David Glenwinkel is a community leader and the founder of Village Care International which is a revolutionary concept aimed at helping the poor and the needy communities in Africa. Additionally, Glenwinkel implemented numerous programs to help secure running and clean water along with essential medicines and food supplies for the impoverished and sick. His organization is based (headquarters) in Auburn, California.
David was a member of uncountable charitable and humanitarian aid associations. Over his period of serving in these organizations, he established that something was wrong with the system. He could not figure out how the aid to Africa which was in billions of dollars had little or no impact on the targeted communities. With this realization, Glenwinkel pursued a different approach to assisting African societies in need. Indeed, he devised a program which was different from failed and traditional aid programs. These programs are run by Village Care International.
The Glenwinkel’s programs use ‘out of the box’ and radial approach to empower vulnerable African communities and villages in utilizing available resources without dependence on charitable aids. Village Care International has been successful that it has assisted over 800 communities in ten African countries.
David Glenwinkel believes that accomplishing excellence in all spheres of life is the only way of living. In this connection, he has a unique passion and career as the sole founder of Village Care International. Glenwinkel is a success as a leader in helping African communities. His influence is essential in helping thousands of communities of Africa to help themselves. David’s philosophy is not to only provide financial aid assistance to these poor and needy communities but to help the people identify their pressing challenges. According to David, these communities can often find solutions to their problems such as education, nutrition, security and health. He believes that local challenges are best solved using local workable solutions.
How did you get started in this business? What inspired you to start this business?
I created the program to operate from highly practical and unorthodox standpoint that only Africans have solutions to their challenges by using their available resources and without relying on humanitarian aid. We accomplish this by equipping African societies and their leaders with practices and principles which empower vulnerable populations to prosper. The result led to the birth of Village Care International.
How do you make money?
None of our projects would be implemented without the funding of individuals who directly donate to us, engage in fundraising campaigns or events or contribute to Disasters Emergency Committee, of which we are an associate. The individual support is our primary source ‘unrestricted’ funds implying that we can devote this money where the need is urgent or greatest. Other sources of funds for our organizations are institutional donors and private sector partnerships. Village Care International is not financed by any funds sourced from the government.
How long did it take for you to become profitable?
Village Care International was founded in 2005. Ten years later the results have been amazing with over 800 communities reached in ten African countries. Therefore it took ten years to achieve significant results. This counts as our profits.
When you were starting out, was there ever a time you doubted it would work? If so, how did you handle that?
Initially, I was much confident that my ambition to change the situation of aid to Africa for good i.e. Village Care International will find support. From 10 years of experience in running this program, a lot of populations in Africa are keen to use my ideas and change their surroundings on their own. Lack of motivation, poor policies, corruption, and greedy leadership hold them back. My objective is to break these barriers. Therefore, I never had any doubt that Village Care International would fail.
How did you get your first customer?
We, at Village Care International, realized that traditional African aid programs used to fail because most of them served political interests. Furthermore, others failed due to corruption and greed. In this relation, OPOS (Outcomes Practices and Open Space) is one of the Village Care programs that David used to establish the underlying causes of African struggles and poverty. The causes include historical, cultural and colonial issues along with failures in outside and direct support. Additionally, the program exposed vulnerabilities and susceptibilities of impoverished Africans. In this manner, I was able to identify needy communities across Africa.
What is one marketing strategy (other than referrals) that you’re using that works well to generate new business?
A word-of-mouth helps to spread my message across Africa. The poor communities can witness the changes other societies in Africa have implemented through this program.
What is the toughest decision you’ve had to make in the last few months?
No many tough decision I have executed in the organization.
What do you think it is that makes you successful?
Through caring of the poor and vulnerable societies, Village Care International has brought happiness and meaning in the lives of many people in Africa. My success is based on the smiling faces of such African communities.
What has been your most satisfying moment in business?
A lot of volunteers who have offered to partner with us in reaching the poor communities of Africa. Additionally, the many financial supports we continue to receive from individuals, other aids organizations and financial institutions. Nothing that is more encouraging than this.
What does the future hold for your business? What are you most excited about?
I would love to help all the needy and poor communities of Africa achieve their goals on their own by 2040. Seeing these communities being educated and smiling without poverty is the most rewarding thing for me. I am optimistic and excited about it.
What business books have inspired you?
Mother Teresa’s “My Life for the Poor” and Nelson Mandela’s “The Joy in Loving” have inspired me in the achievement of my dream for African vulnerable communities.
What is a recent purchase you have made that’s helped with your business?
Providing infrastructure, a better life, and infrastructure to vulnerable African communities. This empowers these societies to be independent and not to rely on foreign assistance.
How can donors contact you for funding?
Well-wishers from anywhere across the world can reach us through our website (http://villagecare.com/about/) and make donations on our online platform. Also, people across Africa should feel free to contact us by visiting our site and filling the contact form. Our headquarters are located in Auburn, California