Dear Friend,

I traveled to Windhoek, Namibia in the summer of 2002 as a university exchange student to better understand the issues of underdevelopment and how it affected the men, women and children who lived there.

After months of interacting with locals, reading articles and reports, and interviewing experts on economic growth and globalization, I came to the firm conclusion that many of the problems facing Windhoek could be addressed through youth empowerment. As a university student with a keen appreciation for grassroots initiatives, I believed in the strength and idealism that I saw in so many other students. It was my belief that universities cultivated these young minds, creating an ideal environment for developing a new generation of leaders. This idea brought Leadership Initiatives into existence. In 2003, the University of Namibia sponsored the first Leadership Initiatives Development Program. By creating lasting partnerships between the city of Windhoek, government agencies, local businesses, and other non-profits, twenty-five students built self-sustaining community development projects that created hundreds of jobs, educated thousands of students on HIV/ AIDS, reduced crime rates, and rebuilt Windhoek's oldest school.

After our success in Namibia, I knew Leadership Initiatives could have a significant impact around the world. We traveled next to Maiduguri, Nigeria to try our program in a nation where community ties are particularly strong. It was there that we were able to refine our curriculum, teaching style and social infrastructure. The vision and determination of our students yielded five outstanding projects, including the first successful drug rehabilitation program in the city.

The global change Leadership Initiatives is working to create could not happen without the volunteers, partners, and sponsors whose dedication allows our development programs around the world to flourish. I invite you to join our cause so we may continue to provide opportunities for persons blocked by economic, political or racial barriers to improve their lives. It is a human investment that will in the end benefit us all.

Warm Regards,

Marshall J. Bailly II
Executive Director