Janina: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! Our story starts with Malish James, a refugee in Uganda’s Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. In my day job, I work for the UN, through which I connected with Malish. He shared many stories about his life, and one particular challenge stuck with me—while refugees in the community receive food aid from international organizations, they struggle to afford other commodities, such as new clothes for their children. So in many cases, instead of eating the food, they sell it to supply other basic needs. Together with Malish, we created a solution: Many refugees have ideas for starting their own businesses. However, most of them don’t have access to funding. This is where Bridging Gaps comes in. We transform donations from the Global North to community microloans in the Global South, so refugees in Bidibidi can start their own businesses.
Michael: Growing up near the San Francisco Bay in California, I have a lifelong love for marine life and have worked to protect seas, estuaries, and rivers from harmful pollution. My passion led me to volunteer for grassroots organizations and eventually join the United Nations, where I have worked for two decades on preventing pollution, ending poverty, and promoting environmental justice. Defending the environment keeps me close to nature and brings me in contact with inspiring people all over the world.
Chrissybil: Thanks for having me, Spiffy! I started my first business, Jump Start Tutoring Center, in 2018, with just $500, no co-founder, or prior business experience. Today, we've been featured in over 50 news articles including the Forbes Under 30 list for helping thousands of students save millions on college tuition costs through our SAT test prep program. During the pandemic, we realized it wasn't enough. As economic conditions worsen and the cost of tuition continues to increase, many students are reconsidering college and are looking for alternative paths to enter the workforce. To address this, I started Vero Learning, a career guidance and job placement platform for young adults experiencing challenges transitioning from the classroom into the workforce without a degree.
