Anthem Microfinance

For the past 5 years Mars Hill has partnered with World Relief to support Turame Community Finance—a microfinance resource in one of the poorest nations of the world. Microenterprise functions with the belief that given the proper resources and support, the poor can lift themselves out of poverty through their own effort, energy, creativity, and entrepreneurship. This revolutionary idea has shaped how we’ve invited our high school students to participate in supporting this project. Because similarly, we believe that given the right support and resources, our high school students can accomplish remarkable things on behalf of others.

So every November, Anthem Students take a hands-on approach to our microfinance initiative by borrowing $5 to start their own small business. They sign loan agreements, agree to pay back $1 a week, and work hard to create profits that can be donated to Turame. Over the past 3 years, this hard work and ingenuity has lead to almost $10,000 in profits, which have been donated to Turame. From designing t-shirts and jewelry, to hosting a video game marathon, our 9th-12th graders continue to show us that the mission of our church is alive and well in their hands.