Darren Walker, president of the Ford Foundation, kept this carved wooden turtle on his desk as a symbol of the Foundation’s approach to its work. The leader of an African NGO (who Walker chose not to identify) gave Walker the turtle when he became president of the Ford Foundation in 2013. Turtles can live for many years and the gift conveyed a hope for his longevity. Walker explained that “because the Ford Foundation makes long-term investments in institutions, ideas and people, [he] believe[s] the turtle is a metaphor for our approach.”
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