Friday, February 6, 2009
We have a new blog!
Hello all. Mentors has been working hard on a new blog that better suits our needs. Go to http://mentorsinternational.wordpress.com/ to check it out and comment on it. We will keep this blog but will be more regularly updating the wordpress blog. Thank you for thinking of Mentors.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Meet Noe
For many years Noe Antonio Cornejo worked long hours at a local coffee plantation making very little money. Life had been hard for Noe. He only had a ninth grade education and had lost an eye while serving in the army. Then, when his wife passed away, Noe was left with five children to feed.
Noe had long dreamed of becoming a baker and when he heard about Mentores, Mentors' partner organization in El Salvador, he felt this opportunity was the answer to his prayers. With some business training and a loan from Mentores he was able to make the metal molds to bake his first loaf of bread.
Noe had long dreamed of becoming a baker and when he heard about Mentores, Mentors' partner organization in El Salvador, he felt this opportunity was the answer to his prayers. With some business training and a loan from Mentores he was able to make the metal molds to bake his first loaf of bread.
Five years later Noe is now the proud owner of Panes Los Ricos bakery. Every morning he wakes up at 3 a.m. to bake bread in an old rusty oven held together with a plastic bungy cord strap. After the bread is cooled on his metal molds his sons take the bread to the market to sell before school starts. Then Noe works long hours at a local coffee plantation. Although his conditions are far from perfect he is very grateful to Mentores for helping him help and his sons have a better life.
Noe now makes $160 in extra income.
“I have never been more blessed than now. My prayers have been answered. I love my sons very much and I believe this business has not only helped me but has given my children the opportunity to learn how to run their own business one day,” said Noe.
Noe now makes $160 in extra income.
“I have never been more blessed than now. My prayers have been answered. I love my sons very much and I believe this business has not only helped me but has given my children the opportunity to learn how to run their own business one day,” said Noe.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Happy New Year!
Enterprise Mentors International wishes you a happy new year! This has been a year for many changes at Mentors and our wonderful partner organizations. Thank you for being patient with us as we work to navigate a more profitable course for all of us—one that has the potential to bless millions of lives in the future. We can foresee the day when Enterprise Mentors will have large programs across the globe, and we are thrilled that you will be part of this groundbreaking effort to help so many of our Father’s children.
Thank you for all you have done and accomplished this year. Thanks for having such wonderful hearts. From our office to yours, we wish you a prosperous New Year. Please know that we continue to pray for you and all who are associated with this important work. May God bless you always.
Warmest regards,
Mark L. Petersen
Mentors President & CEO
Thank you for all you have done and accomplished this year. Thanks for having such wonderful hearts. From our office to yours, we wish you a prosperous New Year. Please know that we continue to pray for you and all who are associated with this important work. May God bless you always.
Warmest regards,
Mark L. Petersen
Mentors President & CEO
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Christmas Message From The President
As 2008 winds to its close and the Christmas Season approaches, it is an important time for us at Enterprise Mentors International to express gratitude for blessings received and to reflect on our accomplishments of the year.
I am grateful in every sense for the numerous families, businesses, and individuals who have invested sacred funds and valuable time for this amazing cause. I am energized by the enthusiasm and commitment of so many people. Thank you for reaching out to families across the world who have known the despair of poverty and have now been lifted to self sufficiency with your help.
Mentors has been working on alleviating poverty for 18 years. This year alone we have been able to lift more than 31,000 families from poverty with a hand up and not a hand out. Additionally, we hosted our most successful gala ever in November and celebrated our efforts with many of you, our dearest friends. We have also been working on laying a foundation for future growth this year, which has included the installation of sophisticated management information software in some of our partner organizations. We plan to complete installation of this system in all our partners in the coming year.
Because of some of these efforts we are seeing significant efficiencies in our partners. These economies are spurring new growth and savings. For instance, we have increased repayment of our loans this year to 96-percent. Moreover, many of our partners have experienced impressive growth in the numbers of clients served. Our partner in Manila, Philippines has grown from serving 12,000 clients in January 08 to nearly 20,000 clients in December. This growth will set the stage for us to serve tens of thousands of new clients in the near future.
It is our hope in the years ahead to enter new countries, expand our services to the poor, and to grow exponentially. With your continued support we can do it! Again, for those of you who have contributed this year – thank you! If you have not yet taken an opportunity to contribute, we urge you to do so. It will be the best gift you could give yourself as well as a family less fortunate.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours!
In deep gratitude,
Mark L. Petersen
President and CEO
I am grateful in every sense for the numerous families, businesses, and individuals who have invested sacred funds and valuable time for this amazing cause. I am energized by the enthusiasm and commitment of so many people. Thank you for reaching out to families across the world who have known the despair of poverty and have now been lifted to self sufficiency with your help.
Mentors has been working on alleviating poverty for 18 years. This year alone we have been able to lift more than 31,000 families from poverty with a hand up and not a hand out. Additionally, we hosted our most successful gala ever in November and celebrated our efforts with many of you, our dearest friends. We have also been working on laying a foundation for future growth this year, which has included the installation of sophisticated management information software in some of our partner organizations. We plan to complete installation of this system in all our partners in the coming year.
Because of some of these efforts we are seeing significant efficiencies in our partners. These economies are spurring new growth and savings. For instance, we have increased repayment of our loans this year to 96-percent. Moreover, many of our partners have experienced impressive growth in the numbers of clients served. Our partner in Manila, Philippines has grown from serving 12,000 clients in January 08 to nearly 20,000 clients in December. This growth will set the stage for us to serve tens of thousands of new clients in the near future.
It is our hope in the years ahead to enter new countries, expand our services to the poor, and to grow exponentially. With your continued support we can do it! Again, for those of you who have contributed this year – thank you! If you have not yet taken an opportunity to contribute, we urge you to do so. It will be the best gift you could give yourself as well as a family less fortunate.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and yours!
In deep gratitude,
Mark L. Petersen
President and CEO
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Virgie Guma - A Client Success Story
For many years, 50-year-old Virgie Guma and family grew coconuts, coffee beans and bananas and earned a meager income of $100 per month. They could not afford the simple comforts of home and their children could not attend school. Then, Virgie joined Mentors in Davao and received her first loan of $60.
With the money from her first loan, Virgie planted turnip seeds which grew quickly. She now has 12,000 hills of turnips from which she earns $425 in sales income. They also grow mushrooms, gourds and even eggplants. With these investments, her average monthly income has increased to a minimum of $160 and the family can now live comfortably and were even able to buy a refrigerator. Virgie now prays for an abundant yield for their coconuts and coffee trees to give them substantial income to see their children through college. Joining Mentors Davao has truly lifted Virgie’s burdens and allowed her to become self-sufficient.
With the money from her first loan, Virgie planted turnip seeds which grew quickly. She now has 12,000 hills of turnips from which she earns $425 in sales income. They also grow mushrooms, gourds and even eggplants. With these investments, her average monthly income has increased to a minimum of $160 and the family can now live comfortably and were even able to buy a refrigerator. Virgie now prays for an abundant yield for their coconuts and coffee trees to give them substantial income to see their children through college. Joining Mentors Davao has truly lifted Virgie’s burdens and allowed her to become self-sufficient.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Mentors Just Joined Twitter! Do you tweet too?
Mentors is working hard this month to connect to social media. It just joined twitter. If you are on twitter, please add us on and/or tell us how we can better use it since it looks like Twitter has a bit of a learning curve. Happy Holidays!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
From Mentors to You...
From all of us here at Mentor's,
a very sincere THANK YOU for your efforts in
helping lift those in poverty, especially during
the holiday season. There are many things
to be thankful for and you are surely one.
THANK YOU AND HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!
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