It’s been 10 years since our GSB class came together to create what we now know as Project Redwood. I am pretty sure most of us would say our collaborations have connected or reconnected us and solidified friendships that truly circle the globe. But, being an ambitious and driven group of MBAs, we want to know about the actual impact of our efforts.  Are we making a difference in the world with the grants we distribute each year?  Would we consider our investments productive both in terms of alleviating poverty and generating positive investment returns?

Well, it turns out our efforts have really paid off big time any way you look at it.   We have invested approximately $1.5 million in more than 65 projects, and those monies (along with volunteer time and advice classmates have also contributed) have changed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. And, if you believe in the power of paying forward, who knows where this all can go?

Over the coming months, we’ll use this blog as a platform to take readers around the world and share some of the many different ways a grant of $20,000 to $25,000 can be used to improve standard of living for others.

Let’s start across the globe in Africa.

 

Project Redwood grants in Africa have:

Supported a gap year of additional training and education for high school girls in Kenya as they await acceptance to university.   Daraja (which means ‘Bridge’ in Swahili) was founded as a tuition-free four year secondary boarding school for girls who would otherwise not have the means to continue their educations. Unfortunately, it often takes months to hear of university acceptance; in that time frame, girls usually returned home where they often were pressured into early marriages, and never returned to school.   Our grant funded internship programs to keep girls on an academic track.

Expanded sustainable agriculture programs to improve health and wellbeing of impoverished communities across Africa. A partner now for seven years, Development in Gardening (DIG) has relied on our grants to address nutrition and food security issues in a variety of ways. Initially, we funded development of gardens in Uganda to help hospitals and orphanages provide healthy food to their residents. Over the years, we have supported more gardens as well as creation of reference materials (DIG-in-a-box) so the concept can be rolled out more quickly to needy communities across Africa, Haiti and the US. Most recently, we funded a training center in Uganda that serves a catchment area with 20,000 people; this center expects to ‘graduate’ masters who go out to help both community groups and individuals establish flourishing gardens and generate a new income source.

 

 Developed an entrepreneurial curriculum for Ugandan high schoolers. Working with Educate! for three years, we distributed a total of $75,000 to support creation of a training program that has become part of a national curriculum reaching tens of thousands of students across the country.   Further, Educate! used our funds to help 350 students develop programs to benefit their communities or to start their own businesses, increasing their incomes and raising standard of living for their families as well, meaning our support has helped thousands of people directly.

 

 Provided 206 loans to ambitious entrepreneurs in rural areas of West Kenya.   With our monies, Rafode, a micro-financing organization, distributed loans with an average value of $150 and also provided training and support groups for their clients.   The funds were used to purchase farming supplies and manufacturing tools.   This holistic approach has been incredibly successful; all of the loans have been paid back. As each loan supported an average family of five, we directly touched over 1000 right away; the ripple effect went on to touch over 10,000 locals.   Today Rafode serves 7,400 clients and has the support of a local bank.

Helped an orphanage in East Uganda become more self sufficient and increase its ability to support needy children.  Our 2014 grant enabled the Saint Paul and Rose Orphans’ Centre to establish income-generating programs and improve the health and nutrition of their young residents.  Our grant funded several projects.  Project Redwood funds were used to purchase pigs and cows and construct shelters for them, build a combination kitchen and store to sell products and baked goods, expand a vegetable garden, and to also install a rain catchment system and water storage tank.  Now the Centre provides a safe and secure home for 50 children and generates income that will allow the orphanage to expand.

Established a career and life skills center in Zambia. Zambian Children’s Fund was one of our first grantees. Our $24,000 helped establish a center that provides housing, a garden and schooling for 160 children. Residents receive hands-on training to learn sewing, carpentry, and other skills that help them become self-sufficienct. Goods that are made are sold in the local market, helping the Zambian Children’s Fund sustain itself. 

Through improved schooling, health and nutritional programs and financial support for entrepreneurial initiatives, Project Redwood has helped improve the lives of tens of thousands across the huge African continent.   Check in next month and learn about some of our adventures in Asia.