The colorfulness of their beads and clothing is what welcomes you to Natoot farm. The women are always smiling and so welcoming. If you are new, you get welcomed with songs and a Masai Shuka (an “African blanket” that protects you from the…
Though I had been to Uganda and Kenya many times, I never noticed the big difference between the two countries. Departing from Entebbe on a very chilly morning during the August rains, we arrived at Jomo Kenyatta airport only to…
Last year Bright Hope Ally Henry Pitman wrote to tell us about his experience redeeming a Bright Coin with his grandkids. We shared his story with you last spring and want to share Henry’s testimony again now. (Read to the end to…
People thrive in an atmosphere of freedom: freedom to express their thoughts without fear of retribution, elect leaders who share their values, and pursue economic opportunities that lead to sustainability. Consequentially, those nations with the fewest freedoms tend to experience…
An All Too Familiar Gift Giving Problem Who hasn’t been stumped when trying to buy a gift for someone who seems to have everything? It’s frustrating, isn’t it, when you want to give a gift, but you have no idea what to buy? You can only give…
Jesus Met the Physical Needs of the Poor When Jesus walked the Earth, his ministry was very tangible and holistic. He laid hands on people; some were blind or disabled and healed others who faced physical challenges, including death. Most of the people who came to Jesus did so because they had a…
The CATO Institute recently published Steve Henkle’s Annual Misery Index (HAMI) of Countries. (The CATO Institute is a think-tank that advocates for a limited role for government in domestic and foreign affairs as well as a strong protection of civil liberties.) The Index was started in the…
Bright Hope’s goal is to build a self-sustaining system that lifts the poor out of poverty and keeps them from slipping back into deep poverty. So, what are the forces that work against building a pathway out of poverty? What makes helping the poor so challenging? Lack…
Like a slow torturesome death, extreme poverty is hard to watch, even harder to go through. But, unfortunately, in the developed world (USA, Canada, Australia, Western Europe, etc.), we are so far removed from the extreme poor it is easy not to look for it or think about it. Unless we are…
Uganda – Safina, a grandma from Uganda, lamented: “As a grandmother taking care of three orphaned grandchildren, life has not been easy for me and my husband.” When Safina lost her son and his wife to HIV/AIDS, life took a…
Haiti – Each year, periods of drought plague the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, threatening to drown struggling farmers like Emmanuel in poverty. Life hasn’t been easy for Emmanuel. Working as a rice farmer in a dry, arid part…
Kenya – Although it’s still dark, Juja Road is filled with early-morning crowds traveling to work and school from the slums of Nairobi. Many backpack-laden children hurry off to school, creating a sea of brightly colored school uniforms. Dorah was…