Listen to the episode today:

The post The Charity CEO Podcast: An Interview with Dianne Calvi appeared first on Village Enterprise.

This article was originally published by Stanford University on June 5, 2023.

Whether addressing extreme poverty in Africa or supporting generations of youth at schools nationwide, Stanford alumni are positively changing the trajectory of people’s lives in their communities and around the world.

In honor of their work, Stanford alumni Dianne Calvi, BA ’84, and Rey Saldaña, BA ’09, MA ’10, will receive the 2023 President’s Award for the Advancement of the Common Good.

Calvi, president and CEO of Village Enterprise, advocates for the most vulnerable and works to end extreme poverty in rural Africa. Saldaña is president and CEO of Communities in Schools, the country’s largest nonprofit providing student support inside schools, ensuring students are empowered to stay in school and on a path to a brighter future.

The award recognizes individuals who exemplify the university’s mission and values, and demonstrate a commitment to learning, social responsibility, and ethical and effective service.

“Rey and Dianne embody the essence of this award. They are both dedicated to uplifting others and finding impactful solutions to the challenges facing communities,” said President Marc Tessier-Lavigne. “Their inspiring commitment to public service illustrates our hope for Stanford graduates – that they will go on to pursue lives of purpose and civic engagement. I look forward to bestowing this well-deserved recognition at Commencement.”

To read the full article, visit Stanford University.

The post Stanford alumni Dianne Calvi, Rey Saldaña honored with 2023 President’s Award for the Advancement of the Common Good appeared first on Village Enterprise.

– Winnie Auma

Winnie Auma is the Uganda Country Director of Village Enterprise. She has been a part of Village Enterprise since 2010 and held numerous positions within the organization. She holds degrees in Education and in Business Administration and Management, and was selected by the Harvard Kennedy School in May 2019 to participate in their Emerging Leaders Program for rising U.S. and international leaders. Winnie narrates an audiobook chapter of Peter Singer’s 10th-anniversary edition of his landmark book on reducing extreme poverty, The Life You Can Save, alongside celebrities Kristen Bell, Stephan Fry, and Paul Simon.

Peter Singer published his landmark book The Life You Can Save in 2009 to demonstrate why we must help those living in extreme poverty and illustrate the many ways to save lives by giving effectively.  In the decade since, the book has created massive change reducing global extreme poverty, founded a nonprofit organization of the same name to promote the idea of effective giving, raised millions of dollars for effective charities, and improved countless lives.

The 10^th Anniversary Edition of The Life You Can Save addresses the continuing need for change and aims to inform, inspire, and empower all to help those in need. Village Enterprise’s Uganda Country Director, Winnie Auma narrates a chapter of the audiobook version alongside celebrities Kristen Bell, Stephan Fry, Paul Simon, and more, and Village Enterprise is prominently featured in the section “Better than Aid” of the book. Download the ebook and audiobook here for FREE today.

The post When you touch a life, you’re changing generations appeared first on Village Enterprise.

My situation was not unique amongst my neighbors in rural Kisumu, Kenya. The average number of dependants per household would average ten to fifteen, and to add to this extended family members from afar would also be at the table. This meant more hungry mouths to be fed.

As if that was not enough, our living conditions were deplorable. A dilapidated hovel was our home, thatched roof, a tin door, and the walls were made of a mixture of dung and mud. When it rained, mostly at night, you had to hold a cup directly to a spot where rain droplets were penetrating the roof. This caused sleeplessness, yet sleep would always win this battle and we would wake up with the flu or a congested chest and wet bedding.

Thugs would break into our home and steal the little that was available. It was an easy task for them. All they needed was a jerry can of water which, when dribbled onto the mud wall next to the door lock, would cause the wall to disintegrate – leaving the door at the mercy of the intruder. This was a common occurrence.

My parents would do nothing. Despondency was written all over their faces. Their only solace was the word of God from a dog-eared Bible that was placed near a tin lamp which was oozing with soot from the kerosene combustion. As if to mock us, the three-legged firewood cooking stove would emit spasms of smoke into our small room adding to the misery we were already facing.

Mum would break into a sad religious hymn, humming away her troubles and signaling to us that it was late, we had to sleep, there was no hope, nothing to look forward to. Nevertheless, rest was inevitable and off we drifted into a heavy slumber. Occasionally we would be awakened by the sound of barking dogs or nightmares of being carried away by floods.

Our situation epitomized the definition of poverty. Our lives were not only proximate to despair but were interwoven into a complex continuous web; the cycle of poverty packaged and delivered from one generation to another.

My parents owned a struggling dried fish business. They were in deep debt because they thought micro-finance institutions would rescue their business, but the opposite was the case. Instead, they would end up losing the little they had, including some of the meager family assets, such as chickens and goats. I lost my favorite rabbit to the ruthless debt collector officers. To say that the loans moved them from one level of desolation to another is an understatement. The emotional and financial burden would drive any sane human to suicide.

And then came the day I remember so vividly. I can recall the elated face that my mum wore as she prepared the food for the evening. The tune to her normal hymn had changed and now there was a twist to the words sung — words of hope. I had to ask what had changed. To cut a long story short, an organization had given my parents a grant and entrepreneurship training to boost their business. They never looked back and this was an opportunity that allowed them to lift themselves out of that frantic situation before poverty could snuff the life out of all of us.

The business was thriving and the family income had increased considerably. This provided us with the opportunity to go to school, and the freedom to visualize and build the future we so desired. We had much to look forward to, rather than worry about whether we would eat a meal or not. We could now afford a radio and listen to what was happening around the world, and later a TV was purchased which concreted our ambitions.

That was 30 years ago. My situation changed because of an organization like Village Enterprise that dared to touch people that other organizations did not want to go to: the ultra-poor.

Village Enterprise has been paving a pathway out of poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa for the last three decades, or to put it another way, for almost my whole lifetime. t wasn’t Village Enterprise that came to my specific community, but the approaches are very similar. By providing entrepreneurship training, grants to support micro-enterprises, and the much-needed mentoring, Village Enterprise ensures that people like my parents can enjoy a life free of extreme poverty.

At the 2018 Skoll World Forum the conversation was anchored on the power of proximity, summed up as: – “In order to address inequality and injustice, we must more deeply understand the current status quo—and how to disrupt it. There is no other way to do this than to engage with and be close to, the people and communities facing deep and persistent biases of all kinds. We heard from community leaders, activists, social entrepreneurs, and innovators who brought a profound appreciation of our shared challenges and who have worked from within and side-by-side with communities to find solutions”. Let us ponder this idea. What does proximity mean to us at Village Enterprise?

Village Enterprise embraces the power of proximity. Changing the narrative that sustains problems, unraveling the realities that face the families rather than relying on assumptions and blanket thinking. Involving those in dire need of attention and moving meticulously from conversations concerning awareness of the situation faced by people like my parents and me proximity allows Village Enterprise to differentiate itself from shallow, costly interventions and concentrate on what really works: a cost-effective graduation model out of poverty.

Giving opportunity to those who need it most, through support, not handouts. We do not believe in coming up with theoretical farfetched solutions without involving the people who face the problems. Our field staff is local, they identify the problems, and we work together on solutions. They are the ones who provide our training and entrepreneurship coaching.

Village Enterprise operates in close proximity to those living in extreme poverty both geographically and strategically. We believe in local leadership, and this ensures we immerse ourselves deeply into the context of the ultra-poor in the society. We cannot be problem solvers from a distance and we are not afraid of getting our hands dirty.

Adopting tried and tested methodologies like Human-Centered Design (HCD) and data-driven decision-making, Village Enterprise has ensured the program has the end user in mind by addressing the components of the problem, not the symptoms. This is our pride.

It does not end here. The story above is my true story. And today I, the Senior Innovations Manager at Village Enterprise for Kenya and Uganda, stationed at the Kitale Office, interact with Business Mentors and Field Coordinators during our bi-weekly meetings to brainstorm a number of challenges that they are facing in the field. I am giving back to society and contributing towards changing lives.

With my education, a blend of local and international exposure, my childhood experiences, the team of dedicated colleagues, the support and faith in the leadership of Village Enterprise, we continue to fight against the scourge of poverty. And certainly, we are winning this war. I am more than glad to be part of this movement. Yes! A movement. A Movement, because we are not just an ordinary organization, we are a movement of like-minded people ready to end extreme poverty in the world. That is our vision.
If you doubt it, check out our Randomized Control Trial (RCT) results carried out in Uganda:

Randomized Control Trial: http://villageenterprise.org/our-impact/rct/
Development Impact Bond: http://villageenterprise.org/our-impact/development-impact-bond/

Dan Ouko joined Village Enterprise as a Program Innovations Manager (Kenya and Uganda) in September, 2017. He has nine-plus years experience working in different organizations and regions in East Africa. He has a background in Sustainable Livelihoods Development and Project Management, and he has undertaken other short courses in Strategic Management and Business Management.

The post Village Enterprise: Reaching the Unreachable appeared first on Village Enterprise.

I once sat down and calculated that there are a collective 15,000 kilometers between our offices in Kenya, Uganda, and California. Each day, we attempt to make those 15,000 kilometers feel closer. On Fridays, Isaac, Anthony, Gerald, Geoffrey, Solomon, Martin, Zita, Stephen, Nathaniel, Caroline, Tobias, and Nancy connect over Skype to discuss challenges and developments in our core program. On a weekly basis, our management teams in Kenya, Uganda, and San Carlos, CA straddle the 10-hour time difference to ensure our team has the vision and support we need. On any given day, our team participates in dozens of calls, across thousands of miles. Dennis in Hoima connects with Stellah in Soroti. Winnie in Soroti has her weekly one-on-one with Dianne in San Carlos. Kathy checks in with the finance team across all field offices. Tadeo joins Violah to call Nafees in Hoima. You get the picture.

For only one week each year we are all in the same room. Because once a year, we hold our Innovation Summit .

My job often requires translating the day-to-day work and experiences of our team into soundbites. For instance, Violah and Peter’s recent expedition in the DRC becomes ‘conducting a feasibility study in Eastern Congo examining potential impact of implementing microenterprise programming in and around protected forest areas.’ And Caro and Nathanial going house to house conducting spot checks translates to ‘mobile technology supporting rigorous monitoring and evaluation of our program.’

But some things are too special, too personal, too hinged on the people in the room, to be condensed. The Innovation Summit is one of those things.

When I originally sat down to write a blog reflecting on the summit, I tried to write about synergies between functional teams. Delete. Try again. I tried to write about using breakout sessions capturing best practices. Delete. Try again. I tried to write about strategic goals, strategic plans, etc. Delete.

There isn’t a way to write about the summit without writing about the people, without writing the individuals who makes working at this organization a profound joy, without writing about how special it is to spend a week learning and laughing together.

So in that vein, here are a few snapshots of my favorite ‘people’ moments from this year’s summit.

Mildred

One of the weightiest topics at this year’s summit was examining the process by which we advise our business owners on how they can select their enterprises. It was also one of the first presentations of the summit. And of course, the power went out. As innovations associate, Mildred Wengonzi, launched into her portion of the presentation, the projector switched off and the fans in the room slowed to a stand still.

A moment of silence ensued.

“And so,” continued Mildred, “we sent to business mentors to the field to collect information from business owners about how they select their businesses.” Without skipping a beat, Mildred brilliantly continued her presentation sans the Powerpoint she had doubtless spend hours preparing. Her years working in the field as a business mentor, improvising during torrential rains and hours of being unable to find transport, have prepared her for anything. The show must go on, and Mildred wasn’t going to let a few minutes without power stop us.

Dema

About a week before the summit, Uganda Assistant Country Director, Peter Dema, returned from two weeks spent conducting a feasibility study in Eastern Congo. Sleeping in tents deep in the forest, cooking over an open fire, and crossing rivers on motorbikes are just a handful of the adventures he had.

Throughout the summit, the team was eager to hear about Dema’s adventures. So naturally, everyone was thrilled when during the talent show, Dema performed a freestyle rap about his time in the Congo during his team’s rendition of “Where is the Love.”

Arach

During the first day’s morning tea break, we were led in an energizer by David Arach, on of our Innovations Associates. Arach had us gather on the lawn and asked us to form a circle and turn to place our hands on the shoulders of the person next to us. It was the first day, so the team was still warming up to one another. We awkwardly shifted amongst ourselves and timidly placed our hands on the shoulders of the person in front of us.

Arach yelled out instructions, “When I say apple, jump forward! When I say banana jump backward!” Soon enough, he had the team jumping back and forth and spinning to face the opposite direction.

As we exclaimed with laughter, stepping on each other’s toes and nearly falling down, the awkwardness of the morning melted away. Unphased by our awkwardness, Arach had forced us to take our first step towards the sense of team, belonging, and love that would color the rest of the week.

There are just a handful of some of my favorite moments. They are joined by board member Pat Brown being blindfolded during our team building, Tobias showing off his smooth moves on the dance floor, Isaac portraying Senior Institutional Giving Director, Caroline, in a skit, and many, many more.

These are the parts of the summit that make it special, the parts that can’t be articulated in outcomes, objectives, or concrete lessons learned. Our presentations and breakout sessions will help us shape the direction of programming in the coming year. And for that alone, the summit is valuable. But next time I’m getting rained on in the field, the power is out all day, or the internet just won’t stay connected, I’m going to think of Arach’s energizer and Dema’s rap. These memories remind me why I’m here — because I love the team that I work with. And for that, the summit is invaluable.

The post It’s for the heart: Why our annual Innovation Summit is the most valuable week of the year appeared first on Village Enterprise.

When Anna, Stephen, and Julius received their first installment of seed capital last July, they started small. They launched a small business buying cabbages at the weekly market and selling them daily in their village, at a slightly higher price. With cabbage in high demand, this small business generate a quick profit.

The three business owners met together weekly to strategize how they could best reinvest their profits to expand their business. Julius had experience making chapati. These delicious flatbreads are in high demand and the simple recipe (flour, water, oil, and salt) translates to high profits. The team agreed that they while Stephen and Anna would continue to buy and sell cabbages, they would invest in the stove and ingredients for Julius to make and sell chapati in the village.

Julius making one of his famous chapati

Julius’ chapati were a big hit, and soon customers were lining up everyday for Julius’ chapati. Anna saw an opportunity: diversify. As the community lined up to buy chapati, why not also entice them with a mandazi (local spiced donuts) or two? Julius and Stephen agree that selling mandazi alongside Julius’ chapati could significantly increase sales. And so Anna made mandazi and joined Julius’ thriving chapati business at their small stand.

With Anna’s mandazi and Julius’ chapati, the group’s small snack stand generated enough profit for the group to consider long term investments. They purchased a goat and a sheep, which Stephen cares for and is preparing to breed so that they can sell the offspring. He also continues to travel to the local market once a week to purchase some goods, like cabbages, tomatoes, flour, soap, etc. which they sell at their snack kiosk. Anna, Julius, and Stephen spend their days busily maintaining their portions of the business but they don’t miss a week without meeting.

Stephen sells cabbages to eager customers

Each week, the three of them gather to give updates, share profits, and plan for what is next. True entrepreneurs, Anna, Julius, and Stephen are never without a plan. The horizon for this business group looks bright. They plan to invest in expanding and supporting each arm of their business. They will build a small permanent structure where they will continue to sell their mandazi, chapati, and foodstuff. In July, their group’s Business Savings Group will have their first annual share out. Julius plans that they will use a portion of the money they have saved this past year to buy additional chapati stoves so that they can employ two additional people to help make chapati to fill the growing demand. Finally, Stephen hopes to continue saving to purchase a motorcycle to reduce his transportation costs when he travels to the market to purchase their retail goods and ingredients.

Starting group businesses is a core component of our model. At times, it can be difficult to convince our program participants of the merits of working in a group. Our business owners have often struggled with social isolation and have had to fight to support their families at any cost. As such, when an opportunity to lift themselves from extreme poverty arises, they are hesitant to work and share with others. Anna, Julius, and Stephen demonstrate the power and the potential of group businesses. While each member is actively engaged in their own part of the business, their sense of shared success and willingness to innovate together has driven their ability to sustain and grow their business.

The post Shared effort, shared success appeared first on Village Enterprise.

Nwoya district is home to lush rolling green savannah.

This region has a complicated relationship with Murchison Falls, the nearby national park transected by the Nile. Elephants and other wildlife threaten the livelihoods of subsistence farmers as they roam freely, often disturbing and eating their crops. Furthermore, like much of Northern Uganda, Nwoya was devastated when the Lord’s Resistance Army’s terrorized the region in the nineties and early 2000s leaving tens of thousands of people dead, internally displaced, or haunted by the horror of the war. And yet, the two days I spent in Nwoya left me exhilarated and inspired. In the wake of harrowing tragedy and crippling poverty, Village Enterprise is partnering with Geneva Global to harness the power of entrepreneurship to send children to school.

Partnering with Geneva Global

Jacqueline’s daughter, Kennedy, demonstrates how she uses the tippy tap to wash her hand.

Our partnership with Geneva Global allows families living in extreme poverty to send their children to school and ensure that they stay there. Geneva Global’s Speed Schools cover the curriculum of the first three years of primary school in just one year. These schools target children who have never been to school or have been forced to drop out because their parents could not pay the fees. To ensure that children will be able to matriculate into a formal school upon completing the curriculum, each Speed School student’s parents participate in our program. 

Having a clean dry place to dry dishes prevents the spread of disease.

Using the profits from their businesses, parents dedicate a portion of their savings each week to a Savings With A Purpose (SWAP) fund to save for school fees. The program also includes a hygiene component that encourages families to construct WASH stations in their homes. WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) stations include a tippy tap for hand washing, a covered pit latrine, an enclosed bathing area, and a dish drying rack.

Meet Adong Jacqueline

One of Village Enterprise’s newest business owners, Adong Jacqueline is a widow who lives in Lamoki Village. The first thing I noticed about Jacqueline was her arms–pure muscle. This is a strong woman.

Dried silver fish are a staple food in East Africa.

Jacqueline told her story with humble determination. Jacqueline used her trainings and grant to start a small retail business. She buys and sells foodstuff, like dried silver fish. In the two short months since she started the Village Enterprise program, she has transformed her life and the lives of her six children.

Before entering the Village Enterprise program, Jacqueline was unable to pay school fees. She relied on finding petty labor to try and feed her family. She worked on other household’s farms and dug only a small piece of her own land, which rarely yielded enough to feed her six children. “I really used to have short vision, I could not think outside the box,” Jacqueline explains. At one time, Jacqueline’s oldest daughter was living with a relative who was paying her school fees. However when the relative could no longer afford the fees, she dropped out of school and returned home. Now, she is enrolled in a Speed School is progressing well. “Ever since she started she has never missed that school.” Jacqueline says. “Her mind has opened. The Speed School is really offering a quality education.”

Jacqueline explains her silver fish business.

Jacqueline’s passion and determination to transform her family’s life are inspiring. “Every time I went from the training I would come back and meditate on what I had learned and how I could do it well.” Jacqueline states simply. For example, “When they told us about WASH, I was like, ‘now what is the way forward?’…Before…I did not have the idea that there should be a rubbish pit or a toilet or wash facilities.” Pit latrines require a pit almost six feet deep and a covered toilet requires making and carrying dozens of heavy bricks. This didn’t phase Jacqueline. “I dug some soil and built the bricks and even that pit for the latrine, I was the one that made that hole and even if I stand in it, it is taller than me. I did it myself. I even made the blocks and constructed that toilet you have seen. Then from there, I moved to the rubbish pit. I constructed this bath shelter for two days and then I came to the drying rack. Now I’m very happy because now my home is just like a home where there’s a man but I’m a woman.” Jacqueline says with pride.

For Jacqueline, the most important part of the program was learning to adopt savings culture. “Because of the training, I am now saving.” She held up a 50,000 shilling note (about $15) and continued, “For now I am having this 50,000 Uganda shillings that I am going to pay the money (for school fees ) to that school,” she explained, pointing to a simple building across the road. “I strongly believe that my life has changed forever,” she tells me. “I am really full of hope. Because of the training, I am now in position to do everything that I thought I could not do. I have already seen…results and now I can’t even stop, I will just continue to do even better.”

While packing up my camera and preparing to head back to Nwoya town for the night I looked out over the rolling green bush and turned to Jacqueline. “Is there anything else you would like to add?” I asked. Jacqueline paused thoughtfully before saying, “I am pleading with Village Enterprise since you have heard my story. There are so many mothers that are just like me in my previous condition. Do not just stop with me, go ahead and bring in those other ones so that they can also see like what I have seen. This is my humble appeal to Village Enterprise.”

I looked at Jackie and smiled. Then I looked around to our team, “We’re trying,” I said.  

Jacqueline with her family and her business mentor, Winnie.

The post Silver fish sending children to school appeared first on Village Enterprise.

1. What will be the primary focus of your work with Village Enterprise?

As the Communications Fellow, I am now Village Enterprise’s ‘eyes and ears’ on the ground. I will be collecting and sharing stories and experiences from the field that illustrate our unique work and impact. A significant part of my work will be helping to elevate Village Enterprise as a thought leader in the international development industry. We have such a powerful model, one that you can see the impacts of on the ground everyday, so I am looking forward to ensuring that the world knows what we are doing.

2. What attracted you to Village Enterprise?

When I first saw this job posting advertised, I knew it was for me. Village Enterprise emanates such a good vibe. The work is incredible, and the impact even more exciting. I was impressed by the fact that 95% of Village Enterprise’s field staff is East African and we have an incredible presence in the communities in which we work. All of this has been confirmed in the weeks since I’ve arrived. I leave our team meetings feeling energized and inspired.

3. Why is extreme poverty a cause you care about?

I believe that development is about empowering individuals to be agents of change in their communities. Extreme poverty inhibits this in so many ways. Individuals living in extreme poverty could be teachers, doctors, and presidents. By eradicating extreme poverty, we can unleash the promise of all of these potential world changers, and that’s exciting to me.

4. What do you hope to gain from living in rural Africa/Uganda?

A full heart! I really look forward to the relationships that I will form with our staff and business owners in Uganda and Kenya. I am so grateful to be a part of such an enthusiastic and inspiring team that does such important and impactful work. How could I possibly walk away from this experience unchanged by that?

5. What challenges do you expect to face?

I think that a crucial part of being a non-national working in development is a constant questioning of where and why you fit into the work you do. While such a questioning is necessary, it is not always pleasant. Not every career path begs that you constantly question your own legitimacy! That being said, I welcome this challenge as I attempt to deepen my understanding of the complexities of development in East Africa.

6. What aspects of your background and experience do you feel will be most valuable in your role as Communications Fellow?

I have been lucky enough to have had a significant range of experiences thus far in my career. Each opportunity brought with it some unique component that I think will empower me in this position. Overall, I have had a lot of opportunity to engage genuinely with people from incredibly diverse backgrounds. As such, I am comfortable overcoming difference. Particularly, having lived and worked in Tanzania, I gained an understanding of East African culture (and I speak Swahili!) and an appreciation for the patience and stamina required for field work.

7. Is there anything else you would like to add?

I have been settled in Soroti, Uganda for just a few weeks now, and I cannot articulate how grateful I am to be a part of this passionate, funny, and brilliant team.

The post Get to know Hannah McCandless, Village Enterprise’s Resident Storyteller appeared first on Village Enterprise.

We are excited to have you on board! What will be the primary focus of your work with Village Enterprise?

I will be undertaking the role of Chief Operating Officer for Village Enterprise in Kampala, Uganda.  The role will be focused on providing leadership and guidance to the field team and liaising with the home office staff to assure that we are reaching our goals and objectives.

What attracted you to Village Enterprise?

The mission. Over the course of my career and the many years spent in East Africa I can’t think of a better way for development to happen than through sustainable practices being delivered to the ultra-poor. During the interview process it was also confirmed that Village Enterprise has a tremendous staff in San Carlos as well as the field. Being a part of a team has always been something I have enjoyed and combining this with the mission of Village Enterprise makes this a very exciting opportunity for me and my family!

What do you hope to gain from living in rural East Africa?

During my first time living in Uganda my heart, mind, and soul were transformed.  The people and friends I made will have an eternal impact on my life.  Ugandans painted a wonderful picture of what their actual situation was.  So much of what is portrayed about Africa in the news gives only a small glimpse into life in this part of the world.  There is so much joy, so many challenges, and countless opportunities.  Understanding the precise situation on the ground was very important in understanding how cross-cultural organizations can play a part in pushing forwards the hopes and dreams of Ugandans.  Simultaneously this teaches us a lot about what we can take back to our own homes through watching their daily lives.  My hope in going back is that I continue to learn about East Africa and that our team at Village Enterprise finds the best and most effective way to serve the people we are engaging through our programs.

What challenges do you expect to face?

Village Enterprise has an excellent foundation. A solid mission, a solid core of people who have been devoted for a long time to reaching that mission, and some excellent opportunities on the horizon. It is an exciting time to expand on all this work that has been done.  One of the primary challenges will be maintaining the feel and focus of this mission while still growing into new opportunities.  This is a very positive challenge and one I look forward to working with our team on.

There are also the natural challenges that come with working with a cross-cultural organization, but I am confident in all I have seen that our staff has done an excellent job of positioning Village Enterprise to address these issues.

What aspects of your background and experience do you feel will be most valuable in your role as our first Chief Operating Officer?

Over the course of my career I have had many opportunities to work with teams to achieve a goal. A lot of this has been in the context of development in East Africa. These experiences continue to show me how important it is to get a team working together in an effective and efficient manner. Clear roles and trusting those who fill those roles creates an environment where members feel empowered and compelled to participate. My hope is that I will bring these perspectives I have gained to our team at Village Enterprise.

Why is extreme poverty a cause you care about?

I grew up in an environment where I was given all the resources I needed to be successful.  At every step of my development, support was provided for me to dream and plan for my future and engage in the necessary activities to reach those goals.

After living in Gulu, Uganda, it became painfully clear that my experience wasn’t shared by most in this world. I was also able to witness the opposite end of my youth, one where people are challenged at every moment and forced to adapt and adjust with very little resources. It is simply seemed unfair, and it was at that point that I knew I wanted to be in a career as part of a team that worked towards changing that reality. I love Village Enterprise’s approach because it puts the necessary trust and empowerment with the people we work with by providing them several forms of resources to work themselves out of poverty. I believe this is a universal human right and am proud to be joining an organization that recognizes this as well.

Zach in an exercise with “The Recreation Project” in Gulu, Uganda, which he co-founded

The post Meet Chief Operating Officer, Zach Hoins appeared first on Village Enterprise.

“To set context, every year I take a “Perspective Reset” trip – partly because I want to do my part in giving back, and partly because I feel it’s healthy to step away from our stressful, wealthy, unusual Silicon Valley lifestyle and put it all back in perspective just a bit.

Why Uganda?  For many years I have been involved with Village Enterprise, a microenterprise development organization supporting rural entrepreneurs in Uganda and Kenya. Village Enterprise operates a robust program, with African nationals managing all in-country operations.  Interested business owners (groups of 3) must demonstrate that they meet established criteria and submit a business plan.  Once approved, they receive 4 months of weekly business training, ongoing business mentoring, participation in a savings group, along with a grant of $150 USD to start their business ($100 is disbursed 2 months into the program, with the final $50 being disbursed 8 months into the program). Considering that the target audience makes less than $1.25/day, this amount is significant. The program is truly transformative for those who adopt the learning and business skills; from being able to send their children to school, to long-term improved health and living conditions. My biggest take-away is the sense of pride and ownership these entrepreneurs have – their faces light up as they share their success in improving the lives of their families.

Let me share a story of what I was so honored to experience – I will do my best to bring it to life, so you can get a sense of the significance… Who would not walk away humbled and forever changed?

A small group of us (Village Enterprise board members and supporters), were visiting from the states to see the work going on in the field.  We, along with village leaders and local staff, were invited to attend a grant disbursement meeting…or rather really more of a ceremony. 30 businesses were receiving their first $100 disbursement on this day. A momentous occasion in these villagers lives!

When we arrived at the disbursement site (bamboo mats and benches under a grove of trees), we were greeted with singing, clapping, dancing, waving of palm branches, drumming and “whooping.”  The joy in the air was palpable!  As they “danced” us from our vehicle to our seats of honor, the grant recipients continued dancing and clapping until we joined in with them – this was their intent!  We clapped and laughed and held hands as we all entered the disbursement area.   All of the villagers were dressed in their finest.

What followed might sound contrived or uncomfortable – but it was NOT!  It was beautiful and inspiring.

The disbursement began with local village leaders, Village Enterprise leaders, and community members each sharing words of greeting and encouragement to the business owners.

I do not recall ever hearing a more sincere and moving series of motivational vignettes. The leaders then asked that the foreign visitors also speak. Through translation, each of us shared words of encouragement and affirmation.  Despite living worlds apart, we easily bridged that gap to the common ground – all of us are living and working to provide better lives for our families and children.  The positive response from the crowd was overwhelming. I had been forewarned that foreign visitors in their midst would lend an air of significance to the occasion – similar to as if a dignitary attended one of our meetings.  Rather than fighting any awkward emotions about that, I chose to embrace it and was thankful that being present added to the memorable nature of their day.

Once the speeches were complete, it was time to disperse the funds.  Each group of three was called up one by one.  They put their thumb print on an official document, and then came to the disbursement table. Our visiting team had the privilege of dispersing the funds to each group, and congratulating them on this significant milestone. Each group came with a sum of funds they had already been saving; these funds were carefully twisted into the fabric of their garments to be sure that not one shilling was lost or misplaced. These carefully saved funds were handed to the one giving the disbursement; that person placed these funds in the envelope along with the $100 disbursement; this was done so it was clear there was a partnership between the business owners and Village Enterprise. When we gave the envelope back to the business owners with the complete funds, reactions were across the board – reserved quietness, shrieks of joy, kneeling in humble appreciation, “high fiving”, whooping and hollering.

Each was authentic to who they were and had their own share of emotion.  The fact that the entire savings they contributed was $2-3, and they were being granted $100 (50 times what they could save) – how amazing and life changing!

As the disbursement ceremony ended, we all danced and clapped and laughed and “shrilled” together, each of us discovering our “inner-African”, holding hands high, sharing a moment that none of us would ever forget.

It was remarkable how natural it all felt. I have never felt such unity with individuals that I had not previously known, and by every classification, we live worlds apart.   All of us were partnering together, from high-tech America to rural Africa.  It was a sacred moment.

Attending this disbursement was one of the most beautiful and moving experiences of my life! I do not understand why I have been gifted to witness such unique moments first-hand, but I feel both blessed and responsible to share such significance with those in my own world. These villagers in East Africa live with joy, and remind me what is important in life – our families, our children, our faith, our health, our communities. That is universal.  We have much to learn from them.”

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