Stockwell Pastor Launches Business to Aid Community Development

Stockwell entrepreneur launches new business with help from InBiz

Ekei Etim, 52, a pastor from Stockwell, has launched a business to help her Church build community centres to aid development in Africa.

Ekei is the founder and leader of the Prayer Forum Sanctuary, based in Stockwell Youth and Community Centre. She wanted to be able to help communities both locally and in Africa, and felt the best way to do this would be to launch a business in association with the Church.

With no specialist business knowledge, Ekei needed help to turn her vision into a reality. She turned to InBiz, an organisation dedicated to the promotion and development of entrepreneurship and self employment, for help. At the InBiz office on Effra Road, she was assigned her own specialist business adviser, Nana Appiah.

Nana helped Ekei understand the intricacies of running a business. Ekei received help updating her business plan, and was given advice on how to promote the business. Ekei’s business, Pioneer Agency for Development and Action (PADA), is run by a team of consultants, associates and volunteers offering research, consultancy and advisory services in the field of economic development, education and public health. Through PADA, Ekei is involved in aid and sustainable development programmes across the UK and in Europe and Africa.

PADA has already had success in Riverstate, Nigeria, where it has secured funding for a community centre. The centre will help to develop the local community, and will include a computer centre and business centre.

As well as PADA, Ekei also runs the charitable arm of the Prayer Forum, The Amen Project. The Amen Project is aimed at helping social and community issues, such as homelessness and teenage pregnancy. To raise money for The Amen Project, Ekei received sponsorship from her family and the congregation to fund the production of a Gospel album, ‘Lift Up Jesus Higher’. All proceeds of the album go towards helping fund charitable Prayer Forum projects.

Ekei said, “I felt that I needed to help communities in a way than The Amen Project couldn’t reach. Setting up a business to provide that help was a big step, but the help I received helped to make it less complicated. The success that we have already head in helping to develop communities has proved that launching PADA was the right decision.”

Richie Hamden, Area Manager at InBiz said, “Ekei felt that launching a business was the best way forward for the Prayer Forum. InBiz gave her the knowledge and advice she needed to make it happen. I hope that her business success continues and that she can go on improving the lives of others.”

InBiz Preess Release