My friend Kent, one of the smartest business guy’s I know, has a saying;  “When it comes to business hope is not a strategy.”   This past week I saw strategy produce great hope among some of the most vulnerable in El Alto, Bolivia.

During our recent trip to visit Project Suma in El Alto our group of high school and college student leaders encountered stories that will stay with us for a lifetime.  Through Suma’s children’s program we saw joy, creativity and hope flourishing in a community often marked by hardship. 

Our team met women survivors who are moving forward through economic empowerment strategies, survivor mentoring and counseling.  We saw firsthand how dignity is restored when survivors find the Suma team next to them, encouraging, supporting and loving them.

One highlight of our trip was participating in a redemptive business workshop hosted by Projected Suma.  Suma invited community business leaders to come and learn how they can support women survivors through jobs, mentoring and capital investment.  These business leaders were inspired to invest in a new wellness enterprise crafting nutritious cold pressed juices founded by Project Suma.  This latest redemptive business will provide training and jobs for the Project Suma population.

Our team learned so much from the “Sumies” about innovation, service, generosity and sacrifice. We found a whole new community of heroes to love.

Our students serve young people in our community in Albuquerque and we learned how to serve our own population better and new strategies to help our city flourish. 

Thank you Project Suma team for taking such good care of us and allowing us to share in your work in a small way. God is at work in El Alto through Project Suma, it was a gift to see it first-hand!  

Marvin Procter, Board Chair