About
Our story
It all started with a statistic.
"Every 2 Seconds, someone around the world dies from a hunger related cause."
Cofounders Christie Heimbach and Kelsey Hare were stunned when they first stumbled upon this fact in 2011, which eventually drove them to research malnutrition and the impact of sustainable agriculture in marginalized communities.
After just a few months, they boarded a plane to Zimbabwe, with nothing but a box of granola bars, a hiking backpack, a tent, and radical faith that the Lord would guide their steps.
The next week was a true testament to Zimbabwean community- the girls were immediately taken in by a local family who ran their own nonprofit (Nhaka Foundation) serving vulnerable orphans and children. The family arranged for tours through schools, plant nurseries, and orphanages, and Christie and Kelsey soon started to envision what it would be like to work amongst these people. By the end of the trip, a partnership was proposed by Nhaka that solidified “the how” of the mission. 2SOL would be responsible for supporting feeding programs and sustainable water sources at the primary schools that Nhaka was already partnered with. It’s now been nearly 11 years of innovating together to bring food security to “the least of these”, and while 2SOL’s strategies have grown and changed through the years, the thing that hasn’t changed is their passion for allowing their faith to move them into action.
Our values
1. Embodying the gospel
We strive to show God’s love for all people, no matter their age, ability, race, or gender. Through our actions and our leadership development programs, we strive to teach the next generation of leaders to do the same.
2. Establishing sustainability through best practices
We are committed to transformational change. This means that everything we do is locally sourced, easily replicable, and self-sustaining through community ownership.
3. Commitment to quality
Quality means that we pursue depth with every investment we make and with every partnership we develop. We are devoted to the success of each person or community with whom we partner, and we strive for excellence in our every-day office culture.
4. Practicing intentionality and humility in every partnership
The best way to implement effective change is to truly partner with the people whose lives you hope to impact. Part of true partnership requires admitting that we are not the experts in other people’s lives—they are. By accepting and acting on this truth, 2 Seconds Or Less empowers women and youth to take ownership of the joint projects, and thus, their futures.
Our impact
While we may never know the extent of our reach, what we do know is that giving people the opportunity to plant a garden, to eat a meal, to support their family, to run their own business, is investing in a better future for all people. We are proud of the number of success stories we’ve been able to be a part of in partnership with our donors and communities in Zimbabwe. But we are even prouder that our legacy and impact are sure to outlast us, as our beneficiaries go on and change the world in their own ways.
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10
Schools served
3035
Students fed per day
250
Enrollment percentages
2,500
Families with new access to clean water
250
Women entrepreneurs supported
180
Projects funded and scaled
18
Communities transformed
42
Student leaders equipped
$609,000
Dollars raised
Our team
Our partners
We're proud to have worked alongside our past and present partners to leave a lasting legacy for the future leaders of the world.
“Youth, empowered by reckless faith, have a clarity of vision for a better world, unclouded by cynicism or negativity. The inspirational young leadership of 2 Seconds Or Less gives hope to thousands of Zimbabwe citizens, 62% of whom are under the age of 25. I gladly give recurring support to help empower the people of Zimbabwe to create and sustain a better future.”
T. Labagh
Stakeholder
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