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SALT LAKE CITY -- A Utah couple who attended a retirement/Christmas party Wednesday night got a big surprise: a check worth $200,000. But the money is not for them. It's for people in Kenya.
"I'm involved in a project in Kenya that is so satisfying," Louis Pope said. "We are loaning money to ladies, and they are using that money to produce income at small business."
Louis and his wife, Chris, plan to spend their retirement helping women in Kenya through the organization he founded 10 years ago, called Yehu Microfinance. When the women make enough money off their starter loan, they pay it back.
"It's paid back and loaned out to another 100 ladies, and then another 100 ladies, and stays in the system," Louis explained.
At Wednesday night's holiday party for US Synthetic -- the company Louis is retiring from so he can move to Kenya to oversee the project -- Louis had no idea what his colleagues and co-workers were up to.
"Tonight, we present you with a check for $200,000 Yehu Microfinances," the party's host told Louis.
The Popes will take that money to help Yehu grow. They are having a home built in Kenya and plan to live there indefinitely.
If you would like to find out more about Yehu Microfinance, or even contribute, CLICK HERE.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
