About Us

  About Us

Fertilis Terrae is a 501(C)(3), not for profit organization registered in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is an apolitical organization, based on the Christian principals of charity and goodwill as exemplified by the life of Jesus Christ as documented in the Holy Bible. The organization, for the most part, operates under four broad programmatic areas as briefly described below:

Social Welfare
Business Facilitation
Disaster Recovery
Agri-business Modelling

  Our Ethos

The Beliefs Behind Our Actions.

Present-Day

Fertilis Terrae is dedicated to improving the lives of millions of people across the Caribbean and Latin America. Our approach factors in existing research, or conducting our own, about what works best and implementing solutions for people in need. Our geographic focus for program implementation is the Caribbean and Latin America. We deliver compassionate and evidence-based interventions where the need is greatest.

We provide services to the most vulnerable people without regard to race, religion, gender, or political affiliation.

What makes Fertilis Terrae unique is our process: we take the necessary time to identify proven interventions, evaluating them for their scalability and cultural and other idiosyncratic appropriateness for their target populations.

We employ a host of innovative financing mechanisms and build best-practice operational models (prototypes). We tenaciously self-monitor, evaluate and learn. This inevitably leads to the improvement of our models for scaling with a commitment to transparency on progress, impact, and value for money.

We lead with our values, putting compassion for those we serve first and bolstering this with informed, research-based action.

Going where the need is greatest and basing our every intervention on rugged evidence-testing, allows our decision-making process (how we choose which innovations to scale up and how to constantly evaluate them) to produce programs that have the largest impact for investment.

Our Mission, Vision & Values

Mission

Fertilis Terrae works throughout the Caribbean and Latin America using compassionate, cost-effective, evidence-based and scalable interventions to create an environment where people can flourish, and sustainable business ideas can become reality.

Vision

Building a world where opportunity abounds among the poorest and least fortunate to facilitate measurable improvement to their lives and circumstances.

Values

  • Biblical Foundation: All of our actions are underpinned by a firm belief in and acceptance of the Biblical principles of charity and good will.
  • Compassion first: We go where we are needed with targeted interventions aimed at diminishing human suffering, lessening inequality and improving lives.
  • Evidence-based action: Robust, rigorous research informs our choices and decisions.
  • Always think big: Every individual matters. Solutions of scale start small, so along with the large and well-known, existing solutions we examine and test smaller ones for scalability and soundness. Our modus operandi facilitates the identification and delivery of proven solutions for the benefit of millions.
  • Continuous improvement: Our solutions are never perfect. We perform constant evaluations of the impact our actions are having and adapt accordingly.
  • Good stewardship: We aim to generate the biggest impact at the lowest cost. We ensure value for money for all our stakeholders but know there is no substitute for quality. Our donors work hard and how we utilize their resources demonstrates that we understand and appreciate that.
  • Locally owned: We don't dictate to or impose upon our clients. They live and therefore best understand the severity of their challenges. We support them with research and other resources. As stakeholders, they share ownership of the projects and the results ensuring long-term viability and sustainability.

  Our Inspiration

The Holy Bible

 Charity

Our understanding of charity is Biblical. There are dozens of examples throughout holy scripture of what charity is, our obligation to be generous to others, especially the less fortunate. We just thought we would share a few of them and hope that they move you to action like they did for us.

"If there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates in thy land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother: But thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he wanteth. Beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart, saying, The seventh year, the year of release, is at hand; and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother, and thou givest him nought; and he cry unto the LORD against thee, and it be sin unto thee. Thou shalt surely give him, and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him: because that for this thing the LORD thy God shall bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto. For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."
—Deuteronomy 15:7-11
"He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again."
—Proverbs 19:17
"Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."
—Luke 6:38
"I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
—Acts 20:35
"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity."
—1 Corinthians 13:13
"But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?"
—1 John 3:17

 Good Will

On this subject, we think that the words of Christ Himself are best.

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect."
—Matthew 5:43-48
"And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise."
—Luke 6:31

  Our Office

We Work Where You Need Us.

Virtual Office

Our office is virtual. With the exception of a few key roles that require a specific location, our team is permitted to work from anywhere. Our only requirement is that these locations facilitate seamless communication.

Meritocracy

We operate on a strict principle of meritocracy. We hire the best people, pay them well and award new roles and responsibilities based on demonstrated interest and abilities to fulfill the required tasks.

Drama-Free Workplace

We are proud of our drama-free workplace. The usual gossip, interpersonal conflicts, politics and general intrigue that plague other offices simply do not exist here.

Work-Life Balance

In addition to our very attractive benefits package, we believe in and support the establishment of a well-balanced home/work life. We know the positive impact that adequate rest and time spent with friends and family can have on one's ability to perform in the workplace. We work hard and make every opportunity to play hard count.

 Our Philosophy

The Thinking That Fuels Our Passion.

Perhaps the most widely known Chinese proverb is,

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

It is a noble and altogether laudable concept, but at Fertilis Terrae, we have come to see its glaring deficiencies.

  1. Will the "man" learn to fish more readily on an empty or a full stomach?
  2. Are you teaching him to fish with his bare hands?
  3. If not, are you teaching him to fish with a net; a rod, line and tackle or maybe a boat?
  4. Does he possess any of the necessary tools of the trade?
  5. Can he make his own equipment or effect repairs when necessary?
  6. Is he going to be fishing for his own subsistence or to sell or trade?
  7. Does he know how to prepare the fish for sale or consumption?

This scenario and these questions helped formulate the holistic approach that we take here at Fertilis Terrae.

Holistic Approach

We believe in facilitating real and lasting change for the better in the lives of individuals and communities. Often, it means ensuring that they have enough to eat in the short term while they learn to feed themselves. It also means equipping them with the tools and skills that they will need, thus enabling them to do so in a sustainable manner.

Breaking Generational Poverty

It may seem like a major investment, and one not to be embarked upon lightly; but, in our view, it is well worth the cost.

Individuals who form the latest in what can only be described as generations of poverty have little or no opportunity or viable avenue through which their circumstances may be improved. Here at Fertilis Terrae, we aim to put an end to the cycle of generational poverty and misery and to begin a new cycle filled with opportunity, optimism and prosperity for these individuals who would otherwise have no recourse.

Empowering Innovation

We do not, as a rule, sell or promote specific actions, projects or programs to be undertaken. Instead, we encourage individuals with innovative ideas, to share them with us so that we could help make them bankable and help to improve their lives and circumstances.

We give people every opportunity to succeed and to do so spectacularly and we don't accept failure as an outcome, but as a step on the road to inevitable success.

Biblical Foundation

Our people-centred approach has Biblical underpinnings. Jesus didn't just teach or preach to people. He healed them, fed them and generally ministered to them beyond mere words.

 Our Statement of Faith

This Is What We Believe.

The Word of God

We believe the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments to be the inspired Word of God, inerrant, complete and final revelation of God's will to man, and the supreme standard to all faith and life. (Isaiah 40:8; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; John 10:35; 2 Peter 1:19-21). We believe the Authorized, or King James Bible is the preserved Word of God for English speaking people. We believe the KJB is faithful and true to the original manuscripts, and it is the only translation that we use or endorse.

God

We believe in one God, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, manifesting Himself in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; one in nature, attributes, power, and glory. (Gen. 1:1; Mark 12:39; Matt. 28:19; 2 Cor. 13:14; John 1:1-14; Philippians 2: 6-11)

Jesus Christ

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was begotten by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin, Mary, and that He is true God and true man. (Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-35; John 1:1-4, 14; John 5:17-27; Philippians 2:6-11).

Man

We believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God, that he sinned, and thereby incurred not only physical death, but also spiritual death, which is separation from God; that all human beings are born with a sinful nature and are sinners in thought, word, and deed. (Genesis 1:26; 2:7-9,16,17; 3:1-9; Psalm 14:3,4; 51:5; 58:3; Romans 5:12; Ephesians 2:1-3). In addition to the creation of man, We believe that God created the universe in six literal, twenty-four hour days. We reject Evolution, Gap Theory, and Theistic Evolution as unscriptural theories. (Genesis 1 and 2; Exodus 20:11; John 1:1-3)

Salvation

We believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for our sins, per the Scriptures, as a substitute sacrifice, and that all who believe on Him are justified on the ground of His shed blood on the cross, and are saved by grace through faith, wholly apart from human merit and works. (John 1:29; Acts 13:38, 39; 16:31; Romans 3:21-28; Ephesians 2:8-10, Titus 3:3-8).

Regeneration

We believe that all that repent and receive the Lord Jesus Christ by faith are born again by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God, and thereby become children of God. (John 3:3-8, 14-16, 1:12, 13,5:24; 10:28,29; 1 Peter 1:23; 2 Peter 1:4-7; 1John 3:1-3).

The Holy Spirit

We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine person, and the administrator of the things of God: convicting of sin, revealing Christ, teaching the truth, restraining evil, energizing believers in prayer, worship and service, and is ever present in the believer as our comforter and helper. (Psalm 139:7-12; John 7:38,39; 15:26; 16:13, 14; Acts 1:8; Romans 8:9; 1 Cor. 6:19; 2 Thessalonians 2).

Satan

We believe in the reality and personality of Satan: that he is a created being of beauty and power, the prince of this world, the god of this age, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience; that he fell through pride, and that he will be judged and cast into the lake of fire. (Ezekiel 28:12-18; Isaiah 14:12-14; Job 1:6, 7; John 8:44; Ephesians 2:2; 2 Cor. 4:4, 11, 13-15; Revelation 20:1-3, 7-10).

The Return of Christ

We believe in the resurrection of the crucified body of our Lord, His ascension into Heaven, His present life there for us as our High Priest and Advocate, and His personal, bodily, visible, pre-millennial return to establish His kingdom on earth, to reign as the only potentate; the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Luke 24:26-43; John 20:24-29; Acts 1:9, 10; 1 Cor. 15:20-25; 1Tim. 6:14, 15; Rev. 1:7; 19:11-16; 20:6).

We believe in a pre-tribulation rapture... that at any moment the rapture of the saved may occur, when the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven... to catch up His people to meet Him in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (John 14: 1-3; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; 1Corinthians 15:51-58).

Heaven & Hell

We believe in the bodily resurrection of all the dead: the saved, to a life of eternal glory and bliss in heaven with God; the unsaved, to eternal judgment of conscious suffering and woe in the lake of fire. (John 5:28-29; Rev. 20:6, 11-15, 21:1-8; Matthew 10:28, 18:8-9, 25:41; Mark 9:43-49; 2 Thess. 1:6-9).

Evangelism

We believe that it is the privilege and responsibility of every believer to be a personal soul winner and to do his utmost to give the Gospel of Christ to the whole world. (Mark 16:15-16; Acts 1:8; Matt. 28:18-20; 2 Corinthians 5:20).

Separation

We believe that we are called to be a separated people to abide in Christ, to walk in the Spirit and to enjoy victory over the world, the flesh and the devil. (Romans 12:1-2; Galatians 5: 16; 1John 2:15- 17; Colossians 3:1-17; 2 Corinthians 2:14).

Eternal Security

We believe that all who have truly been born again by the Spirit of God through faith in Christ are eternally secure. Our security rests in the finished work of Jesus Christ, and that all the redeemed are kept by God's power and are thus secure in Christ forever. (John 10:20-29, 5:24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Philippians 1:6; Romans 8:33-39; John 3:16; 1 John 5:12).

The Church

We believe that a New Testament church is an organized, visible, local assembly of baptized believers, associated by covenant, and faith. We believe that the church was started by Jesus Christ with the calling out of the twelve Apostles, and was empowered on the day of Pentecost. We believe in the independent, autonomy of each local church; that as a self-governing body they are free from any fellowship, convention, or governmental and ecclesiastical control. We believe that the work of the church is to preach and teach the Word, spread the Gospel, seek lost souls, assemble together for mutual profit, give to the cause of Christ, pray as a church, send missionaries, serve God faithfully and let the light of Christ shine through us to the world. (Mark 16:16; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 11:23-32; Matthew 3:16). (1 Cor. 12:12-14; II Cor. 11:2; Eph. 1:22-23; 5:25-27; Acts 14:27, 20:17, 28-32; I Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1: 5-11;).