the history of LEAD

LEAD International Ministry Network has always been about action. It was founded in 1995 as a Christian faith-based non-profit to alleviate the symptoms of poverty. As a formal partner of the Igreja Evangelica du Guine-Bissau (IEGB) LEAD provided advocacy and support to social projects provided to the region by the local churches. Members of LEAD teams assisted efforts to bring low-tech solutions to problems. LEAD shipped food, medicine, and medical supplies to aid public health creating locally reliable distribution networks. In its early years LEAD created good will and literally saved hundreds of lives. However, the most important part of its early years was learning from nationals how to create and develop reliable and mutually contributing indigenous relationship networks.

Because LEAD focuses on long-term change, it helped establish socially responsible approaches by indigenous churches to empower rural people groups rather than westernizing them. It helped the IEGB to open its arms to other denominations entering the country after 1996. Mike Blondino was the keynote speaker at the first inter-denominational pastors conference in Guinea-Bissau.

In 1999, frustrated by the limited impact of western donations, LEAD adjusted its focus from social support projects to creating sustainable revenue in Africa. At the request of local pastors LEAD spent two years researching their cashew industry to propose a means to benefit from this ample crop.

LEAD shifted from church-based work to direct field engagement with locals to generate revenue. Its reputation as a serious and committed partner allowed LEAD to form alliances with farmers, businessmen and leaders regardless of affiliation. In 2001 LEAD became a formal partner of the national farmers association, Agricultors National Association du Guine (ANAG). By 2002 research on cashew processing demonstrated that processed cashews could provide a substantial boost in income to rural cashew farmers. In 2003 LEAD began implementation of a cashew program entitled “Change A Nation.” With limited resources, LEAD had to be creative and flexible in its implementation of the project. By 2004 a small cashew processing center and training school plan was developed to add workers to the workforce and identify capable candidates for business ownership.

In 2005 LEAD’s first training program became operational in partnership with the Djonde Cashew Processing Company in Bissau. Implementation of the program revealed many hurdles in culture, logistics, human capacity and resources. One by one LEAD found ways to negotiate through these challenges and turn them into opportunities for success. By 2006 LEAD helped design and build the largest training site in Guinea-Bissau capable of instructing 400 students per year.

In 2007, due in part to governmental instability and in order to expand its regional footprint, LEAD moved it’s regional headquarters to Ziguinchor, Senegal. It built a commercial packing center to give rural farmers and processors access to high quality packing.

Some of LEAD’s accomplishments to date:

• Developed more than 25 privately owned cashew processing companies
• Expanded capacity to hire more than 300 employees
• Created the first farmer-processor-trade-corporation in Guinea-Bissau
• Created and utilizes a profit-sharing opportunity model
• Is the only processing effort repeatedly showing profit in Guinea-Bissau
• Has indigenous staff at the forefront of innovation and development
• Provides flex processing schools capable of training 500 workers per year
• Innovated the concept of measured investment for stakeholders

That is our past... This is a movement of private support to develop and empower African entrepreneurs to create jobs. Grassroots work is best supported by grassroots funding. Every dollar you give makes a tremendous difference in putting people to work in West Africa. Donate now.