A few months ago, my husband Brian and I embarked on a journey to Africa that profoundly reshaped our perspectives. This wasn’t just another travel adventure; it was a deeply transformative experience that I’ve eagerly awaited the perfect moment to share. That time is now, and I’m overflowing with excitement, the kind that ties knots in your stomach.
Our trip to Ghana was, in the truest sense, life-changing. And I say that without cliché, even though I did get to taste a fresh cocoa bean right off the tree (it was surprisingly squishy and slimy!). Beyond the unique cultural experiences and vibrant landscapes, being in Africa fundamentally altered my view on countless aspects of life. I anticipated an amazing journey, but I couldn’t have foreseen its immense impact. During the 30+ hours of travel back home, I constantly jotted down thoughts and impressions in my notebook, brainstorming ways to reorder my life with a newfound sense of purpose. While there are countless stories and photographs detailing the general excitement, cultural immersion, and even the incredible food we enjoyed—like watching the graceful way Ghanaians carry goods on their heads—today, I want to focus on the central reason for our visit and its enduring significance.
I’ve deliberated extensively over this post, hoping that my summary of the extraordinary people we met and the fervent passion I feel for the work happening in Ghana will transcend the somewhat impersonal nature of the internet. Oh, how I wish you could all be in my living room, watching a slideshow of these powerful moments! (And yes, I sense that little ripple of relief at avoiding a thousand-picture marathon; you’re entirely forgiven.)
Over nearly a decade of blogging, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to witness this website grow beyond my wildest expectations. Truly. What began as a personal blog with perhaps two monthly visitors (my mom and me!) now reaches millions worldwide. I feel immensely blessed and, at times, still a little shell-shocked by this journey. Thank you for your continued readership, support, and kindness, which make all of this possible.
For a considerable time, I’ve yearned to find a meaningful way to give back—to express my gratitude for the countless blessings in my life. This journey to Africa arrived at a perfect juncture, both personally and professionally. Without a doubt, this experience illuminated a path for me to contribute, to raise awareness, and to champion a cause that has swiftly become incredibly dear to my heart.
Empowering Ghana: Our Mission with Mentors International
Brian and I traveled to Africa as guests of Mentors International, a remarkable non-profit organization we’ve admired for years. Their mission is straightforward yet incredibly powerful: to eradicate poverty by fostering self-reliance.
In essence, Mentors International transforms lives by offering essential education and vital microloans to individuals—a staggering 90% of whom are women—who are desperate to improve their circumstances. For many, this also means securing a brighter future, education, and empowerment for their children and grandchildren. Mentors operates globally, with impactful programs in countries like Honduras, Guatemala, and the Philippines, building a legacy of change over many years. Their work in Ghana, however, is a more recent endeavor, initiated just last year thanks to the generous support of doTerra’s Healing Hands Foundation.
We had the extraordinary opportunity to visit Ghana and witness firsthand the profound impact of this microloan program on hundreds of Ghanaians within its first year and a half of operation. In a country where access to viable financial solutions is severely limited—with banks often charging exorbitant interest rates exceeding 70%—Mentors provides a lifeline. Many of their clients in Ghana have successfully doubled, and even tripled, their income with the support of these microloans. What’s truly astonishing, and a testament to the community’s integrity and dedication, is that Mentors Ghana boasts a 100% payback rate across all its clients. This level of commitment is nothing short of incredible!
While these statistics are impressive, they pale in comparison to the emotional resonance of meeting these remarkable men and women in person.
During our visit, several hundred Mentors clients gathered for a vibrant cultural celebration in a village outside Accra (near Abomosu). These joyous individuals simply wanted to express their heartfelt gratitude to Mentors for transforming their lives through the microloan program. The sight of their gorgeous dresses, meticulously chosen despite many living in extreme poverty, was deeply moving; they dressed in their finest to celebrate hope and progress. I can honestly say I felt truly honored to be among them; I have never encountered a prouder, more content, or more resilient group of people in my entire life.
The moment they realized I was there to capture countless pictures, their excitement became palpable. They went absolutely wild, especially when they discovered they could instantly see their beautiful faces on the back of my camera screen after each shot—it was a truly heartwarming experience.
Today, among the dozens of incredible stories I could share, I want to specifically introduce you to two remarkable women I met in Ghana. Their narratives resonated with me most deeply and continue to inspire me long after our return.
Naomi: A Story of Unwavering Resilience and Community Leadership
Naomi is, quite simply, an inspiration beyond words. Residing in the small, remote village of Apampatia, she possesses a quiet strength and a soft-spoken demeanor. As a young child, Naomi developed an infection that left her legs and back crippled, presenting immense challenges in a demanding environment. Later in life, she found herself a single mother, solely responsible for the financial well-being of her daughter, several grandchildren, and her own ailing mother. She had no safety net, no one to rely on.
Desperate to provide for her family, Naomi, with the assistance of her daughter, approached several banks in Ghana seeking a loan to establish a small business selling drinks in her village. Each bank rejected her, explicitly stating they didn’t believe she would be a suitable client due to her physical disability. It’s worth noting that most Ghanaian banks impose interest rates upwards of 70% on loans, often requiring additional collateral—a daunting prospect for anyone, let alone someone in Naomi’s vulnerable position.
Months later, Naomi’s daughter heard about Mentors International holding business education meetings in a nearby village. She returned with hopeful news: Naomi could apply for a loan through Mentors if she attended their educational classes. After her daughter communicated Naomi’s earnest desire for a loan, Mentors’ loan officers decided to meet Naomi one-on-one, traveling to her home to help her prepare and qualify for support.
That was just last year.
Naomi’s first loan, equivalent to $125 US dollars, allowed her to stock her small shop with drinks. She repaid it in just three months, half the allocated time. Since then, she has received several subsequent loans from Mentors, each repaid in full and on schedule. With these funds, she purchased a secondhand refrigerator, enabling her villagers to enjoy cold drinks—a simple luxury and a significant novelty in many parts of Africa.
Now, Naomi is further expanding her business, using loan money to provide mobile banking services to her remote community—a crucial amenity, as many Ghanaians rely on mobile platforms for bill payments and money transfers. Once ostracized by her community, Naomi’s shop has become the vibrant heart of her village. She is now a respected community leader, employing not only her daughter but also two other villagers, fostering local economic growth and opportunity.
When asked about Mentors’ impact, Naomi told us that no one else had ever believed in her capacity to succeed. Mentors did, and continues to do so. She shared a powerful message: “If I can change the way I live, anyone can.” I wholeheartedly believe her. I left feeling profoundly inspired by Naomi’s courage and immense gratitude that Mentors gave her a chance. She has not only transformed her own life but has also created a pathway to send her children and grandchildren to school, hoping to break their family’s cycle of poverty for good.
Gladys: Baking a Path to Prosperity and Hope
If forced to choose a favorite Mentors client (which, I admit, feels like choosing a favorite child), it would be Gladys. Her gentle yet unwavering determination deeply touched my heart. Gladys resides in the village of Sankubenase.
A refugee from Nigeria, Gladys never completed her basic education because her father prioritized housework over school. When her husband passed away, Gladys found herself completely alone, burdened with the responsibility of caring for her own children. Further tragedy struck when her sister died, leaving Gladys to also care for her niece, compounding her family responsibilities.
Before discovering Mentors, Gladys had opened a shop selling homemade bread, operating on credit from Ghanaian banks. For years, she struggled to make any significant profit due to the outrageously high interest rates, leaving her and her family in desperate circumstances. Upon learning about Mentors, she eagerly enrolled in their business education classes and applied for a loan.
Mentors taught Gladys invaluable skills in money management and saving. After receiving her first loan, approximately $100 US dollars, and guided by Mentors’ loan officers, Gladys diversified her offerings, adding drinks alongside her renowned bread. As villagers expressed interest in chilled beverages, she wisely invested savings and a second loan into a refrigerator and more flour for her burgeoning bread business.
Today, Gladys’s delicious bread supplies six surrounding villages! Her reputation for having the best bread in all of Africa extends for kilometers (Brian can attest; he devoured an entire loaf himself!). Gladys remarkably bakes 1,200 loaves every couple of days and consistently sells out. Currently, she and the villagers she employs bake in an old mud oven. Her ambitious dream is to save enough money to purchase a more modern oven, open a larger shop, and eventually mill her own flour to avoid costly trips to town. She also envisions employing even more villagers, further enriching her community.
Gladys became visibly emotional as she shared her story with us. Every word she spoke conveyed profound humility and immense gratitude for Mentors and the opportunity they provided for her to become a successful businesswoman. She repeatedly expressed thanks for the invaluable business education classes Mentors offers, which have equipped her with crucial skills. Her life, once marked by destitution and hopelessness, is now brimming with optimism and ambitious plans for the future.
When asked what she would say to the donors of the Mentors Ghana project, Gladys, with tears in her eyes, responded, “I would say, ‘May God bless you. May God bless you as he did Abraham, with infinite blessings.’ I would say this if I could see these people.” There were no pleas for more money, no requests for continued donations—just a simple, profound wish for blessings upon those who had empowered her. This faithful, incredibly resilient woman inspired me in countless ways.
Beyond Naomi and Gladys: A Tapestry of Transformation in Ghana
Naomi and Gladys are just two threads in a rich tapestry of inspiring stories emerging from Ghana. I could recount tales of so many others, like Agnes, who rises at 4 a.m. daily to sell pastries, diligently earning money to send her younger siblings to school. Or Alomenu, who was surviving on mere 75 cents a day, yet only needed $50 to set up a roadside table to sell bread and oatmeal, providing for her child and mother. The sheer number of determined women (and men) who have already climbed out of poverty with the support of Mentors Ghana is truly remarkable.
Over 800 more inspiring client stories from Ghana could be shared, each equally powerful. The sobering reality, however, is that hundreds more men and women in Ghana are on a waiting list, eager to transform their lives through Mentors’ programs. They simply cannot do so until additional funding becomes available through donations.
Leaving Ghana, I felt an immense sense of gratitude for the privileges I often take for granted, simply because they are always there: clean, accessible water; a consistently full pantry; a house with windows and multiple rooms. It remains challenging for me to fully grasp and reconcile the stark disparity between my life and the lives of these incredibly inspiring yet impoverished villagers I had the honor of meeting.
The amount of money I typically spend on a single trip to Costco is equivalent to the average starting loan for a Mentors client in Ghana. Approximately $125 US dollars. That relatively small sum is enough to completely transform the life of one of Mentors’ clients in Ghana! This realization continues to astound me and has significantly influenced me to be far more intentional and conscious about how I spend and, more importantly, how I give my money.
A Dollar’s Transformative Power in Ghana
To Mentors International, a dollar is far more than its face value. One dollar, through the microloan model, cycles back into the community, multiplying its impact hundreds of times over as it is loaned out and meticulously repaid. Enyonam Mensah-Dotsey, the exceptional leader of Mentors Ghana, repeatedly emphasized this profound truth to us. A single dollar can achieve so much in Ghana and will continue to generate impact, benefiting countless individuals over and over again. I witnessed this transformative power in action within the villages of Ghana—it is truly astonishing what these dollars are accomplishing.
Can We Make a Tangible Difference in Ghana? Yes, We Can.
I believe we can. In fact, I know we can.
Imagine the incredible impact if, as a community of readers, we collectively banded together to provide 100 more loans for deserving villagers across poverty-stricken Ghana?
We all come from different circumstances and possess varying capacities to help, but if you are able, will you consider giving?
Even a single dollar.
Five dollars.
Fifty dollars.
Every dollar will make a profound difference to someone in Africa eagerly waiting to change their life with the crucial support of Mentors International—and they cannot achieve this without our collective assistance. If every single one of my dedicated readers contributed just ONE DOLLAR to Mentors, the total would skyrocket into the millions (cue major goosebumps!).
I believe we, as a compassionate community, can absolutely achieve the goal of funding 100 new loans. Don’t you?
That amounts to $10,000. It makes me incredibly nervous to even propose such an ambitious target, to put that number out into the open and risk not reaching it. However, I have immense faith in us as a community of caring individuals who are genuinely motivated to make a difference, and I truly believe we can accomplish this together. The best part? 100% of all donations will directly benefit Mentors Ghana. Yes!
UPDATE 10/16: It’s truly unbelievable to even type this, but over the last several months, between the generous donations received here and the proceeds from the sale of my eCookbook, you have collectively donated just over $50,000 to Mentors International! Can you even believe the magnitude of this achievement? I am incredibly excited to share more stories about the tangible impact your contributions have made. Stay tuned for more updates!
And this, my friends, is merely the beginning of our commitment to giving back. Please check back tomorrow; I cannot wait to share even more exciting developments and opportunities with you. I have a feeling that what’s next is going to be truly incredible.
