From God to Man (FGTM) is a 501C3 Non for profit organization that was founded in 2010 with a primary purpose of providing nourishment for our poor and war ravished town of origin from which relatives and friends were always calling to request handouts to purchase food for their families.
From god to man was developed from the thought that instead of continuously providing handouts, It would be far better to provide a means by which relatives and friends we left back in our war-ravished communities can actually provide nourishment for themselves in a sustainable way.
The local population had two valuable resources but needed the education and means of utilizing those resources to yield enough to sustain their families. They had and still have enough every-green forest land and rich swamps excellent for farming. They also have enough youth, young adults and adults with some farming experience and maximum energy which translate to extravagant man power. What we were missing were the Local Mind-set and resources like the rice to be planted, and the farming tools needed to facilitate a large-scale cultivation.
From God to man Ideal was simple, Provided what was missing and needed, Provide motivation and ongoing support and leave the rest in the hands of a community striving for sustainability. We thus made our intentions known to the initial town, Doumpa, Nimba County, Liberia – West Africa.
Once we articulated the vision of from God to man to the town, it was almost like the town was sitting and awaiting the vision. Everyone in the town, from young to old thought it was a great Idea and was ready to go along. The town provided over 50 Acres of land initially for the project and the man power was willing to begin execution immediately.
Since we had no founding source but our own little pockets, the two founders and only employees of the organization which was not even registered in the US, nor Liberia by then decided to ensure that the dream did not die, as such, we raised a little out of pocket and used it to get few farming resources and purchase daily meals for the local residents that did the farm work.
Not long after the project started, the momentum initiated by the local labor force began to drain. That continued up to our first harvest in 2010.
After the harvest, it was as though the project was at its end. The time between Cleaning, nursery, planting and harvesting the traditional way was very long, and while harvest brought its own excitement, many were reluctant to continue working after they felt they were cheated during harvest, while others felt that the proceed from some of the rice sold to help provide more resources for the next farming was misused by the local leadership team.
Continuing this project thus meant investing more than we had initially invested. Our next approach was to begin paying the locals for daily work on the farm. That expensive yet necessary decision yielded even more momentum and became the fuel to the success of the farm project.
Yet, Because the financial responsibility on us was increasing, Victoria Garpeh, one of the Founders decided to stand outside at intersections in the streets of Lenexa, Kansas to request Money from vehicles to use toward the project. Upon been arrest by the cops for unauthorized solicitation and public Peace Disturbance, she explained to them the reason for the project, including that “While you are asking right now, there are people dying from starvation – people who look like you, or me or our kids”. Instead of filing charges against her, we received some break through. The COPs advise her about everything she needed for solicitation. In the weeks that followed, we ran after them and got our 501C3 status.
Fundraising after getting 501C3 has not been as easy either. The biggest contributor to our project in the US is actually still the two of us.
As part of the process for procuring the 501C3, an organization structure, bi-logs, mission statement, vision and goal statement as well as the organization documentation and administrative and board membership information was necessary. The organization structure was set up with multiple members. The members were in it for personal gains and did not really did not realize the vision and before long started dropping off one by on until there was none but Us two left with in the united states.
Despite not being able to raise money Internationally or from the US, we pursued some of the local aids In Liberia that USAID was offering in the country and utilize it to the benefit of our organization. With USAID’s help, we were able to provide more farming tools, a house (used as the rice processing center, storage and an office) and a rice processor. They also give use the service of a paid Agronomist who thought the local residents how to better cultivates the swamps.
We additionally reached out to FED who provided our project with another building, another rice processing center, and a Rice Boiler and provider additional management training for our community Leaders. We have additionally been able to solicit the assistance AFAID, who has offered, for 1 year, to start paying the local manpower for their daily work with even better incentives then we offered in our best efforts.
The goal of the initial project, a single town, has been fully met and to surpassed. Not only have we provided self-sustainability to the initial community (the local town we targeted), we have also been able to bring about community organizations, Unity and community developments propelled by the community members collaboration on the project.
Because of the success and progress seen in the first town by neighboring towns, four towns in the area have agreed to join our efforts by providing their own land and man power. We are pleased to announce that FGTM initiatives were embraced by 4 more towns in 2015 which grew exponentially to 14 towns in 2018 and the local populations are excited to be a part of our undertaking. In additional to the project starting in those towns, we were able to setup a single governing body that managers the project in all the towns. The ripple effect is that the community is growing and they are together finding ways to improve their lives without continuous reliance. We are anticipating more than 10 additional towns to join our efforts before 1st quarter of 2019.
As you may perceive, this expansion have created more financial demands, which has placed us in a new search for financial support. Our hope is that contributors like you will help with whatever funding you can, to help us begin the project in several other communities around the country and if possible take the effort to other areas experiencing unending poverty, starvation and always depending on unsustainable handouts for their basic needs. Our Greatest hope is that you will join in this effort and become a god in the hearty of a starving soul.
