Our story and values

Our Story

Project Missionary began with a girl who did not understand the concept of having “more” or “less.” People were just people to her and that was enough. Maturity, however, provoked the realization of the stark contrast between the financially fulfilled and the financially inhibited. Being educated in lifestyles without running water, sanitary food, or proper health care, this girl was thrust into reality when the idea of poverty slapped her in the face. In all honesty, poverty scared her for a reason. There is approximately 7.5 billion people living in the world as of today based upon the US Census Bureau’s declaration on March 12, 2012. 6 billion of the total quantity live on less than $10 per day, while 3 billion of these people live on less than $2.50 per day. This means that 80% of the population struggles with an average living arrangement, a healthy diet, proper medical attention, and often clothing without conflicting with whether the money could be put to better use in either food or often rent, while 40% of the population cannot even provide the basic necessities of proper medical care or even wholesome food when only relying on the available job positions in society and do not have the choice in whether or not they can choose where to invest their finances. Furthermore, 10% of the world lacks access to sanitary water, which raises the question of how those who do have water, though limited, decide how to use it. Whether they use it for cooking, cleaning their tools, including clothes or eating utensils, washing themselves, or purely drinking, the decision is difficult when survival is not set in stone. Thus, fear of poverty is rational. Despite how frighteningly potent poverty’s impact creates, what overwhelms this girl’s fear of having nothing is her anger directed towards herself for the inability to do anything helpful. However, this aggravation did not bring negativity into this girl’s life but constructed the foundation of her motivation. With insights of her parents’ Vietnamese heritage and their endeavors as refugees traveling to the United States, this girl’s fire was ignited and burns ever so furiously to this day to work for the world in which she desires. As her mother had ten siblings whom her parents labored tenaciously to provide for without the support of their own parents, poverty seemed inevitable. Yet, against all odds, they succeeded, immigrating to the United States, establishing a profitable restaurant business and giving their children the proper education and great opportunities available. Additionally, as her father had eleven siblings whom his father worked long hours for while his mother stayed home and provided for despite her deteriorating health, poverty was considered fate. Once again though, they succeeded as their immigration to the United States proceeded smoothly though gradually and all of the children were granted a proper education and the wonderful opportunities of a new life. In all circumstances, no matter how dire the environment, the one thing that never seems to change is the people’s prevailing hope. This family’s unwavering determination resulted in the blazing fire of this girl’s perseverance to trace back to her roots to financially and physically support the people of her origins and to expand her actions globally so that the financially inhibited maintain their hope regardless of the dismal situations. I am this girl. My name is Kyra Le and I am the founder of Project Missionary. Devoting my life to others for the sake of maintaining every individual’s chance at the incredible opportunities life has to offer is my mission. What’s yours?