Community, Christ, and Charcoal
The Power of Peter’s Redemptive Business
Africa
August 03, 2026
Because we believe in long-term presence, not short-term fixes, partnership is at the heart of Partners Worldwide. Many of our long-term relationships with local leaders around the world have been decades in the making. Together we’ve served thousands of entrepreneurs, equipping them with everything and everyone they need to create flourishing communities.
Below are three snapshots of this shared history—one from each region—showcasing the growth we’ve been able to achieve together.
CHESS (Kenya)
The story of our first partnership began in 1997 when Kenyan businessman Simon Ngeru invited Doug Seebeck (Founding Partner, CEO Emeritus) and a group of North American businesspeople to Nairobi. Ngeru sought aid in transforming his self-help group into a formal cooperative that could support local entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, Seebeck and co. were looking for a way for businesspeople to become part of the solution to ending poverty.
From their collaboration, the Christian Entrepreneurs Savings and Credit Society (CHESS) was born—and so too was Partners Worldwide.
We’ve both come a long way in nearly 30 years. At their inception, CHESS was serving 25 entrepreneurs: today, they’ve served over 3,300, equipping them with the capital they need to grow their businesses, provide for their families, create jobs, and transform their communities. You can read about one of these entrepreneurs, Joseph, here.
Our partnership with CHESS planted a seed—a seed that’s since grown into a global vision of redemptive change!
DIACONIA NACIONAL (Honduras)
Diaconia Nacional and Partners Worldwide began their relationship more than 20 years ago, united by a shared vision of strengthening small businesses.
Because of this partnership, many entrepreneurs (like Nimrod) who started their journey with little certainty about what could be achieved have become successful business owners. They have been able to provide university education for their children, meet the needs of their families, enjoy a stable quality of life, and create employment opportunities for others. But that’s not all—they’ve become an essential part of the country’s economic engine while developing a deep understanding of God’s power and purpose in their lives.
“Thank you for the extraordinary legacy you have built in our country,” said the Diaconia Nacional team. “Your impact will continue to be felt for generations to come.”
National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL)
For over a decade, Partners Worldwide has stood alongside the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka (NCEASL) as a trusted and valued partner in our shared mission to end poverty through business. Since 2013, this partnership has equipped NCEASL to develop a national network of business trainers, mentors, and coaches who walk alongside micro-entrepreneurs, including pastors, persecuted believers, war widows, and farmers in marginalized communities.
Entrepreneurs who once struggled to provide for their families are now running sustainable businesses, educating their children, and becoming agents of transformation within their communities. In the past decade alone, we’ve seen NCEASL more than quadruple their number of entrepreneurs serve—and they’re serving more every day.
Beyond changing individual lives, this partnership has strengthened local capacity, fostered resilient communities, and contributed to a more inclusive and sustainable economic environment in Sri Lanka.
“Partners Worldwide's unwavering commitment to empowering local leaders, promoting faith-driven enterprise, and restoring dignity through meaningful work has left a lasting legacy,” said NCEASL leadership. “We are deeply grateful for their partnership and look forward to continuing this journey of creating lasting impact together.”
