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Mission Statement
Rural Empowerment Initiatives (REI) mission is to collaborate in the reduction of poverty through investment in rural areas and training of local people.

Vision Statement
REI's vision is to treat every created being with dignity, respect and love. We strive to work with those most in need by empowering people to recognize their God given talents, enabling them to make the world a better place and providing them hope for the future.

Our Principles
REI believes that all people are created equal.
REI will develop small to medium businesses (SMEs) as one approach to reach those most in need by creating jobs that build the economy in rural areas.
REI's partner businesses will be led, managed and majority owned by local people.
REI will always seek a triple bottom line of economic, spiritual and social transformation.
REI seeks to build sustainable community-oriented business models.
REI's focus of support is to the economically disadvantaged.
REI will seek attractive market and growth opportunities.
REI will incubate pilot projects with capable management.
REI believes in collaboration. We seek partners whose strengths complement our own in an effort to build well-rounded projects of lasting economic value for the communities in which we work.
REI is inspired by the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, and is therefore rooted in the Christian faith.

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Thursday, August 13, 2009

Blue Fish TV-Business as Mission

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Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Stanford Social Innovation Review : Articles : Just Say “No” (August 5, 2009)

Stanford Social Innovation Review : Articles : Just Say “No” (August 5, 2009)

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Sunday, August 9, 2009

Rain In Senegal


While in Senegal in late June, I anticipated see the first rain in Senegal for the season and my first time seeing rain ever in Senegal.
While returning from a village in the bush, we were four Americans and four Africans in a seven seater taxi. As the clouds began to swell on our return, I was very excited to see the first rain drops hit the windshield of our seven seater. However, the next five hours were full of adventure. What should have taken 45 minutes to return to the village, it took five hours to get back.
You see, when it rains there...it rains! Oh my, it came down so fast and furious that while driving on what is essentially a horse path through sandy soil, it became a little nerve racking. The water tends to run all to the low spots. Unfortunately, most low spots are what happens to be the makeshift road.
We were going through two feet of water in a matter of minutes.

I could feel the water hit the floorboards of the seven seater as the driver navigated in which now had become a James Bond type of vehicle....part boat...part seven seater!
The other problem was it was getting dark, and anyone knows that when you are in the bush at night...it is dark. The driver was sweating profusely as he done a wonderful job of navigating these unbelievable disappearing roads. But, the problem was that the seven seater didn't like all this rain. We eventually got stalled in a village. Hmmm...none of us knew what village however. So one of the Africans got out and talked to a few villagers to find out where we were. When we found out, the other trick was to call for help. Thank the Lord for cell phones. We got in touch with someone to come and 'rescue' us. However, the other problem was, "how do you find this village in the dark and rain" You see there are no road signs. Its just a path.
Then our ride got stuck in the mud.
After hours of being stuck in the seven seater, our wait was filled with laughter and story telling. What could have been a long wait, turned into a cross cultural experience my whole family will never forget.
We will never forget our first rain in Senegal!
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