The Gift of Business - EC Podcast: Host Patrice Tsague with the E-Community Leaders

Nehemiah E-Community Podcast

For this year's Giving Tuesday, Patrice met up with E-community leaders across the globe to see the impact of their work, and the powerful stories behind their inspiring initiatives. The Gift of Business: Texas, USA First up is Trudy Hankins, who is the newest member on board. She's the director of the new E-community Center in Dallas Fort Worth that was launched on 14th September. Passionate about her mission and vision for the center, Trudy shares how it's helping to empower local entrepreneurs. The Gift of Business: Bulgaria Patrice also speaks to Arman & Petya Lalane, a couple working with Bulgarian biblical entrepreneurs. It's amazing how the pair manage to run their operations from California while supporting entrepreneurs in Bulgaria. Their story is a powerful testament to the power of global connection and support. According to Arman, when you impact 6% of entrepreneurs in a country, you impact the whole nation and its economy. Every dollar counts in making the training and coaching program affordable for Bulgarians. The Gift of Business: Florida, USA Patrice also talks to Samuel Lowry, who amazingly works alongside his mom Ana Maria Lowry who's the founder and CEO of A & P International and director of the E-Community Center in Orlando, Florida that works with the Hispanic community. Seeing that the Hispanic community is the largest minority group in the USA, the Orlando Center offers training and coaching programs in both English and Spanish. Samuel also points out how they are supporting immigrants by assisting them in starting businesses and leading to financial freedom--and that donor funds would help them make an even greater impact. The Gift of Business: Asia Pacific Moving on to Asia, Patrice speaks to Poh Sim Saw, the director for the Asia Pacific region to discuss the impact of the Nehemiah Project. Poh Sim Saw explains how the Nehemiah Project is helping to empower Asian entrepreneurs to build sustainable enterprises and businesses, tackling issues such as poverty, and lack of access to resources. She shares an inspiring story of Joy and Jino, a couple that took second place in the International Business Plan Competition this year. They were only able to do so because they received a subsidy for the BE Course, which they otherwise could not afford. Poh Sim Saw explains that the success of Joy and Jino shows that through Nehemiah Project, they are able to provide access to resources and knowledge to people who would not have had it before, and make an impact through job creation, economic empowerment, and social development. Donating to our cause will go a long way in Asia. Many entrepreneurs need help launching their businesses, and with your donation, we can continue translating our courses into Mandarin, Hindu, and Thai. The Gift of Business: Nairobi, Kenya To wrap it up, Patrice speaks to Frank Kitonga, the Founder of Blueflame International and Country Director of Nehemiah Project Kenya. Kenya has had great success in the International Business Plan competition having won the last three years in a row. Frank explains how Nehemiah Project has helped entrepreneurs there to access capital, build businesses, and create jobs, giving examples of the current IBPC winner, Dominic Gitau, who grew up in the slums but has managed to transform his life and is creating employment to help other people in his community, and that of Rina Hicks, who won the IBPC in 2021, and is making a difference through financial inclusion. Nehemiah Project Kenya has also managed to start a radio station, Hope Fm which is among the top three currently in Kenya and hopefully will make it to the top when they include programs in Swahili. Frank also hopes to have the BE, Business Success Accelerator, Identity and Destity and the Sustainable Church Initiative programs trans