DiscoverHope welcomes new Peru-based Program Manager, Desireé Ledet

Dear DiscoverHope Family,

Being part of the unfolding of DiscoverHope is a magical journey. From the beginning, this organization was born from the fabric of a spiritual process and following the still small voice that ushered my journey to Peru in 2004 and eventually led to the formation of DiscoverHope as a nonprofit in 2007. In the summer of 2007, I conducted a search for our first Program Manager who would live full-time in Peru. I got 150+ resumes, and Nora Bedard’s was the very first. There was something so alive in her cover letter and after meeting her in Chicago in the fall of 2007, she and I embarked on the journey to Peru together in winter 2007 to bring Nora to her new “home”. It was an exciting time and I hoped with all my heart that this dream would unfold.

And unfold it has…a simple paragraph could not explain who Nora is both to me and to DiscoverHope. I knew in winter 2007 when I watched her with the women in Cajamarca, sitting on the ground listening so attentively, that she was PERFECT for the job. Nora has been a partner to me in the creation of DiscoverHope. We’ve been through twists and turns and valleys and mountaintops figuring out how to best serve women through microcredit + training. Very few can really understand the daily challenges of her job and the infinite patience it takes to work at the crossroads of culture. Everyday is an adventure. The fact is— the program manager’s tireless work is the lifeblood of our organization and what we do. Nora has brought to life every one of your contributions to help our women.

You can imagine how happy I was to be part of Nora’s life unfolding path also…when she met Native Cajamarquino Hugo in Peru, fell in love, and got married! It is natural that after 3 years in the field, Nora is ready to explore her life back in the U.S. with her new husband and family. Of course, the layers of love she has built in Cajamarca will be ever-present, as she will be in my life and the growth of DiscoverHope for years to come.

With big shoes to fill, once again the spiritual path unfolded and brought us the powerhouse of compassion and knowledge that is Desiree Ledet, our new Program Manager who will begin officially in this role in Jan 2011. “Desy” hails from The University of TX at Austin and in spring 2010 completed her Master of Public Affairs at the LBJ School. We know Desy’s work ethic well as she served as a summer fellow in 2009 for DiscoverHope and spent the summer working alongside Nora engaging in the everyday practice of our microcredit + training programs. In spring 2010, Desy spearheaded our site vetting committee to determine next potential sites for our work. Fluent in Spanish, Desy is no stranger to Peru as she served for 3 years in the Peace Corps a mere 6 hours from Cajamarca Peru as a Community Health Volunteer.

We know the transfer of knowledge is essential! Desy has been training alongside Nora since September and will return briefly in December for our strategic planning before she deploys to officially begin her role. Nora and Desy have forged amazing bonds and I know that having them work together has been an undeniable gift. I will let them tell you more about themselves and their impending journeys.

As we go through this critical transition, I could not be more pleased about the foundation that Nora has created and the spirit and enthusiasm that Desy now brings to Peru. I am humbled to know that, thanks to what Nora and Desy are doing in their daily lives, what started with a "small still voice" has grown to 300+ loans and 675+ classes so that women can now support themselves and their families. Please continue to support us through this time of change and opportunity. You can contribute, learn more, or tell a friend about DiscoverHope. We look forward to growing in 2011. Visit us at www.lendhope.org

Message from Nora:

After 3 years being, living and working with the women of DiscoverHope in Cajamarca, Peru, the time has come for me to return to the U.S. DiscoverHope Fund has been my lifeblood, passion and dedication during my time in Peru. I came to Cajamarca, Peru in 2007, leaving behind the comfortable life I had constructed to follow a calling to serve and empower women in Peru. It is a bitter sweet goodbye, as I have grown roots here and feel intimately connected to my work and the vision of DHF. Although I am excited to return to Minnesota with my Peruvian husband Hugo and see and live near my family and friends again, I leave Cajamarca with a small sadness, as I will dearly miss all of the incredibly courageous and talented women and our wonderful partners and friends.

It also gives me great comfort to know that Desiree "Desy" Ledet will be taking over as DiscoverHope's in-field Program Manager. Desy and I have been working together through the transition since September and I am fully confident in her dedication and drive to continue to create new opportunities for our women. She is filled with positive energy and incredible heart that will only help her do great things with DiscoverHope.

I am so proud of what we have built here, in big part thanks to you, our dedicated supporters. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this journey, as it not only has changed the lives of many humble women, but also changed my own life. It may be hard to see from thousands of miles away, but we have made an amazing difference here in Cajamarca, Peru, in the lives of many women. A difference that will last for generations.

Paz - Nora

Message from Desy:

I am so excited to be here in Peru working with the women of DiscoverHope and continuing the legacy of the past 3 years. Nora has left an incredible platform from which to build and I feel blessed to have spent the past two months working alongside her and witnessing our women grow in so many ways. The decision to return to Peru was not taken lightly. As Nora made that big decision three years ago to leave her family and life as she knew it in the States, I too had to contemplate a life away from the comforts of home. I know in my heart that I am making the right decision and I am 100% committed to helping DHF fulfill their mission of creating abundance in the lives of women entrepreneurs in Cajamarca.

I would like to thank Maggie, Nora, and the DHF Board for entrusting their confidence in me and allowing me to embark on such an exciting new chapter in my life. The entire DHF Family continues to inspire me on a daily basis with their love, dedication, and belief in our work. I promise to make all of you proud of your decision to be a part of this important labor of love.

I look forward to sending you updates as we grow the program to form new village banks and increase the number of entrepreneurial training so that more women can make the journey from poverty to prosperity. Thank you and more to come!

-Desy