to ask you a few questions and you have to answer with the first thing that comes through your mind. Okay.
Paulina Garza Gordoa (01:31):
That’s amazing. Thank you.
Luisa Garcia (01:32):
Okay, so let’s start. What is the best advice that you have received?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (01:37):
Okay, one that I remember the most. It was my grandmother told me, do good without looking at whom. And it was a really good advice to understand the importance of looking out for others. But however, I evolved this in good, good while looking at whom, because I know that it’s important to be aware that we are equal, that we just have different opportunities in life and we are in adventure. And that touch or not in the world, it’s because I know lottery or the way we born, but it’s not that this part of our life can be changed. So that’s one of my best advice of childhood.
Luisa Garcia (02:19):
Wow, I love that. Okay. If you could have any superpower, what would it be?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (02:24):
Okay. I think that read minds like Mel Dibon in the movie so I could be more pathetic to others. I think that would be the answer.
Luisa Garcia (02:34):
Awesome. I would like that. What is the most interesting place that you have ever visited?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (02:39):
Fortunately, I have visited a lot of countries, but I think that one of the most interesting place I’ve ever visited is indigenous communities in Mexico. It’s not in a specific location, but I have learned a lot about people who live there, a lot of capacities, the trends that they have, also the amazing way that they live and they enjoy life.
Luisa Garcia (03:02):
Thanks for sharing that. That’s great. Well, what’s your favorite way to unwind after a long day?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (03:08):
Okay. I think that I have to tell that being with my dog, I have a 3-year-old George Shire theory. He is the best and I really enjoy to be with hip.
Luisa Garcia (03:19):
Oh, that’s cute. Yeah. And finally, how do you stay hopeful during talk times?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (03:25):
Okay, that’s interesting. I think something that my grandfather used to say as well, that it’s everything that has a solution except death and death is the solution to everything. So when I think about that, everything goes in their right level. That was really interesting to answer. Not everyone asked me that kind of questions, so thank you.
Astrid Aubert (03:49):
It’s good to know a little bit more about you, but now we want to hear about your background. Can you please tell us a little bit more about your grew up or your childhood?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (04:01):
Perfect. Well, I grew up in a large family. I was surrounded by cousins, by my aunts where attention, it wasn’t focused on anyone in particular. We were hurt, but we were raised in an environment of motel support and collaboration I think. So living in a community, supporting each other through tough situations. So it was also an environment that was a lot of respect for elders, for all people, so of our superiors. So it was very important, that kind of respect. I think being surrounded by my siblings, my cousins, we were taught to share, to be creative in entertaining ourselves. So that was really important for me. We didn’t have a lot of TV or nowadays internet and tablets, so we had the responsibility to entertain ourselves with creative ways, so creative ways. So we are really lucky about that. I think this is
Astrid Aubert (05:01):
Mexico
Paulina Garza Gordoa (05:01):
City. Mexico City, yes. Yes. Okay.
Luisa Garcia (05:05):
Wow. That’s great. Alina, thank you for sharing that with us. And I think that being with your family and growing up with your family is a blessing and I would love to, well hear a story from your early years that shaped who you are and what do you do now?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (05:20):
Okay, nowadays, well, I’m an industrial designer. Well, I believe in the magic of design and it goes beyond the aesthetics, I think is the ability to analyze problems and provide effective solutions to our global problems. So initially I had no idea I would dedicate my life to the social sector, but I think today I’m very proud of that change. I was willing to study about theater and stages, so I changed my course of professional work because strategic design can change the world I think, so that by redesigning public policies, ensure human rights, redesigning worldviews, making us more human. So that’s one of my main goals, change minds to know that design can make strategic impact. So that’s why.
Astrid Aubert (06:12):
Awesome. I’m reading your CV and I know you have this degree in the industrial design from the university ana, but also you have a master in strategy design and social innovation. Could you tell us more about these two degrees and I don’t know how it go for you now.
Paulina Garza Gordoa (06:30):
Yes. For me, as I said, the design can change the world and I think that in different industries also in politics or in government, if that industries can hire more strategic design people or doing strategic design processes, we can resolve problems in an effective way. Sometimes I have the question about why an industrial designer or a designer in the social sector, and I answered that because our main goal is to solve problems and to know that in a creative way we can have better results. And it’s not only the aesthetics or how do the design can contribute to the wellbeing in spaces, but also in way of thinking.
Luisa Garcia (07:17):
Wow, I love your answer. And also alongside your studies, in 2010, you started your journey by volunteering at the organization on Teo Para in English ARO for my country. Could you please describe your experience there and your transition into the workplace and what led you to get involved in nonprofit organizations?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (07:39):
Yes, of course. Well, I really have a really lucky experiences. I started my social experiences from a really young age such as missions or specific activities in slums. However, I started my professional career in a very particular way. As S said, I wanted to be a set designer, but I got involved with a youth volunteer organization and I built houses in slums and immediately I felt like the calling of to put my abilities and service my people, my capacities and people with really few opportunities, people with really good attitude but with really few opportunities. So it’s not that we are the ones that solve all the problems, but we sharing experiences and having a little support, they can have more opportunities. So that’s why I started in the social sector.
Astrid Aubert (08:32):
Thank you. And I’m also reading that you are the social responsibility coordinator at EBC University and also you are a professor at the University of American. That’s right.
Paulina Garza Gordoa (08:45):
That’s right.
Astrid Aubert (08:45):
Yeah. Okay. You have this unique opportunity to inspire others. So can you please share how you transmit your passion for the social responsibility to the
Paulina Garza Gordoa (08:55):
Test students or your partners? Well, teaching has been a spectacular journey for me and it’s because I wanted my students to have that eye opening experience I had as a volunteer and I have had it when I get graduated, but I want them to have it even before so they can make good decisions in favor of equality or equity or human rights when they become professionals. My main goal is that they can focus on solving problems rather than creating them to be useful in society to help to reduce inequity or inequality. So that’s my main goal in teaching and guiding these kind of projects in university obviously have fun, right?
Luisa Garcia (09:41):
Yeah,
Paulina Garza Gordoa (09:41):
Of course.
Luisa Garcia (09:43):
Yeah, I think that, well personally in school I would like to have a teacher like you,
Paulina Garza Gordoa (09:50):
But
Luisa Garcia (09:51):
It is great that your students has that opportunity because as we have discussed previously of this call, it is important to being guided by a purpose and I feel that that’s where we share ideas, everything you do, but with a purpose and we continually see how young people are interested in making an impact. Can you share an example from your time at these institutions that demonstrate students excitement and desire to make positive change in the world? What projects have you seen that they want to develop or something like that?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (10:24):
Okay. Well, I observed that they are really interested in changing the world, but they don’t know how. I think that’s one of our great missions as a university or as an ngo O as well, to find new mechanisms so they can make a positive impact to believe in any NGOs again, or for NGOs to evolve to bring better value propositions and measure their impact also for a greater credibility and collective actions and not only isolated ones, we live in such an isolated and divided world I think so that everyone thinks they have the best idea, but no, we can always make greater impact by making changes together. So I think that’s the principal goal for working or for our generation to make that youth people can have the channels or the mechanisms to do positive impact together.
Luisa Garcia (11:21):
Your career path has been distinguished by a commitment to social responsibility, which is evident in your roles as a director of social impact programs in various organizations. But how did Kilo Aula come into your life? I mean, you have been in different institutions and you have a very impressive career, but how did Kilo get you?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (11:42):
Kilo came into my life at a time when I felt I needed to advance professionally. In the past, I have been working on operational processes and now my switch was to learn about commercial processes in NGOs. So fortunately I found a really beautiful and committed professionally team, highly committed to the social cause, and I have decided to champion for life the early childhood development. I immediately get convinced about the importance of early childhood development. I don’t know if you know that 90% of our brain develops before the age of five, and that intervening in early childhood can give a person greater opportunities in life. It’s the most effective investment in social problems in the evolution of a society. So that to me is the most effective program. I’m really committed to that kilo seek to maximize physical, neurological and emotional capacities to ensure that more than 23,000 children from five different states in Mexico, living in rural communities, reach completely early childhood development. Of course, our main goal is to fulfill their full potential. So it’s a really beautiful mission. It’s one of the most important cause that I’ve been working for. So for me, it’s not only a work for me, it’s my passion, it’s my mission and it’s my way of living.
Luisa Garcia (13:15):
Wow. So inspiring. I love to hear that from you. Thanks for sharing more about what Lia is.
Astrid Aubert (13:22):
Well talking about the learning lessons, I wonder what insight have your educational experience and career background given you for your work until I do that and how have they helped shape your work now?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (13:37):
Yeah, yeah, of course. As I said before, sometimes people ask me what a designer do in leading commercial areas. However, I believe that the ability to understand real needs to negotiate, to articulate efforts, to think creatively, to be in a constant evolution for innovation, also to be resilient. Everything has given to me and strategic thinking and I think that disabilities, I have been learning from my parents first of all, and what I have been experienced professionally. I want to share that my father is a doctor, he is a surgeon and my mother is a psychologist, but she worked in the educational system. So I have been learning about them, about social support, about giving our capacities to the others. So that shaped my scope of work, my perspective about how I have to be developing life. So I think that’s really important to learn about our parents, to learn about our experiences, and to still learning in a continuous learning in our professional life.
Astrid Aubert (14:43):
Yes, I’m totally on board and agree with you. Thank you. Same.
Luisa Garcia (14:48):
And also I love how you merged your purpose, what you have learned from your family and with this strategic thinking, which I think is really, really important for acting in crisis in hard situations. So having this ity and thinking how to solve a problem and how to help others is really important and what you’re doing at the end. So also in Europe places early childhood development at its core, so impacting both children and their families. I think what happened last year for the hurricane artists is stuck in Guerrero, Mexico, which was a really hard situation for many families there. Could you share more about how Unda got involved and early childhood development plays a role in situations like this
Paulina Garza Gordoa (15:39):
Course? Lisa, thank you for the question. Well, UNDA was born as an organization that responded to the emergency after the earthquakes in 1985 in Mexico. It was a really big earthquake in Mexico City and we assisted the families who had nothing in that moment. So 37 years has passed, have passed, and we have evolved to become an organization of development and promotion of local capacity. So when we see the context in our region, we felt that energy again, that we had to help. We need to help in that kind of circumstances. So when we heard about the damages caused by U and Bodies, it was one day after the first thing we did was to go directly and to see all the needs directly in communities. So fortunately we have really the closer team in Oaxaca, in Pinot Tepa. So they moved through the communities to know about the damages and the needs.
(16:39):
We realized that people living in the municipalities of San Marcos and Florencia vial, they were really close to Acapulco, but they’re not the city of Acapulco or the municipality of Acapulco. They’re the ones a little bit in the south. So we realized that they were previously affected. They lived in poverty before the hurricane and with the hurricane they were left with nothing. That was really tough for us to see, so we couldn’t go away. So we were the first to stay, the first to look for help and locally we coordinate with government, with the society for them to get access to basic needs like water and foods. We were really lucky because many people trusted in our strategy and give us this opportunity to be the channel to penalize their help. You were among the first, Victor was among the first, and we really appreciate that. We are really deeply grateful with you. You gave us the strength to reach integral strategy that also accompanies children even in the post-trauma emotional management. So that’s really great because it’s not only the food, it’s not only the water that obviously it’s really important, but also the mental health and process all the trauma before after the hurricane. So we continue working there. We have our operational plan until December and we’re thinking about how to continue with them.
Luisa Garcia (18:12):
Yeah, I can’t imagine how hard this has to be there, but also I admire how empathetic you are with the cows that you are doing. So thanks for everything that you do and I want to ask you, of course all the situations is hard and thought. What has been the thought is part of providing emergency relief?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (18:33):
Well, there are a lot of parts, but I think knowing that you probably won’t be able to provide a long-term care, it’s tough. I said communities in general where in poverty before the hurricane. So that’s really tough. Also, the transition from an emergency intervention to a co participation intervention. You need to know and be really smart to identify when communities are strong enough to be autonomous and not fall into dependence on you. That’s also really tough decision and knowing where is assistance, emergency assistance, and knowing where is promoting capabilities and abilities to know that they can be better by themselves. So that’s one of the toughest part I think. So
Astrid Aubert (19:22):
As you said, I think the Hurricane Guerrero, it was a challenge for the whole country. I can imagine for that would do that. That’s why we are really happy to collaborate specifically with because we know you get inside of helping the people. So the first thing is that I want to say a big thank you for inviting us to the annual report that you celebrate in the past event in March. But I think Louisa is the best option to say about this because you were there, right Lisa? Yeah,
Paulina Garza Gordoa (19:54):
We were really happy to have Lisa there as well. Yes,
Luisa Garcia (19:57):
Thank you Astrid and thank you both as Astrid mentioned. Thank you a lot for allowing us to participate with you. The whole Victor team is very grateful for that and very engaged with your cause. Yeah, in the annual information celebration, well it was like an impact report. I want to say that I was very excited to be there and also I love to hear not only because I am 26 years old and since I was remember about remember hearing from you everywhere, but I didn’t know how many years you actually have helping people. And you mentioned earlier about how everything started with the earthquake and something that I really liked when I was there was the main activity that you encourage everyone, all the participants to make, which was drawing your best memory from your childhood and that make me think that not everyone has a great childhood and you are doing great childhood for the kids. So that’s something that I wanted to bring up also, one of the things we learned about was the incredible impact that you have not only during last year but since the foundation of this organization and reflecting on the organization journey. What are a couple of major milestones you’d like to share with us?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (21:16):
First of all, thank you for being there. We really enjoy your participation in the event. Thank you for recognizing this kind of activities that they’re like for us, like the drawing with your memory of your childhood. That for us is really to recognize that we were really fortunate to have these good memories as you asked me in the introduction of this interview. We were really, really lucky. We have the commitment to change that reality from others. We know that we can have the best speech for you about the importance of early childhood, but also we have to prove that change is happening in communities. So I think one of our major milestone is that we have being able to verify that 70% of our population that enters to our program leaves our program in optimal conditions. We can prove that. So it’s really important. That brings us tremendous joy and we want to keep improving even though for us it’s not enough, the 70% we have to move forward. But above all in the other side of the quality analysis or the other part that we see in all the times that we take in communities is that we see children happy. We see children playing, we see children having fun. We see the interaction with positive interaction with their caregivers and this stage of life is generating, turning and security for their future adulthood. So having a better society in the future starts with the children, so in their present. So that’s for me the major mountain I can share with you.
Luisa Garcia (22:59):
Thank you. Bao.
Astrid Aubert (23:00):
What is the vision for the coming years for
Paulina Garza Gordoa (23:06):
Well evolving in our model to have the best early childhood development model in Mexico and why not in all the world we’re ambitious and from these continue to grow in territories and it not working with the communities, it’s also the influence in public policies that we can do based on evidence for improving conditions in all the Mexican population. We have to share our knowledge to the public sector. So that’s our main goal. To have these changes in laws and in public programs, social programs and to continue to do our work even better in communities for these 23,000 children we work with.
Astrid Aubert (23:50):
Awesome. That will be a winning for sure.
Luisa Garcia (23:53):
Thank you so much for joining us today. We love to getting to know more about your organization over the past months and we are happy to do now share your mission with our listeners. So how can our listeners connect with you and learn more about,
Paulina Garza Gordoa (24:10):
Of course they can follow us on our social media. It’s the closer channel we can share with you. It’s at in Spanish. We can share later in the description of this video with you and write to us, join to our, cause there’s a lot of initiatives we have to participate and we can invite you to community and to share experiences with us.
Luisa Garcia (24:36):
Yeah, I want to mention that I heard about that in the inform that you have a race, like a running race. You also have this new initiative which is, or something like a store where you can buy different items for supporting. Also I remember that you have these grandfather or godmother like padrinos program where you can directly support a kid or a time for a long term and keep supporting them for getting meals and getting healthcare, things like that. But is there any other initiative that you want to bring up?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (25:13):
Yes, Lisa, you are like my fundraising team. Much better than meet all the initiatives, but we have all these kind of initiatives. Of course you can write it to us in our social media and we can share it with you the specific ways to join to the cost. But yes, we have this big piggy bags with a coin in some public spaces. We have cards or postcards in supermarkets for having that kind of donations and share with it in Mexico. We’re closer to have these kind of initiatives in the United States. You can be like Godmother or Godfather and have a monthly donation. You can join us with your corporate donation and also not only a monetary support or with donations, you can also share our mission and that’s also a really good support for us. Spread the world, that early childhood development is the best way to invest in a more prosperous society, share our stories in social media, invite more people to join our cause. That would be really helpful for us.
Luisa Garcia (26:24):
Definitely
Astrid Aubert (26:26):
Report and also we cannot subscription, but yeah, can come with 12 vector. Thank you
Paulina Garza Gordoa (26:35):
Very much. You’re an amazing company, an amazing and social focus company, so we are really proud to have you as one of our best. Alice, thank you very much.
Luisa Garcia (26:46):
Thank you Pauline. And yeah, we’ll make sure to add all the links in the description of the episode. And also just before we finish the interview, I want to add another question which just came to my mind. I remember that in the event I had also the opportunity to exchanging ideas with other companies that have participated with you. And of course they are a medical I teams or they have different terms, but it catch my attention that there were no many logistics company there. So I wonder how, for your perspective, how important is the logistics into a relief situation like disaster relief situation or helping to a cause and bringing things to a community that probably it’s far away or things like that?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (27:35):
Okay, that’s a really good question because, well, I think that having you in these kind of situations is really important. Not only about the donation that is really important, but as well as the knowledge in this kind of emergency. Every minute counts. If you deliver earlier, if you do with efficiently, if you organize correctly, all the items, the support, if you arrive in the right place at the right timing, you can change the life of some old experience, the post traumatic experience to a community or a person or a children. So you have the opportunity to change the lives with doing your work well. So I know that first of all, it obviously the money for buying the supplies, the food and everything, but also it’s one of our learnings about this year to do it with efficient processes, to do it correctly, to do it right away, it’s really important as well.
(28:41):
So you are the best on that, right? You do it for your company, for your clients, why not do it for NNGO? So hopefully we can have more ideas about getting together and learning about you, about your experience, your knowledge, your talent, and having also these kind of opportunities as a volunteering experience, right? Obviously we have a lot to learn about you. So I think that’s really important for you to know that NGOs are needed or are looking always for doing in an efficient way their work. So if you can help them, it’s really also a really positive impact.
Luisa Garcia (29:24):
Thank you. Thanks for your answer. I was curious about to know your perspective on that and I think that your answer was amazing. Thanks for that. Well finally, are there any specific current needs that both individuals and companies can help with? Any specific, you mentioned the initiatives, but is there any current thing that is going on right now that people can help?
Paulina Garza Gordoa (29:47):
Yes, I think that obviously helping us to get to our mission, but also given the right conditions to people inside your company to have really good processes for their children. I mean, if you have workers that have children in early childhood, the company must have all the processes and the facilities for them to give a really good childhood to their children. So I think that’s also a really positive impact in an internal way. And still believing in NGOs, they’re really good NGOs in all over the world, having really good impact, like support NGOs, train the NGOs also, not only with money but with also volunteering and with these kind of ideas like helping them to share knowledge and to share knowledge also and share the causes of the organizations and have a society really receptive of the biggest problems in the world and how everyone together we can change that problem, solve the world. So I think that’s my main ideas of this thing.
Luisa Garcia (30:54):
Great insights. Thanks. That’s really important as well to know that how companies can help from the inside.
Paulina Garza Gordoa (31:02):
Thank you very much. It was really cool. Even though it’s not our language, I have to say to the audience, I think that it’s really important to share in the ideas of people in other countries knowing that we’re in the same world, that we’re working together and we can solve problems together. I celebrate this initiative, this podcast, and the opportunity for us is we are really privileged and we’re really glad to talk to you and talk to all your audience about our cause.
Luisa Garcia (31:31):
Thanks a lot. And yeah, thank you for bringing that up. I mean, some people will listen the interview and some others will watch it on YouTube and in socials. But yeah, definitely we’re making an effort. We are all from Mexico, so we always speak Spanish. Yeah, we all did a great job, I guess. I hope. Well, thank you Paulina. Thank you Ashley. And specifically thank you Paulina for being here. It was an honor to having you here as our guest and let’s keep working together and making things happen.
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Paulina Garza Gordoa has a Master’s in Strategic Design and Innovation, currently serving as the Director of Institutional Development at Un Kilo de Ayuda A.C. With extensive experience in the social sector, she previously held the position of Sub Director of Institutional Partnerships at the same institution from 2020 to 2023, Director of Programs and Community Impact at United Way Mexico from 2017 to 2020, and Social Director at TECHO Mexico from 2014 to 2016. She has previously held various regional coordination and volunteer roles within the same organization. She studied Industrial Design for her undergraduate degree and pursued a Master’s in Strategic Design and Innovation at the Universidad Iberoamericana. She currently teaches courses in Integral Design and Strategic Design at the same institution. Connect with Paulina on LinkedIn.
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