Letter From the President (March 2016)
March 23, 2016
We are growing. We are growing geographically, and now have an active presence in five countries. We are growing in the ways we are empowering people — in addition to farming, we have branched into survival skills and business mentoring. And we are growing relationally. When you give people a genuine hand up, you don’t let go right away. You hold hands for a bit as they steady themselves, and while you hold hands, you grow closer.
We exist to serve people by empowering them economically. We also wish to inspire those who perhaps were born into privilege, but through Just Hope, are called to extend those privileges to others — the privilege to work, to earn, to start a business, to be self-supporting. If you’ve never taken a handout, you may not know what a gift it is to not need one.
At Just Hope, our goal isn’t to simply make an impact. We strive to make an impact that lasts well beyond our involvement in a project. Making an impact that lasts takes time, and it takes the kind of person who is ready to reject a life of handouts and accept the power God has given them to create a better life for themselves, their families and their communities.
If you explore the links below, you’ll learn about some of the remarkable people who are accepting our hand up. Thanks to your support, they have new capacity, capabilities and opportunities. Their journeys inspire us, and we hope they inspire you, too — to pray, to give, to share the message — a glorious cycle that improves the world for all.
Meet Our Heroes
Joseph Yaw Konnor
Ejumapa, Ghana
Joseph wanted to send his kids to school, but couldn’t afford the required fees. Banks weren’t a viable option, so he found another solution.
Raul Carrasco
Monterrey, Honduras
Raul had a tough upbringing marked by violence and gangs in Honduras, and now he wants to help other young men avoid a similar situation.
Carolina Patiño Bermudez
Panama City, Panama
Carolina has been commissioned by Just Hope to write curriculum and pilot a program to teach young adults in Panama survival skills before they age out of orphanage, so they can provide for themselves.
Foday Koroma
Lunsar, Sierra Leone
Growing up, Foday couldn’t afford to pay his school fees. Today, Foday is a pastor who heads a network of other pastors and community leaders responsible for building 20 schools and planting 50 churches — all in the last 5 years. Follow Foday’s journey…
Be a Just Hope Hero
If you’re inspired by the remarkable people we serve, we need your help funding the projects that bring training, tools, opportunities, and — most importantly — hope. There are 2 ways you can be a Just Hope Hero. Click here to learn more.