Investment of a lifetime - Perpetual Education Fund paves road of opportunity - Latter-day Sentinel - News for the LDS community in the Spokane Temple District

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Investment of a lifetime - Perpetual Education Fund paves road of opportunity

By Craig Howard, News Editor
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October 19, 2009 —

"And remember in all things, the poor and the needy, the sick and the afflicted, for he that doeth not these things, the same is not my disciple."

Doctrine and Covenants 52:40

For most of his life, no one gave Tyson Kemege much of a chance.

Orphaned at an early age in his native home of Kenya, Tyson later developed polio. He was unable to walk until his late teens and, even then, steps came slowly with the help of crutches and arm braces.

Then one day, Tyson decided that was going to attend one of Kenya's most prestigious universities. Overcoming the skepticism of many, Tyson was accepted into the school - but soon thereafter faced the challenge of gathering the necessary funds to cover tuition and books.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Tyson had heard about a unique loan program called the Perpetual Education Fund. Through the PEF, students receive financial support from the church to pay for their education. The loan is then paid back once the borrower begins work in a chosen field. Members of the church can donate to the fund along with their tithing contributions.

These days, Tyson is serving as studentbody president of his college and has soared to the top of his class as he works toward a degree in Information Technology.

Elder John K. Carmack, an emeritus member of The First Quorum of the Seventy, was in Spokane last week to talk about his experiences as managing director of the Perpetual Education Fund. Elder Carmack spoke at a luncheon sponsored by the local chapter of the BYU Management Society. Photo by Craig Howard.

For Elder John K. Carmack, PEF managing director, Tyson's inspiring account is one of over 38,000 success stories he has seen since the program was launched by President Gordon B. Hinckley in March 2001.

"Look at the future that Tyson has now," Elder Carmack said. "Multiply that by thousands and you'll have an idea of what we're dealing with. It's really terrific."

Elder Carmack, an emeritus member of The First Quorum of the Seventy, paid a visit to Spokane last Friday, appearing at a luncheon sponsored by the local chapter of the BYU Management Society. In his presentation on Oct. 16, Elder Carmack provided an historical glimpse at the program and how it continues to bless lives in over 40 countries throughout the world.

President Hinckley introduced plans for the PEF in a talk at the April 2001 General Conference after discussing the idea with Elder Carmack the previous month. Describing its similarity to the Perpetual Emigration Fund established by Brigham Young to support saints in the westward trek, President Hinckley said the program would help young adults in certain countries forge a brighter future.

"Education is the key to opportunity," President Hinckley said. "Where there is widespread poverty among our people, we must do all we can to help them lift themselves, to establish their lives upon a foundation of self-reliance that can come of training."

Elder Carmack recalls the first several applications filtering in from Mexico, one of the initial three countries, along with Peru and Chile, to offer the program. Around that time, President James E. Faust of the First Presidency told Elder Carmack that he was in a unique position to be part of a remarkable transformation.

"Sometimes an opportunity comes your way to truly do something that will make a difference in people's lives," President Faust said. "That has happened to you. If you seize the opportunity, you can render a great service to thousands of people."

Elder Carmack chronicled the early days of the PEF in his 2004 book, "A Bright Ray of Hope - The Perpetual Education Fund" in which he compared the program to innovations like the Church Welfare Program, instituted in 1936 to help those impacted by the Great Depression.

"One of the most important things we could do was to ask the right questions and build the program on the right principles," Elder Carmack said. "We saw how this would provide greatly improved opportunities for people to step out of the cycle of poverty and become leaders of this great work in their native lands."

The loans are managed by the Presiding Bishop's Office of the Church and validated by a committee in Salt Lake City. Since 2001, 98 percent of applications have been approved with 52 percent going to women and 48 percent to men. Most take just under three years to complete their education while the average recipient sees a three-to-four-fold increase in income.

"What we're trying to do is build integrity and self-reliance," Elder Carmack said. "This program is contributing to stronger families and communities as we learn together how to bring people out of poverty. It's really tremendous."

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