A Pocatello-based charity organization called Entrepreneurs Against Poverty has helped various small businesses in Africa.

Ben Davidson, the founder of the group, explained that they have been operating for about a year. During that time, they have sponsored 19 people.

"We coordinate events where we give away $1,000 start-up grants for people who want to start a business in Africa," he said.

Davidson explained that the way the group decides which businesses to sponsor is through their quarterly "Shark Pond Shows" which he described as being more friendly than Shark Tank.

"Participants show their business idea over a Zoom call and our judges and sponsors decide who they want to sponsor," he said. "We send the money to a trusted friend in Ghana and he helps them set up the business."

Recently, Davidson visited Ghana to see the progress of some of the first entrepreneurs they sponsored.

"It was a wonderful experience," he said. "We had gotten really close with the entrepreneurs. I talk with them almost every week."

One of the entrepreneurs they visited is a single mother and cosmetologist named Solace who used her grant to convert a shipping container into a salon.

"She's doing really well now," said Davidson. "She's doing well to support herself and her kids."

Another business was owned by a woman named Julie who operates a rice business. Davidson described her business as an ice cream truck type business. She sells bags of rice from her car.

"A lot of customers don't have cars," said Davidson. "She fills her car with huge bags of rice and drives through the neighborhoods selling rice."

A third business owner they visited was a woman named Gladys who sells smoothies and fresh lunches from a roadside food counter.

"She's doing really well," Davidson said. "She was so busy we had a hard time visiting until after hours."

They also visited a woman named Shelter who sells grilled tilapia and a soft corn dough called banku from a roadside stand who is also doing well.

"They were four of the early grant winners," said Davidson. "It was really fun to visit them."

Davidson explained that his favorite part about his work is making friends with people from around the world. 

"It makes me appreciate what I have and I love travel, meeting people and entrepreneurship," he said. "This helps me do all three."

He explained that Entrepreneurs Against Poverty is always looking for new people willing to help sponsor one of the entrepreneurs.

"For the price of a golf or ski trip you can change someone's life," he said.

More information about Entrepreneurs Against Poverty can be found at entrapov.com or on Facebook at facebook.com/Entrapov.