Our current key project is in Eswatini, a small country in Southern Africa where crises like AIDS, poverty, and food shortages have decimated families. In a country of only 1.3 million, there are more than 370,000 orphaned or vulnerable children.
Nearly 30% of the overall population is displaced children! Orphanages cannot solve this alone. In order for children to thrive, they need to be surrounded by loving families. Not only do these children need love and care, they also need to be raised to be strong community members to become the next generation of leaders.
Bezulu’s mission is clear: we raise funds to support orphans and vulnerable children in remote places around the world. We advocate for a shift in the system of care for orphans that removes them from institutionalized care and places them in loving families.
We partner with local leaders and organizations to do all we can to restore hope to children, and we share their story with people like you, so that together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of forgotten children around the world.
Jan has extensive experience in finance and admin, operating as an executive assistant for M&L Painting, as well as serving with various ministries over the years.
Jan has a deep-seated love for God’s children, and her passion is contagious. Jan serves Bezulu both as a diligent administrator, but also as a key member of our Board of Directors.
Jan serves in both her roles as an incredible volunteer, and we are full of gratitude for her service and dedication.
Geoff is a visionary entrepreneur and philanthropist.
Geoff and his family believe investing in youth and families unlocks incredible potential. He has been a director on various international and local boards, including Vancouver Youth for Christ, Hillside Baptist, and the Reed Charitable Foundation.
Geoff’s involvement with grassroots partners in Africa extends back almost twenty years. As one of Bezulu’s board members, he brings incredible experience in operations, finance and management.
Ray has been working to serve vulnerable families and communities in Africa for decades.
An experienced corporate and nonprofit leader, Ray brings a crucial level of experience in philanthropy, operations, financial management, and business development.
Ray’s passion is found in driving economic investment that creates lifelong sustainable change for entire communities. An outcome of that passion is the creation of Kinvest Venture Partners.
Ray’s model of collaboration with grassroots partners inspires Bezulu’s values.
Michael Van Pelt is the CEO of Cardus, a leading public policy think tank in Canada.
He is a 30-year veteran of Canadian public life and a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.
Michael is a vibrant generator of ideas and a fantastic resource on governance and organizational leadership.
Michael serves on Bezulu’s board because he believes in bringing lasting sustainable change to families and children through investing in and working alongside local communities in Africa.
Michael lives in Ancaster, Ontario with his wife Deani.
Patty joined our board in 2024. She and her husband Myron have two adult daughters and a brand new son-in-law!
Patty holds a social work degree and has experience helping families build skills to keep children in their homes, as well as working in foster care and adoption.
She and her husband, Myron, are passionate about supporting vulnerable children in Africa. They have served on multiple trips to Bulembu, Eswatini, to provide dental care and restore smiles and health.
Based in Athabasca, AB, and wintering in Phoenix, AZ, Patty is excited to join the Bezulu team to support orphaned and at-risk children in Eswatini.
Roger and Dorothy Bartel have been pouring out their hearts and lives into the people of Eswatini for more than a decade.
Roger and Dorothy are the ultimate power couple, serving together in everything they do. Family is the most important thing.
Roger applies a critical eye to his nonprofit work, developed over a successful career with Spartan Controls, a leading industrial service provider in Western Canada.
Roger is a founding board member and key driving force behind the creation of Bezulu.
Jan has extensive experience in finance and admin, operating as an executive assistant for M&L Painting, as well as serving with various ministries over the years.
Jan has a deep-seated love for God’s children, and her passion is contagious. Jan serves Bezulu both as a diligent administrator, but also as a key member of our Board of Directors.
Jan serves in both her roles as an incredible volunteer, and we are full of gratitude for her service and dedication.
Lorri is a remarkable leadership development specialist, with a storied career in coaching, training, team and program development.
She has a heart and deep passion for loving all of God’s children, and her many trips to Africa and professional background make her the perfect person to lead Bezulu’s mission team program.
We are so privileged to have Lorri serve as a volunteer with Bezulu.
Josh is the founding Executive Director of Bezulu. He and his wife Nadine have two sons. Josh has worked in international development for over ten years, focusing on maternal and child health while leading field operations for local and international NGOs across East Africa.
As an adoptive father, Josh has profound personal experience navigating care systems for orphaned and vulnerable children. Josh knows how building a family can transform a child’s life, and he will do everything he can so that every child everywhere can be part of a family.
Josh is based in Edmonton, Alberta.
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