In 2008, as the Great Recession unfolded, Margo Day felt overwhelmed. 

Despite a successful career at Microsoft, she found
herself wrestling with fear—fear that the world’s problems were too big and that God might ask her to do something that felt beyond her capacity.

“I felt like I was living in scarcity, even though I was an executive at Microsoft making a significant income,” she recalls. “There were always people who had more, and I felt the need to protect myself and not give too much.”

So she decided to pray about it—kind of. For nine months, she prayed, mostly by telling God what she thought He wanted rather than by listening. Then, in May 2009, she sensed a clear message: “Five loaves and two fish. What you have is enough.”

“And I’ll tell you, the peace that came over me when I heard that—it was like standing under a waterfall of peace. I was just doused, drenched with peace.”

Still unsure what God wanted her to do, Margo—who was loosely familiar with World Vision—reached out, hoping to see the work firsthand. She especially wanted to visit programs in Africa and felt particularly drawn to helping vulnerable children, especially girls. Soon after, she was invited to visit a girls rescue center in Kenya. As she traveled the dirt roads, she kept wondering what these girls were being rescued from.

On this visit, Margo learned the harsh realities of forced child marriage and the brutal practices, including Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), that young girls faced as prerequisites for marriage. Shocked but determined, she knew she had to help. But questions and doubts flooded her mind. What resources did she have that could change something that had existed for millennia? Margo didn’t know the answer, but she committed to partnering with World Vision to help transform these harmful systems.

Sixteen years later, she is confident: “The answer is yes—we can change things that have existed for millennia.”

Margo has invested deeply. Along with her financial giving, her speaking and advocacy efforts have been instrumental in World Vision’s Big Dream to End Child Marriage work, helping girls in Kenya access education while also supporting community leaders and World Vision staff working to shift cultural norms. Her generosity has funded schools for girls and supported critical health, nutrition, and water, sanitation, and hygiene programs. She also established a challenge fund that has inspired others to invest—exponentially multiplying resources for this life-changing work.

“World Vision is the highest-integrity organization I know,” Margo says. “They address issues systemically, combining professional expertise with God’s love. That combination leads to innovative solutions and accelerates transformation.”

This journey has transformed Margo as well. She’s grateful she stepped forward—and she encourages others to do the same. “God calls us into faith we don’t fully understand, like Peter stepping out of the boat,” she reflects. “Fear will always hold you back. But once you see how faithfully your investment is stewarded and how deeply it impacts lives, you wonder, ‘Why didn’t I give more sooner?’”

Watch her story: 

We invite you to explore the stories of 6 Philanthropists who are partnering with World Vision to empower families to overcome poverty.