GBA’s Sudan Challenge – 26.2 “Empowering” Miles

When I first met Kwame Asante, in Februrary, 2008, he was one of approximately thirty students taking GBA’s business training course, “The Values Based Entrepreneur” in Sunyani, Ghana.  During our few days together, Kwame not only proved himself an apt student, but he also was one of several winners in GBA’s business loan contest at the conclusion of the week-long seminar.

As an incentive to put maximum effort into GBA’s course, students are given the opportunity at the close of training to submit to GBA a start-up business plan for possible funding.  Kwame, and his plan to open KAB Trading Stores, specializing in home accessories, was one of several $1,000 winners – securing a low interest loan from GBA for his enterprise.

As I travel throughout the developing world, I am amazed by the number of people I meet like Kwame who are ready to work hard to succeed, but require just a little help to get started.  As I think back upon my career, I am so thankful for those who have invested time and training in my life in order to help me become successful in my endeavors.  Why can we not afford Africa’s least fortunate the same opportunity in life, especially if they are willing to work for it?

I love the strategic nature of micro-enterprise investment.  Once small business loans are repaid, the money is re-invested into the small enterprise of a new client – empowering yet again.  Sometimes, in good micro-lending programs, these loans can “recycle” to new clients up to twenty times!  That is an amazing way to stretch a one hundred dollar investment.

Currently, GBA fundraising volunteers are literally “running” to meet the challenge of helping our organization increase the amount of funding we have available as loan capital for our micro-lending institutions.

In 2006 GBA initiated the Sudan Challenge in cooperation with the Chicago Marathon. The Sudan Challenge is GBA’s primary tool to raise funding for and awareness of our micro-enterprise programs in Sudan, Ghana, and other needy regions of Africa.  Dozens of runners over the last several years have volunteered their time, training and talent to run for GBA in this worthy cause.  To date, the Sudan Challenge has raised almost $100,000 for GBA programming!

We are hoping that GBA’s 2009 Sudan Challenge will be more successful than ever.  As the need continues to grow for hand-up empowerment throughout Africa, more and more runners are striving with us in solidarity.