2024 Fellows
Paul + Amy Miller
Co-Founders
Project Funded: Tiny Yeti Baking Co.
Nepal
PJ and Amy, originally from Massachusetts and Tennessee respectively, have lived in South Asia since 2017 in a country and culture that they love and love serving. They own and operate two small hotels and a bakery in the largest tourist city in their South Asian country that serves tourists, trekkers, locals, and workers. It provides “a taste of home away from home” for anyone who comes to their door seeking hospitality and a taste of American baked goods. They have three children, ages 15, 11, and 9.
More About Tiny Yeti Baking Co.
PJ and Amy's business provides an opportunity to serve foreigners and natives alike with joy, kindness, generosity, ethics, and integrity through the “sweet aroma of hospitality, the sweet taste of a fresh baked good, and a friendly cup of hot coffee.” This cafe project provides a new bakery experience in their city, specialized skill development, leadership programs, and employment in a country that loses tens of thousands each month to overseas employers and has an increasing human trafficking problem. This project will produce a bakery that prioritizes the excellence of the customer experience through the excellence of ethical business practices.
Varsha GR + Chris R
Co-Founders
Project Funded: Black Kite Coffee
Nepal
Varsha Gurung Rai
I grew up in West Bengal, India. My childhood was happily spent picking and eating subtropical fruit such as Mangoes, Palm fruit and Jamun (Black plum). I moved to Nepal with my family when I was ten years old. Becoming a Christian wasn’t easy in a country like Nepal. We suffered a lot of hate, but knowing and walking on Christ’s path has comforted us.
In the last few years, God has been very kind to me and has been gracious. I want to show everyone the same kindness and love without any condition. I believe people should feel God at work when they see a Christian’s behaviour.
Chris Redstall
My early childhood was often spent in the fields and woods of the English countryside. Many years later, I now find myself in the troubled but beautiful country of Nepal. Having worked as a teacher and then as an environmental restoration manager in the UK, I am now in the privileged position to be supported by my home church to serve my fellow Christians here in Nepal. Black Kite Coffee was dreamt up on a trek into the Annapurna Mountain range in 2021 and is now set to become a reality thanks to Passion Ventures.
More About Black Kite Coffee
Black Kite Coffee is a fledgling coffee roasting business and the brainchild of Varsha, a young female Nepali entrepreneur. Varsha’s vision is to create a Nepali, female-led coffee brand that roasts excellent Nepali coffee and helps to meet the needs of the most vulnerable in society, particularly widows and girls in the care system. We started the business in 2022, roasting from a kitchen using a home roaster. With support from Passion Ventures, we will be re-launching in 2024! Grant funding will help us buy professional equipment, start a small coffee shop, and help us grow our home delivery service.