Pardon my language, but it’s pretty darn exciting right now at The 1010 Project :). As we post video testimonies and stories of transformation from our Fall 2010 Academy, we are finalizing dates for the Spring 2011 GEA in Nairobi. Thanks to everyone who generously contributed to our year end fundraising push…our Spring GEA is fully funded!

Take an “inspiration break” and watch video highlights from our GEA graduation.

Some of the quotables:

• Director of The GEA in Nairobi, Josephine: This is what I love doing, just to see people grow and become better in their lives.
• Humble Hearts Founder & Director Beatrice Anuda: So many cobwebs are removed from our minds, so now we know how to budget. We know how to plan our money, we know how to market, and how to talk to those who come to our projects in a good way so they can come again.
• GEA Mentor Phillips Katutu discusses what is NOT transformation, and then concludes that transformation comes when we integrate the faith and development initiatives.

Community Leaders in Western Kenya & 1010 Team - Dec 2010 (Jeff at far right)

Jeff Messer, Trustee for our Board of Directors, just returned from Kenya and wrote this article about the experience. He is also matching donations through Dec. 31 up to $1000 through his coaching business, The Entrepreneur’s Source. Invest today!

The mantra we heard continually as we spoke to partners and prospective partners alike was that they needed training. Many of the leaders of these CBOs (Community Based Organizations) are individuals with little or no business training. They have been called to the ministries they currently run and often lack the skills and basic business education needed to deal with these operations. I was constantly surprised by their ingenuity and resourcefulness given their circumstances but we heard time and time again, “if we just had training we could do so much more.” This theme was summarized by the comment of one leader: “Ours is not a poverty of resources but a poverty of information”…

That theme continued as we traveled up to the rural areas around Lake Victoria. There was probably no more impactful experience than the day we sat in a small rural church built from sticks, mud and manure, in front of about 80 men and women representing two community self help groups. Both had already begun their own micro-finance operations. We listened as they begged us to assist them to “drive away ignorance” with education and then provide them with resources to break the cycle of their poverty. Here were a group of women and men with the drive, ambition and desire to change their circumstance. They were not waiting on us. They had already taken steps to move beyond their situation. But they were boldly asking for the proverbial “hand up” not just a hand out. It was humbling and inspiring.

This season don’t give a gift, make an investment in ending the poverty of information.