What is Transformational Ventures?

The Local Church

SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Very small businesses in developing countries provide jobs and play an important role in a community’s life and economy.
• When operated with Christian values, these businesses transform communities as individual lives are changed economically and spiritually.
• Such small businesses do not require large amounts of capital, highly sophisticated business plans, marketing strategies, etc. to create a substantial impact in the community.
• We primarily focus on existing small businesses and startups run by national entrepreneurs.
• Since many of these entrepreneurs haven’t had access to formal or informal business training, the most basic business skills and ideas can revolutionize their efforts and make the difference between success and failure.
• Virtually any Christian business person from a developed economy is equipped to coach these businesses and their entrepreneurs.
• Transformational Ventures equips our business coaches to navigate cultural challenges, contextualize their efforts and contribute to local community development.

A Life Transformed

War. Disease. Poverty. In recent years, thousands of African children have been orphaned by AIDS and war. Many unskilled widows take care of these orphans in addition to their own children.

Through an import/export partner, Transformational Ventures helps create sustainable incomes for impoverished families like these by importing and selling their handmade products.

One successful partner utilizes the art of paper bead making. Impoverished women in Uganda make unique jewelry from recycled papers such as maps, calendars and magazines. The paper is cut by hand into triangular strips, rolled tightly, glued, polyurethaned and dried in the sun. The finished products are sold through export markets.

Jennifer is a Ugandan widow with eight children. Before partnering with Transformational Ventures' partner she worked 12-hour days, six days a week for $40 a month. Since her job was located an hour and half away from her home, Jennifer’s 17 year old daughter had to take care of her seven younger siblings.

Now, Jennifer earns a good income by making paper bead jewelry out of her home. She works less hours, is available to manage her family and can afford to send her kids to school. She has been able to move out of a one-room shack and into a two room house with electricity and furniture. With her new fair wage, Jennifer has brought her family above the poverty line that traps so many others.