In September, HELP volunteers conducted a mission trip to Masese, Uganda, focusing on the primary school, medical endeavors, and the building project. This mission was unlike any other before, however, because HELP held a free three-day business training seminar for the people of Masese. Chris Harper, the teacher of the class, welcomed 35 eager Ugandans to the first day of class, and was happily surprised to see that the majority of the students were women. In Masese, most of the women do not progress past the fifth grade, and as adults, are then left by their husbands with children and no business knowledge to create an income. Chris was excited to hand the tools of self-sufficiency to these women.

The class educated the students on the practice of writing a successful business plan, how to run a business, and covered everything from finances to operation. Harper even spoke about business “ethics”, a word that is not even in the Lugandan language. On the final day, Harper read each of their business plans, some of which were solid enough to go the distance, and made recommendations and advice. Never had such an idea been exposed to the people of Masese, and never again will those people feel ill-equipped to build a life. That, of course, is the ultimate goal of HELP International.