Pureflow - a founder's story
There are over 1,000,000 motorcycle drivers in East Africa, and less than 20% own their bike. In East Africa, many of these motorcycles are used as taxis known as Boda Boda.
The Pureflow lease-to-own program gives people the opportunity to invest in their future, by leasing towards ownership of a motorcycle. These assets create sustainable income, opportunities to save, and financial independence.
Take the story of Gilbert. He was one of the original 6 members accepted into the program in June 2017. Before Pureflow, he rented a bike without gaining equity and was unable to save money. He struggled to support his family and provide funds needed to pay children’s school fees. Since joining Pureflow, Gilbert now owns 2 bikes and just started leasing his 3rd bike. Over the years Pureflow has worked with Gilbert, he has served as a group mentor during fellowship meetings with the other men in the programme and has grown tremendously in his faith. He is now in a financially independent and spiritually mature position to support and lead his family.
Pureflow's vision is to engage people in Kingdom initiatives to transform communities and grow local economies through asset financing. This creates opportunities for people to thrive. Here is founder, Collin Wenrich's story:
Have you ever wanted an adventure where you stayed longer than you planned, went further than you thought possible and saw more than you could imagine?
In 2016, I moved halfway around the world to a small town in Uganda called Rukanjiri. Completely out of my comfort zone, I set out to live, learn and create opportunities for others. In 2017 I started to see an opportunity to serve an uneducated and under-resourced group of people that are essential to society.
If you've been to East Africa you know that there is one primary way to get around - on the back of a motorcycle. Due to crowded roads, limited safety laws and high demand for transportation, the Boda Boda driver has become the fastest growing occupation amongst men in East Africa.
After talking to hundreds of these men, we found out that less than 20% own the motorcycle that they drove. With indefinite rent cycles and unattainable bank loans, these drivers were spending over 50% of their monthly income to rent a bike that they may never own.
With just $6000 (£5000) in my bank account, I identified six drivers, performed background checks and with a handshake agreement, I watched them drive off with my life savings, hoping they would return the following week - and they did.
The demand rapidly increased for this new 'lease to own' program as drivers began to see an opportunity for financial freedom. And I knew I needed a lot of help from the best and brightest team locally to work with. We set out to build a world-class organization, creating opportunities for people to thrive. Not knowing what was ahead, we focused our efforts on ensuring that we selected the best recipients with the greatest need and began partnering with them to grow spiritually, personally and financially.
Our first location was constructed in five short weeks at the beginning of 2018. Then we added a mechanic shop, a washing bay and a place for the community to spend time. We then expanded to a second location, creating more opportunities, more jobs and more financial freedom.
Today we have had the opportunity to see over 300 members move into ownership while actively serving over 750 current members across all locations with 16 full-time employees. The team gathers weekly with every member in small fellowship groups to share stories, read scripture and provide encouragement.
So, what's next? With over one million Boda Boda drivers in East Africa alone, the market is ready. As we grow, our goal is to engage people in kingdom initiatives that transform communities and grow local economies through asset financing and technology solutions.
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Geoff Knott, 14/09/2022