People sometimes ask us a fair question: “Is Global Development Project Kenya a new organization, or has it really been around since 1991?”
The honest answer is both! And we think the full story is worth telling.
Where it began: Mombasa, 1991
Michael Wright and his wife Patricia (“Pat”) arrived in Kenya in 1991 as missionaries, with just a calling. They began the work of establishing a leadership center in Mombasa, working directly with youth and emerging community leaders.
That first center became a foundation. Over the following decade, Michael and Pat established leadership centers across Kenya, one community at a time, sustained not by a formal nonprofit structure but by the support of donors and friends who believed in the work and the people doing it.
Here’s the part that we love the most: the GDP Multiplex Center in Mombasa today stands on that same original 1991 site. More than three decades later, it’s still the same ground, still the same mission and now a hub for programs serving youth, women, and families throughout the region.
Why we formally incorporated in 2023
For over 35 years, the work grew organically center by center, relationship by relationship. But as the initiatives expanded and the need for larger partnerships and grant funding grew, it became clear that the work needed a formal structure to match its scale.
In 2023, Global Development Project Kenya, Inc. was registered as a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN: 93-1730164) giving this three-decades-old work the accountability, transparency, and infrastructure to keep growing responsibly: audited financials, formal governance, and the kind of reporting that lets donors give with full confidence.
It’s the same work that began in 1991. What changed in 2023 was the paperwork and formal structure, not the mission, and not the people carrying it out.
One organization, two registrations
You may also see us referred to as Global Hearts Without Borders Network (GHWBN). This isn’t a separate organization — when we registered as an NGO in Kenya, the name “GDP Kenya” was already in use there, so we registered locally under GHWBN instead. In the United States, we operate as Global Development Project Kenya, Inc., dba Global Hearts Without Borders Network. One organization, one mission, operating under the name available to us in each country.
What hasn’t changed
What began on that patch of ground in Mombasa in 1991 is still what drives us today. The GDP Multiplex Center that grew from it, along with the leadership centers established across Kenya in those early years, continue to serve youth, women, and families now alongside newer programs like the St. Rita campus and our clean water initiatives.
The paperwork changed in 2023. The work and the family that started it did not.
Verify our work for yourself
We believe transparency builds trust. You can review our:
- Financial reports and Form 990 filings: https://gdpkenya.org/gdp-financial/
- Candid nonprofit profile: https://app.candid.org/profile/15870810/global-development-project-kenya-93-1730164
- GreatNonprofits reviews: https://greatnonprofits.org/org/global-development-project-kenya
If you have questions about our history, our finances, or our programs, we welcome them. CONTACT US ANYTIME
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Global Development Project Kenya a new organization? No. The work began in 1991 when our founders arrived in Kenya as missionaries and established a leadership center in Mombasa. We formally registered as a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2023 to support the growth of that same work — not to start something new.
Why does GDPK’s official “Business Started” date show 2023 if the work began in 1991? Public records like the Better Business Bureau and Florida’s corporate filings reflect the date of formal U.S. incorporation (2023), which is standard for how those systems track registered entities. The organization’s actual founding — and continuous work in Kenya — dates back to 1991, three decades before U.S. registration.
What is the connection between GDP Kenya and Global Hearts Without Borders Network (GHWBN)? They’re the same organization. GDP Kenya is our U.S.-registered 501(c)(3). When we registered as an NGO in Kenya, the name “GDP Kenya” was already taken, so we registered there as Global Hearts Without Borders Network. In the U.S., we legally operate as Global Development Project Kenya, Inc., dba Global Hearts Without Borders Network.
Is the Multiplex Center a new facility? The GDP Multiplex Center in Mombasa sits on the same site where our founders began their work in 1991. What started as a single leadership center has grown into a full hub for youth, women’s, and leadership programs — but it’s the original founding location.
How can I verify GDPK’s legitimacy before donating? You can review our Form 990 filings and financial reports, our Candid nonprofit profile, our Better Business Bureau listing, and independent reviews on GreatNonprofits — all linked above. We’re glad to answer any additional questions directly as well.
