In this article based on our Mergon Journey podcast series, “The Power of the Collective (Episode 7), Pieter Faure interviews Lauren Cloete-Henning and Keri-leigh Paschal about the origins of Muthobi, Nation Builder and Ziwani. Within the context of a global shift in thinking about corporate social responsibility, these different Mergon initiatives have been serving as a bridge between business and positive social impact, for more than a decade.
A successful serial entrepreneur, Scott Friesen points out that every job created in Africa represents the potential for not only one life to change – but for a whole family to break the cycle of poverty.
Philip shares how a community of entrepreneurs and investors have found a way to blend faith with work that produces fruit. Together they are positively impacting Africa by solving pressing problems in their local communities.
Convinced that investing in women entrepreneurs in Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the most effective ways to alleviate poverty, Allie quit her job in San Francisco and moved to Nairobi. Four years' later, she has seen the lives of countless families changed through business coaching and access to capital.
Themba Mashaba, the Managing Director of StartupAFRICA magazine and founder of Little Big Ideas, shares insights on how businesses can promote justice by understanding their values, committing to positive change in society, and creating equal opportunities for all. He talks about his mission to empower young entrepreneurs and executives through business education and Holy Spirit-driven decision-making.
Nissi Ekpott is passionate about leveraging intra-Africa trade and investment opportunities, for the benefit of everyone involved. Believing that sharing knowledge and skills is one of the best ways to achieve multi-generational impact, he shares 5 principles that provide practical encouragement and timely reminders of the call to bring social justice in and through business.
As leader of Invest Durban for almost 2 decades, Russell has learned valuable lessons in building effective partnerships between the public sector, private business, NGOs and churches. He encourages all business leaders to embrace their cities as their mission - building flourishing communities as God intended.
What would it be like if the best Christian asset managers, fund managers, investors, and entrepreneurs consistently gave attention to nation-to-nation, continent-to-continent investments that solved problems their Father cared about? Brett Johnson explores how  money can actually "buy love" by supplying the things our brothers and sisters need today that will cause them to thank God for love made tangible.
Charmaine works with corporates, government departments and schools to uplift communities through education. She shares lessons learned in how to measure and report on a project's achieved impact, while authentically serving the community.
As an American entrepreneur living in Africa for almost 20 years, Rodger explains why it is so important to transition from an informed observer to an active participant, in order to successfully impact another cultural community.
Charles Washoma has always been passionate about building a just and fair society. He shares his experiences of integrating biblical principles into his work in the insurance sector - and how that has impacted his career journey.
Ndidi is an internationally recognised entrepreneur and expert in the African agricultural ecosystem. She offers insights into the interconnectivity of food, farming and factory, and discusses what can be done to enable the continent to achieve its full agricultural potential.
Dr Snowy believes in 'doing good while doing business'. At the Ziwani launch, she shares three key ways of how business can be a redemptive force on the continent.
Phillipa Geard chats to Nyari Murefu at the Ziwani launch about her company, RecruitMyMom, and how she has worked to redeem employment practices, especially for women.
Paul Kim chats to Michael Mol at the Ziwani Launch about redeeming the start-up space and harnessing business for God's Kingdom.
While the false mandate of maximizing shareholder value has given some owners fabulous returns, it has also destroyed communities, decimated the natural environment, and eroded the moral fabric of society. Brett argues that God has a world-blessing mandate for his marketplace ministers - rooted in the Hebrew concept of 'the household'.
Choosing to leave behind a successful corporate career, Nomaswazi now connects traditional crafts with relevant markets to build sustainable rural communities.
God’s kingdom is not just about preaching the gospel, and it isn’t just about feeding the poor. Neil argues that we are here to do both - to co-labour with the Creator of all things in the redemption of all things.
Pieter uses the example of the Nation Builder initiative to show how the business and non-profit sectors in South Africa can successfully collaborate to unlock a prosperous future.
