Aerial view of Belmont University with Nashville Skyline in the background

Impact Teams

Facilitated by the Belmont Innovation Labs

You are invited to come alongside promising social innovators, entrepreneurs and creators who are working on solutions to our world’s most pressing and complex challenges. Too many of these agents of hope and transformation struggle to achieve their potential, not for lack of powerful ideas, but for lack of adequate support and community. Impact Teams seek to provide both and in the process unlock the deep, enduring solutions we so badly need.

Impact Teams are year-long journeys of refinement and maturation where we match social innovators with the mentors, subject matter experts, business leaders, designers, investors, and others that they most need if they are to succeed. 

We need people like you to come alongside these visionary entrepreneurs.

Meet the Entrepreneurs - Compassion International

Jey Mbiro, Founder & CEO of Sauti Village

Jay Mbira in front of a brick wallRaised in one of the largest and poorest slums on the African continent, Jey’s childhood was a difficult one. He grew up in a one-room house with his single mom, three brothers and ten other family members. When she grew ill, Jey’s only option was to move to the streets of Nairobi to beg for food and money. At only 9 years of age, he was arrested and imprisoned for stealing.

When he was released, Jey thought he would once again have to move back to the streets — until he was invited into Compassion’s child development program. Jey’s life changed because someone extended a hand to hold and show him the way. Now, he wants to pass that same helping hand on to others through Sauti Village. Sauti Village equips children out of poverty across African countries by partnering each child with an African mentor that desires to empower them through Godly and loving mentorship and connecting them to relevant talent programs for employment.

 Jey speaks to youth, college students and adults about the effects of poverty, the importance of mentorship and ways to strategically make a difference. Now a father of two girls, Shiloh and Sage, Jey enjoys calling Atlanta home.

 

Maureen Kaderi, Executive Director of Rehema House

Maureen Owino and a child on a city streetMaureen Kaderi is the full-time Executive Director of Rehema House (word for mercy in Swahili) in Kenya. Rehema House is an indigenous work, founded in 2010 by Maureen and her husband Oliver.

As of spring 2023, Rehema House has welcomed 77 pregnant teens between the ages of 12-16 years old and welcomed 75 miracle babies! There are a vast number of empowerment programs and opportunities available to the residents during their two+ year stay before they are transitioned into the Sponsorship program for an additional two to four years. The Rehema House team works hard to rehabilitate and reintegrate the teen moms and their children back home whenever possible. If it’s not possible, the most vulnerable residents are invited to join the Transition home.

 A former sponsored child with Compassion International, Maureen is married and speaks 5 languages. She married Oliver in 2014, and they have since welcomed two beautiful sons. Maureen has also served as an ambassador for Compassion, and her moving life story has led to the sponsorship of thousands of impoverished children.

“There is power in holding other people’s hands. It’s hope that trickles down to the family, to the community, and to the world. I am a world changer because people invested in me and held my hands. Today am holding others hands as it was done to me.”
- Maureen Kaderi

Join the Compassion International Impact Teams

Meet the Entrepreneurs - Corner to Corner

Kayla Hall-Ransom, CEO/Founder of City Juicery in Nashville, TN 

Kayla HallThe City Juicery, established in Nashville, TN on February 3, 2023, by founder Kayla Hall, is a distinguished black women-owned small business. Our mission is unwavering: to be a driving force behind urban wellness, fundamentally reshaping how individuals prioritize their health in today's modern society. Committed to the art of cold-pressed juicing, we diligently employ locally sourced fruits and vegetables to craft distinctive juice recipes that cater to the diverse tastes and health-conscious aspirations of all communities.

Our product range includes pre-bottled juices, available in sizes spanning from 2oz to 16oz, with prices beginning as low as $3 to ensure accessibility for all. Beyond our commitment to affordable health, The City Juicery has organically evolved into a family-owned enterprise where every team member shares profound dedication to our three core principles: Community, Collaborations, and Communications (Education/Advocating). These principles drive our efforts to create a sense of belonging, foster collaborations to expand our reach, and actively engage in educational initiatives to advocate for informed choices that empower individuals to take control of their well-being.

As we continue to grow, we remain resolute in our pursuit of inspiring healthier lives, nurturing vibrant communities, and advocating for a more health-conscious world, and we cordially invite you to be part of this exciting journey towards urban wellness excellence.

 

Ashley Broadnax, CEO & Founder of Crowns Up Learning in Nashville, TN

Ashley Broadnax on a white wallAshley Broadnax is a dedicated educator and youth development professional hailing from Nashville. With a rich background spanning over 15 years, she has proven herself as a trusted leader in her fields of interest. Ashley has held various roles, such as the Program Director for several youth-serving non-profits, 8th-grade science teacher for the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools (MNPS), and Summer Camp Director for the YMCA of Middle Tennessee and Louisville, KY.

Today, Ashley is the proud CEO and Founder of Crowns Up Learning, a platform where her passion for education and youth development truly shines. Committed to inclusivity, Crowns Up Learning provides educational services and products that intentionally feature people who are Black, Brown, abled, and disabled. This goes hand-in-hand with her dedicated effort to offer curriculum development services and practical application training and professional development, fostering a diverse and inclusive learning environment. Her passion lies in shaping educational narratives that include Black, Brown, abled, and disabled individuals, ensuring that young learners see themselves in the stories that educate them.

Ashley's work is infused with her unwavering faith and the joy she finds in encouraging others and spreading God's love. She views her mission in the educational sphere as an extension of her spiritual calling. When she is not shaping young minds or leading innovative educational initiatives, Ashley devotes herself to her family. She is a loving wife and a mother to a son and daughter, cherishing every moment spent with them. Ashley Broadnax is truly a stalwart figure in the fields of education and youth development, and she is making a real difference in the lives of young people and fellow professionals alike.

 Join the Corner-to-Corner Impact Teams