One of the enduring problems faced by humanity over the centuries is global poverty. An exciting development in the last century is the rapid economic growth in developed nations that provides us with an opportunity to address extreme poverty like never before. The issue is figuring out how to relieve poverty in the best and most sustainable way.
I believe that one of the absolute best groups doing poverty alleviation is Compassion International. They work in developing nations around the world by partnering with local churches to provide material needs and resources to children. Their program is efficiently run and has an amazing success rate. In this episode, I had the pleasure of talking with an alumnus of their program David Wangaka.
David Wangaka is passionate about understanding and alleviating social injustices, advocating for the vulnerable, and eradicating extreme poverty. His story is a beautiful picture of full-circle redemption: this man who has dedicated his life to at-risk children was once an at-risk child himself. Raised in the shadow of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya, David knows all too well the challenges of extreme poverty, the volatility of an alcoholic father, and the grief of losing his mother at a young age. When he was sponsored into Compassion’s child development program at ten years old, the healthcare, education, and nutrition he received changed his life significantly. After high school, David was invited to participate in Compassion’s leadership development program. This made it possible for him to pursue a college education, graduating from the University of Nairobi with a double major in Political Science and Sociology. He has an MBA from Louisiana University in Shreveport.
A charismatic and engaging communicator, David is a sought-after speaker in the areas of international development, social justice, and sustainable poverty alleviation. He shares from his own experiences about the impact of poverty, the transformative value of hope, and how to trust God through difficult times. David works at Compassion International as a Sponsor and Donor Relations Supervisor. He lives in Porterville, California, with his wife Chandell and their three sons, Shalom, Amani, and David Jr.
Get started with child sponsorship today: https://cintl.us/aaronshamp
Show Highlights
Hear David’s story of growing up in extreme poverty in a village in Kenya.
David shares with us what it looks like on the other side of child sponsorship and the very real difference that sponsorship makes.
We learn about the distinctiveness of Compassion International’s work.
David shares his thoughts on the causes of cyclical poverty and the best practices for poverty alleviation.
Resources
Use my unique link to learn more about Compassion and start sponsoring a child today! (I do not make any commission or receive any kickbacks from the referral link. It just lets Compassion know you heard David’s story!)
Check out this video on how Compassion International works.
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