Brighter Days Ahead

Brighter Times are truly happening.  With all the negative “stuff” going on in our country and globally, it would be easy to become consumed.  I choose to think of Hope and Gratitude. 

Four years have gone by quickly.  When I first became involved with Mwanzo, I was attending church services regularly and attended the informal gatherings held after Loyce Ong’udi returned from her time in Rabuor, Kenya. Being inspired by what I learned, I have gifted Mwanzo throughout the years.

Needless to say, I never thought I’d become so passionately involved.  As a successful businessman, I’ve been involved with numerous non-profits.  But nothing like Mwanzo! I could see through my involvement that my gifts were making a difference!  I was helping to change lives. I was helping children with their education, providing meals nurturing bodies and minds, and helping to build their self-esteem, as well as offering Hope in their lives.  As I became more involved, I was invited to join the Mwanzo board and later became board chair.

My heart is full of love and joy!  Mwanzo is making a positive impact in many ways: the women’s catering and poultry enterprise, savings and loan services, and peer-to-peer training programs; and the environmental group working to mitigate the effects of climate change. 

With the generous participation from many of you and our Mwanzo partners in Rabuor, we’re in the process of building a community center with a clinic, library, and internet café.  Wow!  We’ve built a school serving 285 students and providing jobs for 23 folks from the community, purchased a bus, installed cisterns, solar panels, and access to the internet to name a few of the accomplishments.  There is Hope and we’re making a difference!

Written by George Vestal, Mwanzo Board of Directors, Chair