WILLIAM GERENGE IS NO JOKE. A CEO OF EDEN’S CARE

By: Wanjohi. P. Mugambi

Worth Noting:

• Entrepreneurship is an amazing vehicle to succeed in the business world. As an entrepreneur, I have found that I can make a difference in other people’s lives.  There are many challenges but I know that I am up for the challenges and if not, there are so many other entrepreneurs out there who can help me solve all my problems.
• The greatest aspect of being an entrepreneur is the freedom to follow your passion. One can never receive enough praise because they know there are other people out there who will benefit from their efforts.
• As the CEO of Eden’s Care, I love to lead our organization in meeting the needs of clients while serving as role models of healthy living.

My name is William Gerenge. I am the CEO and Co-founder of Eden’s care organization that deals with ex-inmates re-entry and reduction of recidivism. We have created a community that has helped over 100 ex-offenders get on to successful paths by assisting them with housing, employment, and education.

I was arrested and incarcerated in the year 2015 and I became a remandee for 6 years there after I was released in the year 2020 ,the number of people getting out of prison and coming back intrigued my mind with a simple question. “Can we help those with criminal records re-enter society and maintain long-term success?” My answer was yes, and so I started Eden’s care, the first organization that provides the services ex-offenders need to be successful once again.

Eden’s care is a premier provider of post-incarceration reentry and community-based services. Eden’s Care integrates two distinct yet complimentary services to effectively address the risk factors that contribute to recidivism, thus improving the overall effectiveness of criminal justice programs. The first is a national network of expert rehabilitation professionals who specialize in providing services to ex-prisoners, parolees and community members involved with the juvenile justice system. The second aspect of our services is locally based community organizations working in low income neighborhoods with high crime rates. At Eden’s Care, we aim to offer individuals who have served time in the justice system with a full suite of support services designed to reduce recidivism and facilitate re-entry into society. In doing so, we are committed to creating positive change by providing individuals with the education, services, resources and opportunities they need to become part of their communities again.

Our mission is based on three main principles: 1) Proactive engagement and education, 2) Empowerment through positive behavioral change, 3) Evidence-based interventions that are scalable in order to serve more people. We believe that every individual deserves opportunities for success and we have dedicated our time over the past 2 years so that we can prevent recidivism.

A typical day for me as the CEO of Eden’s care organization deals with ex-inmates reentry and reduction of recidivism involves some light staff to management meetings, communicating about issues or changes in management or procedures. Also a review of our financials as well as any regulatory changes and updates. I will occasionally meet with one member to discuss their personal issues and their needs, this can be during our free time or on an emergency basis. I would also attend community outreach events, where I speak to the public about Eden’s care organization. I also conduct one-on-one interviews with ex-offenders for their resumes and employment applications. And finally, keep up with project updates through emailing lists and social media platforms. I find success in identifying learning opportunities, planning for the future, and looking at specific challenges that must be overcome in order to move forward, such as challenges with staff turnover, challenges with training and understanding new hires, challenges in retaining quality employees, challenges with operational standards, challenges with financial issues etc. One of my responsibilities is to oversee budgeting, which includes the hiring process, benefits packages, training and all payroll for our employees. I also serve as liaison to state and local correctional officials to guarantee that we are complying with their respective guidelines and requirements.

Entrepreneurship is an amazing vehicle to succeed in the business world.  As an entrepreneur, I have found that I can make a difference in other people’s lives.  There are many challenges but I know that I am up for the challenges and if not, there are so many other entrepreneurs out there who can help me solve all my problems. The greatest aspect of being an entrepreneur is the freedom to follow your passion. One can never receive enough praise because they know there are other people out there who will benefit from their efforts.

As the CEO of Eden’s Care, I love to lead our organization in meeting the needs of clients while serving as role models of healthy living. My favorite thing about entrepreneurship is the freedom it brings, which allows me to work on issues that matter to me, while also pursuing my passion for music and creativity. Being an entrepreneur is a great joy but being a leader and mentor is probably the toughest thing to do. I find it hard because you have to take care of those who cannot take care of themselves and make sure they are successful in there new businesses.

I wish i could have prevented some of the mistakes I made. In all fairness, human beings are not perfect and we always make mistakes. The main one is hiring people who don’t fit the profile of a potential employee. Hiring the wrong person can be costly if you hire someone who has a criminal background only to find out that they are not able to work or it’s our fault for having made the hiring decision! Another mistake I have had is rushing into action when a situation arises and then doing nothing about it for too long because you’re scared to make any changes in case you make them wrong. This could result in a lot of money being wasted if your business continues operating like this for too long.

We foster creative ideas through our partnerships with community and government agencies, within which we engage in a range of initiatives to provide vital services. These include housing, healthcare, employment support and training, substance abuse treatment and mental health counseling. We believe that essential element to fostering creative ideas is a collaborative environment. Collaboration is built on trust and respect, a foundation that is critical to developing creative solutions. This can be fostered in several ways such as having employees attend workshops or programs offered by their manager, for example: new employee orientation and training, or professional development.

Social media has become an invaluable tool for recruiting readers interested in learning more about our company’s mission and programs. We attract visitors through various social media channels such as Facebook (William Gerenge), Instagram, LinkedIn and email williamgerenge9@gmail.com. We also use website visits as another source of traffic. I use social media to communicate with the department heads of our organization and the inmates currently in rehabilitation programs. It is important to be active on social media as it gives us a direct connection to each other which enables us to know if there has been any improvements in each of their lives both off and on the job.

The best advice I can give to an entrepreneur is to do your research and know what you are getting into. Entrepreneurship can be a rewarding experience, but it is also very risky as well. One of the most important decisions you will make is on whom to accept as a client. At Eden’s, we believe that everyone can be a part of our organization and success depends on having a diverse workforce, who reflect the communities that we serve. Great talent does not just come to us, it is created in the neighborhoods we work in and live in. Therefore, all of our recruits are carefully screened and placed into various positions throughout our organization.

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