37-year-old Klaas Evers studied development economics and tropical agriculture in Wageningen. He stayed in the city after his studies. Since January 2020, he has been chairman of the World Partners foundation. An interview with a passionate man who has a heart for Jesus, agri-business and development work.
Klaas: “I have been working on the theme of Business As Mission (BAM) for a long time. After graduating in 2011, I saw opportunities at the intersection of development work, entrepreneurship and the Christian faith. I did not know the term ‘BAM’ at the time. When I was looking for a job, I came across a former fellow student. He told me about the BAM principle and the world behind it: By doing business, you come into contact with people and share the gospel in a simple way. I wanted to know more about that and I got started. I became involved in a Christian agricultural company. The combination of BAM and agri-business still has my heart.
Looking back
In 1995, the World Partners foundation was founded by a number of entrepreneurs, with Hans Hamoen as the driving force. The vision is to do business with impact in developing countries and to support local Christians in word and deed. World Partners has taken on various roles over the years. Decades ago, the focus was mainly on supporting and helping social enterprises to start. Later, the focus was on setting up and running them ourselves. In recent years, our role has shifted; we are more often a ‘partner organisation’ that collaborates with existing initiatives and a network organisation that connects people. The emphasis here is still on supporting companies with advice, financing and technical expertise. There has been more stability in the past five years and more focus on agricultural entrepreneurship. The companies in which World Partners is involved must have an impact factor that is social, economic and Christian.
The businesses in which World Partners is involved must have an impact factor that is social, economic and Christian.
For example, in Ukraine we have been for more than twenty years. In North Africa and the Caucasus we have livestock and agricultural projects that we are involved in.
New countries
We also have new World Partners teams. America has been involved for a longer time and has become more active. Germany and Switzerland have joined. They are independent foundations and we are joining forces. That gives a new dynamic to the network, which is not set in stone. It remains a dynamic interplay.
Ukraine
The war in Ukraine has given our work a different dimension. We have taken on our social function more and the already existing large network has grown. We have achieved a great deal in recent years. Also through the emergency aid campaigns in collaboration with Kerk in Actie and Kom Over en Help. We could not have imagined that in advance. We supplied seeds and food parcels. We also carried out repairs to help people get through the winter. Now we are rethinking our role in Ukraine. The first emergency aid phase is over, even though the need remains great. World Partners is primarily a BAM organisation and not an emergency aid organisation. Nevertheless, we are once again committed to keeping people warm this winter. In addition, we want to focus on more (agricultural) entrepreneurial activities. By supplying seeds to farmers, we have made many contacts and we see where there are opportunities.
Board activities
The organization and our role as board remains lively. A lot is happening and that creates a lot of work. The board role is control and support at a distance. Our executive team carries out the projects, accounting and communication. In the three-person board we work together pleasantly, for years.
Pearls
As a director, you are a volunteer with a lot of love for the work. We recently received a report from Central Asia about a fruit company. A Christian couple who manage the company had freed four women from a human trafficking situation. The couple invests in their fruit company, helps fellow countrymen, offers shelter, shares the gospel and gives practical help. The work means more than just the yield of the annual harvest. It inspires us as a board to continue to work for a more just world.
The work means more than just the yield of the annual harvest.
Strength
World Partners adheres to the Biblical principle of ‘tentmaking’. The idea of the tentmaker is not something we came up with, but something that is thousands of years old. Paul also did this when he lived in Corinth. In Acts 18 you can read that Paul lived and worked as a tanner for 1.5 years. Paul uses the Sabbath and probably other moments to share the gospel. His work or business was the basis for having an impact and making followers. Many Christians are involved in our projects who in turn have an impact on their own environment. In addition, I believe that our ideas, approach and examples are powerful and unique.
The whole story of tentmaking is not something we invented, but something that is thousands of years old.
Weakness
Not everything goes well and it can certainly be better. Our flexibility also has another side. We are not a super tightly organized organization. There are many processes running at the same time. We do not record everything. Sometimes deliberately not for safety reasons. You want to prevent people from being in danger just because you were too open.
Future
We do not have terms for directors, but as chairman I still feel like a fish in water. World Partners has a strong story, subject and theme. I see that the projects make a difference. Ultimately, it is not the work of man, but of God. He gets all the glory. That is why I am positive about the future of the work of the World Partners Foundation.
Klaas Evers is 37 years old and married, has 2 daughters and lives in Wageningen. In daily life he is a Business Developer at the Lepra Zending. He develops new programs, partnerships and ways to finance projects. In his free time he likes to play football, read and run. Klaas is also involved in church at Vineyard Wageningen.