Ugandan leader David is transforming communities with Village Community Banking, or VICOBA Plus. One part business training and two parts dreaming big and starting with what you have, VICOBA Plus is empowering entire communities to be self-sustaining.

As a young man, David began to help people by encouraging them to think outside the box. Combining small business training, group savings to generate capital, and “mindset shift,” these workshops help groups of ordinary people break the cycle of poverty together.

African Road has partnered with David since 2014 to bring VICOBA Plus to 16 communities across East Africa, generating over $18,000 in savings, launching over 90 businesses, training new facilitators to create new VICOBA hubs in Rwanda and Tanzania, and impacting over 1,900 lives. 

Today, African Road is working with David as he creates an official manual, so trainers can spread VICOBA Plus workshops and empowerment throughout East Africa and beyond.

Learn more about VICOBA and the power of these transformative trainings. 

 

 

A lifeline to the vulnerable, Consoler and her supportive husband, Eliya, provide a home for girls and young women who are escaping from domestic servitude. This modern form of slavery is often violent and oppressive. Consoler makes sure the girls they care for are educated and taught life skills that will enable them to be independent.

African Road helped New Hope for Girls to start a small business selling sewing supplies that will support the organization’s vital work. We continue in partnership to help this remarkable couple become self-sufficient, and help turn their long-held dream of a ‘Forever Home’ into a reality. 

Consoler is part of a dynamic duo: Her husband, Eliya, who graduated with a degree in accounting, helps keep the books on track and provides support – both in the home and in the sewing shop – to help things run smoothly.

Together they carry a heavy load, but they still find time to laugh and play.

Learn more about Consoler’s story and New Hope for Girls. 

VICOBA Plus Lead Facilitator in Tanzania, New Hope for Girls dad.

Eliya leads Group formation and training expertise for VICOBA Plus. He is effectively facilitating community organizing and cross-pollination for small groups across the East African region. His commitment and work to advance gender empowerment in the Tanzanian context. And, he’s a devoted dad to over 60 girls through the New Hope for Girls Organization, family.

 

Born and raised in a refugee camp outside his country of Rwanda, Philbert Kalisa understands the pain and complexity of reconciliation on a deeply personal level. After visiting Rwanda for the first time at the age of 29, Philbert witnessed the societal divisions created by the 1994 Rwandan Genocide against the Tutsis. Feeling the need to address these deep divisions, Philbert launched project REACH in 1996.

Over the last 25 years, REACH has helped transformed enemies into friends and continues to address the root causes of division through conflict resolution.

Today, REACH is equipping leaders to change perspectives on the role of women in society and in the family. After incredible strides with healing and reconciliation post-genocide, and even with the highest representation of women in government globally, domestic violence and treatment of women and girls continues to be a big challenge in Rwanda.

African Road is partnering with REACH, bringing VICOBA to unity groups.

Read more about Philbert and Project REACH. 

 

Peninah is President of the Togetherness Cooperative, and an integral part of the community. She began as a young volunteer at Togetherness, offering her skills in English and math to support the work of the community. She says, “When I met Steven, his vision of helping people especially orphans and inspired me. I was born in a poor family, and so I always had that heart of helping others.”

After years of dedicating herself and serving beside the youth of the cooperative, Peninah was elected President of Togetherness.

A champion for women’s rights, Peninah utilized her degree in finance and accounting to help launch the Women’s Bakery business at Togetherness and continues to encourage gender equity among members of the cooperative. She is also the lead VICOBA facilitator at the new Rwanda hub.

She is breaking boundaries and stereotypes left and right, setting an example for the young women of Togetherness. 

Learn more about the Togetherness Youth Cooperative. 

 

Mild-mannered hero and original African Road Changemaker, Steven is the inspiration behind our founding as an organization.

An orphan himself, Steven felt compelled to help orphans and widows after Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. He brought genocide orphans together and helped them to form the
Togetherness Cooperative.

The Togetherness Cooperative is now a group of 145 young people and children who have their own land to play soccer, farm, access clean water, and start their own small businesses. Steven also inspired women from his own church to form the All Souls Women’s Cooperative. Because of Steven’s support, a rural community is thriving.

For more than 10 years, African Road has partnered with Steven to empower these communities — and his own family — to become self-sustaining.

Learn more about Steven and the Togetherness Youth Cooperative. 

 

 

Jean Claude Nkundwa, extraordinary peace activist, translator, and “Mr. Logistics” has been campaigning for peace and reconciliation in Burundi and Rwanda for many years.

Florentin Mpundu, wonderful pastor and advocate, partnering with African Road and David Clemy to bring VICOBA small banking and business training to young people in Bujumbura, the capital of Burundi.

Patricia, wonderful mom and powerful community leader, has been caring for young people who come out of prison for many years. Patricia spends her time ensuring her young people have access to education, food, clothing, shelter, and most importantly, family.

Kelvin, reformed and reformer, spent time in prison in his younger years. During this lonely time, he experienced a personal transformation, and since his release, he has helped many prisoners transition back into society. Kelvin has helped reform the entire Kenyan prison system. His efforts were even recognized by the President of Kenya.

Together, Kelvin and Patricia create a loving home for at-risk youth and youth transitioning out of the criminal justice system. African Road partners with them as they work to bring lasting change

This year, African Road is joining Philemon in working toward the dream of a water well to serve their rural area and bringing VICOBA training.

Domnic: visionary and bold egalitarian leader, trained as an Anglican priest. He realized that Christian traditions and cultures as he had experienced them were creating oppression rather than relieving it. He came to understand that the Bible did not limit or reduce women but freed and empowered them.

Determined to correct misunderstandings of scripture that harm women and families and society, Domnic devotes his life to changing this teaching in both culture and church, even shaping legislation in Kenya.

Christine: determined rural leader, mentoring and training women in healthy farming practices and small business efforts. Christine is one of the few women from her rural homeland to have graduated from university, making her a role model in her community. She works side-by-side with husband Domnic, changing lives and creating equality of opportunity.

Wangu Kanja, an inspiration and triumph of hope, works in one of Nairobi’s biggest slums, caring for women who are suffering from gender-based violence.

Wangu note only arranges for first response to reported rape – including medical care and legal action when possible – but also arranges ongoing support groups, dance therapy, and small business development for survivors.

African Road is partnering with her to bring VICOBA small business and savings training for capacity and income building projects for her community.