Wednesday – – 26th /07/2017, saw 13 Mentees and 4 Mentors graduate from Economic Projects Transformational Facility (EPTF), marking a successful Economic Empowerment journey with EPTF that ran from the month of August 2016 – February 2017.
The Entrepreneurs went through a journey of Economic Empowerment with the Mentors walking alongside them.
See pictures from the fulfilling graduation below, in addition to the graduation speech by EPTF’s CEO, Mary Kamore.
Graduation Speech by Mary Kamore
Our guests today; World Vision, Women Enterprise Fund, Navigators, other partners in absence, Mentors, Trainers, Empowered Kingdom Minded Entrepreneurs and EPTF staff Good Morning.
I want to first and foremost give thanks to the almighty God who ‘He has made everything beautiful in its time’ (Ecc 3:11).
We are here today to celebrate great achievements, hard work, sacrifice, determination, resilience & victory. We are here to give a round of applause to these men and women who have taken a bold step to change their life’s course.
As EPTF, we believe that economic empowerment is one perfect way of bringing out dignity and value of every person. There is no dignity in poverty, there is no dignity in hopelessness. But there is dignity when individuals are economically empowered and ultimately are self reliant.
Kenya will have attained a population of 49 Million by the end of 2017, 80% of these are 35 years and below, 52% women, 48% men and the unemployment rate at 60%.
On the other hand, 51% of Kenyan population lives below the poverty line of $1.95 per day. This is what it means to be economically dis-empowered – poverty, individuals who cannot put food on the table. This is not God’s will for His creation.
EPTF addresses this problem by empowering entrepreneurs who are Kingdom Minded. We empower entrepreneurs through training, mentoring and provision of other Business Development Support Services. These entrepreneurs are not only keen to make money and become wealthy but they are change agents. They are;
- God fearing
- Ethically minded
- Job creators
- Protectors of environment
- Improve livelihoods
They become entrepreneurs who see a problem and provide a solution. An entrepreneur comes up with an idea that will solve a problem. An entrepreneur doesn’t just look for money but looks for solutions. An entrepreneur who makes a difference in the society.
When I look at these 13 men and women, I see 13 solutions to already existing problems, I see 13 agents of change in the communities they live in and beyond, I see 13 God fearing business people, I see 13 employers, I see 13 Millionaires.
Thank you for all the sacrifice you have made to get this achievement. For all the hours you had to stop what you do to attend classes, attend a mentoring session, work on some assignments and so forth. It’s not in vain.
Go and apply what you have learned. Work hard and God will surely reward the labor of your hands. Proverbs 10:4 ; Poor is he who works with a negligent hand, But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
In all this you will end up being successful – – that is my prayer. But remember faithfulness comes before success; God calls us to be faithful not necessarily successful.
Senator Mark Hatfield touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa and visiting the so called, ‘’House of Dying’’ where sick children are cared for in their last days, as well as the dispensary where poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention. Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hartfield was overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the suffering she and her co-worker faced daily. “How can you bear the load without being crushed by it?” he asked.
Mother Teresa replied, “My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be fruitful.”
We will continue to support you in every way that we can and we will walk alongside you to achieve your God given potential as an entrepreneur.
I appreciate our partners, who without their efforts this journey would not have been completed. We appreciate that through these partners we have walked far. Let us continue walking together.
To all of us, our dear country Kenya is in a state of concern, we are divided, we are confused, we are misled and we have been cheated by selfish leaders. I want to call upon all of us, who are change agents to preach peace, get united regardless of tribe, language, gender, religion or political affiliation. Let us use the knowledge and the wisdom that God has given us to make the right decision, now, during and after the elections. Let us protect properties, let us protect lives, let us protect the Kenya that we dearly love. Let us show every one that we are different because we are.
Thank you.
Mary Kamore.