Our Kenya office was privileged to host Dave and Pam Straley from the 3rd Creek Foundation (3CF) between June 2016.
It was exciting having a visit from the founder of a family foundation who has supported Village Enterprise for more than five years. Dave and Pam have been passionate supporters of Village Enterprise as it aligns with the mission of their foundation to help individuals achieve economic independence.
The couple had an opportunity to go down the valleys and up the hills of Kitale and Kisere regions, traversing the villages, shaking hands with our program participants, seeing their businesses, and acknowledging the impact of Village Enterprise in the rural areas.
Our business owners were thrilled to learn that some of the grants they receive actually come from individual donors like Dave and Pam. Dave and Pam were gratified to see the results of their donations at work.
The duo were surprised to learn that most of the business owners had more than five children and that some had as many as eleven which translates to the fact that the organization is reaching many lives, especially children.
Dave and Pam were amazed with the kind of work Village enterprise is doing on the ground to help people living in extreme poverty. They were glad that we touch many lives in a very positive way.
“Our site visits over two days to thirty Village Enterprise-supported businesses were encouraging because you can actually see the participants progress out of abject poverty,” said Dave Straley.
“Being on-site, you also get the added benefit of hearing the women tell you how they are continuing to improve their lives through entrepreneurship. A common theme was: we have chickens, but will be adding goats with the profits from the chickens. Or, we sell vegetables along the road, but are adding chips for sale that we make each day. Enthusiasm about the future is contagiously uplifting.”
We are grateful to the 3rd Creek Foundation for believing in what we do and helping end extreme poverty for thousands of rural Kenyans through entrepreneurship and innovation.
