Our Work
Business As Missions
Business forum group from Cornerstone
In one of our first visits to Uganda, we discovered Cornerstone Development Africa, a Christian-based organization that is "committed to raising up future leaders with a shared vision of positively transforming their communities and nations.” After meeting with several of the men and women of this ministry who had a passion and education for business, we decided to partner with them by funding a revolving loan program that would help them realize their dreams of being entrepreneurs.
Since that initial meeting we have seen over 20 businesses created that include poultry farms, real estate development, construction, water filtration, grocery stores, and others. Some of the stories of these businesses are chronicled on this website. Basically, our team has supplied the funding and then returns several times per year to mentor these new owners on accounting, marketing, human resources, spiritual development and other areas as needed.
Since that initial meeting we have seen over 20 businesses created that include poultry farms, real estate development, construction, water filtration, grocery stores, and others. Some of the stories of these businesses are chronicled on this website. Basically, our team has supplied the funding and then returns several times per year to mentor these new owners on accounting, marketing, human resources, spiritual development and other areas as needed.
TivaWater
On our Vision trip to Uganda in 2008 we stumbled upon a potential business idea…..providing clean drinking water. After returning to the United States, we began to explore the many methods for providing clean water in the developing world. In Uganda the most common method to clean water was boiling; a very expensive, time consuming and hazardous proposition. After months of research we came up with the idea to transform a seldom used product, the concrete biosand filter, into a highly effective and user friendly product made from durable plastic.
Since forming our non-profit entity to launch TivaWater in Uganda, we have delivered over 25,000 filters to provide clean water for over 250,000 people. The Ugandan company is owned and operated by a young Ugandan business leader. Our U.S. nonprofit has also delivered filters to Guatemala, Kenya and Haiti. You can learn more about this story on the TivaWater website. For a photo review of the progress of our TivaWater venture, check out the TivaWater Photo Gallery and Video Testimonies.
Since forming our non-profit entity to launch TivaWater in Uganda, we have delivered over 25,000 filters to provide clean water for over 250,000 people. The Ugandan company is owned and operated by a young Ugandan business leader. Our U.S. nonprofit has also delivered filters to Guatemala, Kenya and Haiti. You can learn more about this story on the TivaWater website. For a photo review of the progress of our TivaWater venture, check out the TivaWater Photo Gallery and Video Testimonies.
Chicken City Farms
After five years of seeing great success from our poultry farming startups, we began to imagine building a sustainable poultry school where we could leverage our knowledge and empower many more young entrepreneurs. After receiving a generous donation from Fellowship Church to purchase 12 acres of land in the summer of 2012, we had a beginning! In January of 2013 we began construction of the school that now raises about 20,000 birds per month. Our goal is to train young men and local farmers in the "best practices" of poultry farming by giving them a real world, hands on experience. We have made an impact in the local community as one of the largest employers, and we have launched several young entrepreneurs into the poultry business.
Since this farms is raising thousands of chickens every year, the financial proceeds have made is a self sustaining operation. As one of the largest farms in Uganda we have landed on the brand name, Chicken City Farms, to help market our products.
Chicken City Photo Gallery.
Click here for photos and information about other successful poultry farms we have assisted.
Since this farms is raising thousands of chickens every year, the financial proceeds have made is a self sustaining operation. As one of the largest farms in Uganda we have landed on the brand name, Chicken City Farms, to help market our products.
Chicken City Photo Gallery.
Click here for photos and information about other successful poultry farms we have assisted.
On-Belay Missions - Neurosurgical Training Initiative
Medical leaders Mark Slaughter (President, OnBelay Medical) and Dr. J. Michael Wattenbarger, MD (Chief of Staff, Shriners Hospital, Greenville, SC) traveled with us on a mission trip to Kampala in 2016. Naturally, they made some visits to a local hospital and quickly realized that there was a lack of training and support in this field of medicine. Since that time, a vibrant and successful collaboration has evolved among several US surgeons, nurses and medical device reps working alongside Ugandan surgeons. They call their team OnBelay Missions. Their stated goal is "Highly trained spine surgeons performing life changing surgeries with implants manufactured in their own land by their own people." The team travels to Africa multiple times each year teaching and performing pediatric scoliosis and trauma surgery, serving a critical unmet need. Additionally, millions of dollars of medical equipment and supplies have been generously donated by several US medical companies to support this training and work. It has been an amazing effort that is providing life saving relief to suffering people.
Quicky Picky Markets
One of our first business loans ($4,000) was offered to Sam T to help him expand his small grocery store in a remote village. He used the funds to increase his product offerings including “electricity connections to charge mobile phones” from power that came from solar panels he purchased. Sales flourished and within two years Sam had paid back his loan and now had visions of opening a second, larger store in a town nearby. In 2011, Quicky Picky II was birthed from a much larger loan and has been extremely successful. Quicky Picky III was opened in 2013. Our U.S. team provided the working capital and financial and marketing advice, but Sam has invested a huge amount of sweat equity into the business and is the reason it has prospered. He has a vision to grow the Quicky Picky concept to many stores. (In 2018 Sam renamed his business Diamond Shoppers)
GRIN Foods Restaurant and Catering
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One of our first loans was to a young man, Michael Kiirya in 2008. His vision was to open a successful take away restaurant that served a local university. After a successful start, his business was temporarily interrupted by a violent attack from a nearby competitive business. Not to be detoured, however, Michael persevered and was able to pay off his $1,000 loan that had launched him as an entrepreneur. Our team was so proud of Michael's resilience that he was awarded a substantial loan that helped him open a larger restaurant, Grin Foods, in Kampala. Since that time he has used his cash flow to grow his business by establishing two other food kiosks. Michael is a community leader and has a passion for serving his team members and the Lord.
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Evangelism and Support of Vulnerable Children
Jesus Leaders Network
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In 2017, a collaboration between Alfred Edakasi (Uganda) and David Bianconi (U.S.) birthed a discipleship ministry call the Jesus Leaders Network (JLN). These two men are uniquely equipped to lead such an effort. Alfred has always had a pastors heart with the gift of leadership. Most recently, he was elected to serve in the Ugandan Parliament. David has led a men's discipleship ministry for over 20 years in the U.S. that has equipped hundreds of Christ followers.
Over the last few years hundreds of people have been discipled and several leaders have been hired as paid staff to support ministry growth. In short, our call as JLN is to invest our all in making disciples of all nations, men and women who will also move out and take the challenge of making more disciples. Several programs have been developed to reach out across the entire landscape of Uganda and include:
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Embrace Child Sponsor Program
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After working for over 12 years with vulnerable children in the Mulago slums of Kampala, our team was led in 2021 to start our own child sponsorship project called Embrace Christian Children's Foundation. Approximately 100 children are already participating and being served by this ministry effort. Through Embrace, children are supported financially through individual sponsorship so that they have the opportunity to attend school and also be provided with their basic needs. Through various educational programs, Embrace exposes these children to opportunities that will help them develop spiritually, physically, socially, and economically. More information about this work can be gleaned by clicking on the Embrace website.
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Gaba Community Health Project in partnership with Wentz Medical Clinic
We have partnered with the Wentz Medical Clinic to establish a beacon of hope in a couple of Kampala's most vulnerable slum populations. The main aim of the project is to provide free healthcare services and health education to the urban poor in the communities of Katooga and Kisengo which will in turn lead to a reduction of morbidity and mortality rates among the people.
The project specifically seeks to do the following:
Click here for a typical report of the work being accomplished.
The project specifically seeks to do the following:
- To provide medical treatment to the urban poor through community based outreaches.
- To partner with the local Churches for Christian witnessing during the outreaches.
- To provide health education to enhance health literacy and public health awareness.
- To provide interventional care through the Patient Assistance Fund (PAF).
- To maintain a vibrant and effective Village Health Team as core of our strategy in combating preventable diseases.
Click here for a typical report of the work being accomplished.
Completed Projects
Dove Church Ministry (Clinic, school and orphan care)
The orphanage (center) was built in 2009.
In 2013, we completed a five year agreement assist in the development of orphan, education and medical ministries. During that time, many people from Wakiso and surrounding communities were introduced to Christ through the various ministries conducted by our teams and partners. Following is a brief description of the ministries along with photos and videos.
Dove Church of Wakiso is an organization that has a heart for impacting the surrounding community. We were introduced to Pastor Davis Habaasa and wife Grace on our vision trip in 2008 by the World Orphans team. They were looking to create a partnership between a local indigenous church and a U.S. church to help them care for orphans. A year later a house was built and is now home for 14 children. Since that time our group has led five medical clinics at the church (see Medical Clinic Report Videos) and funded the Isaac Clinic with a goal to build a sustainable health care facility that serves the community. Finally we have supported the ongoing efforts of Pastor Davis in growing the campus school, Northlake Academy, by funding the construction of a new brick facility that will accommodate 300 children. Our desire is to see Dove Church grow as a catalyst to bringing spiritual and physical well being to the area.
Click here to see photos of the Dove Church Ministry development.
Click here to watch video reports of the Medical Clinics.
Dove Church of Wakiso is an organization that has a heart for impacting the surrounding community. We were introduced to Pastor Davis Habaasa and wife Grace on our vision trip in 2008 by the World Orphans team. They were looking to create a partnership between a local indigenous church and a U.S. church to help them care for orphans. A year later a house was built and is now home for 14 children. Since that time our group has led five medical clinics at the church (see Medical Clinic Report Videos) and funded the Isaac Clinic with a goal to build a sustainable health care facility that serves the community. Finally we have supported the ongoing efforts of Pastor Davis in growing the campus school, Northlake Academy, by funding the construction of a new brick facility that will accommodate 300 children. Our desire is to see Dove Church grow as a catalyst to bringing spiritual and physical well being to the area.
Click here to see photos of the Dove Church Ministry development.
Click here to watch video reports of the Medical Clinics.