Neema Development

12/04/2025

I love the story of this entrepreneur my friends at shared with me recently - this man took Neema’s business course a couple of years ago. He began to save from@the little he had and bought a cow. The cow grew and reproduced and he sold the animals and bought a motorcycle taxi (boda boda if you’ve been to Uganda). He now runs a successful business in his village, starting small and growing bigger. Best of all - his daughter in the picture? He now pays her school fees instead of needing to rely on sponsorship. This is dignity. This is what every parent wants. This is why we do this!

08/22/2025

Very meaningful day experiencing a ‘day in the life’ of Guatemalan artisans with former clients - I am so grateful my little family got to witness in person the craft and livelihood development of women I had only previously met from afar. The privilege of travel that provides perspective and enables cross-cultural friendships and learning is one I hope to never take for granted!

06/06/2025

These men and women completed the first 8 modules of Elemental Business Development training provided by in Uganda! They have assessed their skills and abilities, surveyed their communities’ needs, developed business concepts, and begun to create their written business plans! Excited to see where this takes them next. Well done graduates!

05/06/2025

I love getting requests for our Master Trainers to come and support an Elemental Business Development course in East Africa! Such an honor to facilitate these connections and see local leaders equipped to bring entrepreneurial capacity to their friends and neighbors.

04/02/2025

Very fun pictures coming in from Rwanda this morning — Neema Development Co.’s most recently trained facilitators are passing on their knowledge to equip a brand new group of emerging entrepreneurs. Seeing indigenous leaders empower their own communities is truly a joy!

02/21/2025

Love the chance to work together for freedom with The Exodus Road!

We fight human trafficking by investigating human trafficking crime, empowering survivors with aftercare, and training law enforcement.

02/06/2025

First ever Elemental Business Training in Guatemala is happening right now! Love that our Spanish translation is being put to good use by our friends

Amazing learning and life transformation happening as a result of the investment of this organization and their trainers.

Ester, a 16 year old participant says:

“When I came into this training I thought I wanted to have a clothing store. Now that we have looked at the needs of my community I realize that I want to have a vegetable stand and a business that makes tortillas. These are needs in my community and so now I have changed my ideas of what business I want to start. It takes a lot of money to start a clothing store. People don’t buy clothes every day but people eat tortillas 3x a day and vegetables every day. And, there is only one other person selling tortillas!”

Today they focused on community needs assessment, a specific business each person could run, the importance of knowing your customers, seeing your business as a way to serve the community, how to define a target market and the importance of market research. They will continue building on these concepts in day 3. Follow for a play by play!

12/05/2024

Drama practice on the porch for our Financial Records module today. In this one we show what can happen when we get an influx of money and choose to spend it without planning or keeping track. Participants connect so well to concepts portrayed during the skits and role plays and these future Rwandan and Burundian facilitators from are incredible actors!

12/04/2024

We had some very motivated designers today in our merchandising session today. Love to see it!

12/02/2024

It’s been a really great start to Neema’s first train the trainers conference in Rwanda, attended by the most inspiring community development leaders from and Burundi — we are truly honored and grateful to be working with this motivated team toward sustainable poverty relief!

11/23/2024

Loved my time in KC last week certifying to facilitate Elemental Business Development in Uganda! What a fun and passionate group ♥️

10/16/2024

It’s time for a long overdue update! I got some AMAZING news recently from the director of Royal Primary school with — they have been using the Elemental Business Development course for at least 2 years and many projects like the piggery pictured here have sprung up in rural Llwamasanga.

And the BEST NEWS is that every parent who has taken the course PAID THEIR SCHOOL FEES ON TIME this year.

In an area where many are scholarshiped due to extreme poverty.

School fees represent one of the largest economic stressors on African families. The average farmer surveyed in rural Uganda can afford to send two children to school if they spend the majority of their annual earnings. Meanwhile, Ugandan families tend to be much larger.

The fact that these villagers are growing businesses, saving money, and planning for the future represents IMMENSE positive change. Cycles of poverty are being broken with KNOWLEDGE. And I am full of joy and gratitude!!!

Thank you for stewarding this business training well staff! You are changing entire villages and I love to see it.