Nehemiah Project Story

Patrice is from the Bamileke tribe of Cameroon which is known for its business and commerce. He comes from the royal family of Baleng. His grandfather, Chief Johnny Baleng I, was a renowned third-degree king in Cameroon and was one of the wealthiest men in the west of Cameroon. He made his money through farming, trade, and serving as a translator for the British and Germans. Patrice’s mother, the Honorable Francoise Foning, would outdo her father by becoming the most famous politician and businesswoman in Cameroon. She served as a member of parliament, mayor of the largest city in Cameroon, and one of the national leaders of the ruling political party of Cameroon. As a businesswoman, she had several businesses in several industries employing over 1000 people, including import, export, construction, furniture manufacturing, transportation, education, healthcare, and food services. She also founded the Cameroon Business Women Association, and the West African Women Business Association, and was a two-time president and the first African woman to lead the World Business Women Association (FCEM) headquartered in France.

Patrice grew up privileged and irresponsible. It would take a family financial crisis in 1993 to cause him to change. While in his freshmen year in college, there was a political and social uprising in Cameroon. His mother’s attempt to stand against the uprising led to her assets being burned and opposition attacks against her. This dark and painful season caused Patrice to put his educational aspirations on hold, which led Patrice to pursue his dream of following in his mother’s footsteps and starting his own business. This decision would transform an irresponsible child into a responsible young man.

Patrice’s initial business idea was to open Group Foning USA—a U.S. base of the family business—however, this idea never materialized. The challenges surrounding being a part of the family business would lead Patrice to step out on his own to create something that was completely separate from his family business, a venture he would have full control over. In 1994, Patrice started a consulting service with the goal of helping US companies do business in Africa. He also got involved in several direct sales companies, but it was not until Patrice was asked by friends to help them start their own business that he discovered his passion. Patrice launched an entrepreneurship club that evolved into a non-profit educational organization called the Multi-Cultural Youth Education Organization, Inc. (MCY) with the mission to teach entrepreneurship and leadership to youth and young adults.

Upon discovery of his passion, Patrice would leverage his love for business to meet the social needs of the community. He became a social entrepreneur, building one of the leading entrepreneurship educational organizations in the Washington D.C. area. He received accolades from various news media including the Washington Post and Channel 9 news. A statement he once made during this season was even published in Fortune Magazine: “If we are old enough to sell drugs, we are old enough to start our own businesses.” Working with youth entrepreneurship education would lead Patrice to meet a Christian businessman named Tyrone Grisby who would lead him to Christ.

Patrice came to Christ in December of 1994, and one year later he received the vision to use entrepreneurship as a tool to empower the body of Christ and seek and save the lost. This vision statement would lead to the discovery of his life calling: becoming a marketplace minister with a personal mission to help individuals and families fulfill God’s plan for their lives through business. This would also lead to the birth of Biblical Entrepreneurship, the Nehemiah Project, and later Kingdom Business Coaching™.