Lifegate in Africa

“It’s transforming our work. It’s transforming lives.”

Chance and Ginger Newingham and their three boys. All are dedicated to changing lives of families and youth in Sierra Leone, Africa.

Every morning, Chance Newingham wakes up in the small, rural Illinois town of Athens, about 30 minutes north of Springfield.

After tending to family matters, including working with his wife, Ginger, to get their three boys prepared for the day, Chance turns his attention halfway across the globe.

Chance and Ginger serve as ambassadors and missionaries for Lifegate in Africa, a U.S.-based nonprofit serving children and families in poor, rural areas of Sierra Leone, Africa with housing, medical, educational, and religious services.

Called to serve by his passion for Christ, Chance pours his heart into his work.

“While fulfilling, it’s never been easy,” Chance says of his role as Director of Partnerships with Lifegate. “Trying to invest people in the U.S. in work being done so far from them and with cultures so unfamiliar, well, that’s an uphill battle every day.”

His faith propels him on and in 2015, he signed up for do good‘s Nonprofit Excellence Training Series.

“Things really came into focus,” he says of the classes. “I realized that the key to growth was infusing stories and photos into everything we do and that in all that we do, we need to focus on relationship-building. I became more strategic with my efforts, and things have really started to get fired up.”

Chance really wants to see Lifegate grow because he personally knows the lives that depend on their work at the preschool, orphanage, and churches Lifegate supports and runs. He’s been to Africa to help with the programs on-the-ground five times.

“Our organization is new, still a start-up really. do good’s classes have really helped me understand the path we need to be on – the right steps to take to ensure we grow and are successful into the future.”

Just this summer and fall alone, Chance used lessons learned in class to increase Lifegate’s revenues from special events and fundraising appeals 50% over projections. A part of the new funds raised will help Chance return once again to Africa in Spring 2016 to work on a program level for two weeks.

“I know my journey back this time will be different,” he says. “I have a new awareness of how I need to spend my time in the field to bring stories, photos, and real change back to build support in the U.S. It’s transforming our work. It’s transforming lives.”

do good’s advice has been so valuable to Chance that he keeps us as a lifeline when he needs a hand. “A phone call here, an email there, and an occasional meeting – all of my time with Laura at do good has more than paid for itself. Totally worth it.”

“It’s not just the money. It’s the strategy, the planning, the storytelling that I learned that will propel Lifegate into the future, that will help us bring our life-changing work to more people in Sierra Leone.” – Chance Newingham, Director of Partnerships, Lifegate in Africa

Lifegate in Africa’s Sponsor-An-Orphan program.