A Life of Impact: Nancy Green’s Legacy at WHI

by Nancy Green | Dec 11, 2025 | General

As I prepare to retire from World Hope International on Dec. 31, after seven meaningful years, I’m filled with gratitude. This work has been one of the great privileges of my life — shaped by strong partners, dedicated teams, and countless moments that reminded me of why this mission matters.

Nancy with health care workers in West Africa.

When I joined WHI in 2018, I had no idea how deeply the work would change me or how often I would be moved by the courage and resilience of the people we serve. As Chief Development Officer, I oversaw a team responsible for raising funds across all three of World Hope’s program pillars, as well as many of our signature projects. This included supporting the development of a blood bank at the La Gonâve Hospital and a Desalination Water System on La Gonâve Island in Haiti; launching Jahoo, an environmental ecotourism camp in Mondulkiri Province in Cambodia; expanding anti-human trafficking programs in Cambodia, the Philippines, and West Africa; and drilling hundreds of wells, including the purchase of a new drilling rig in West Africa. These efforts were in addition to raising critical support for emergency responses to hurricanes, wars, and earthquakes around the world.

A few memories I will also carry with me:

A Village and a Well

In a remote village where a new water well had just been completed, clean water surged through the pump and the entire community erupted in celebration — children dancing in the spray, elders lifting their hands in gratitude. It was a simple yet profound glimpse of what sustainable solutions and long-term partnership can make possible.

A Healing Touch in West Africa

In Freetown, alongside our Enable the Children team, I watched a therapist guide a ten-year-old girl with hemiplegia through slow, arm careful stretches. The tenderness in that small home felt almost sacred. When the child lifted her arm a little higher and offered a quiet, proud smile, dignity and hope were strengthened in a way that spoke volumes.

Nancy at a water kiosk in West Africa.

Meeting women who survived cervical cancer through WHI’s screening program in Sierra Leone offered that same sense of hope — stories of courage that stay with you.

Economic Opportunity and Protection in Cambodia

Early in my time with WHI, I traveled to our Mushroom House Project in Cambodia. In those simple shaded huts, women were doing far more than growing mushrooms — they were building income, stability, and safety from trafficking for their families. One mother told me, “I no longer fear sending my daughter to the market alone.” I have carried her words with me ever since.

Renewed Learning in Liberia

And just this fall, I stood at the dedication of a newly rebuilt Wesleyan school in Liberia. Watching students walk into bright, safe classrooms again reminded me how hope can be rebuilt, one child at a time.

These moments — and so many others — have shaped my understanding of WHI’s mission. They remind me that the work God has called us to is not abstract or distant. It is personal, sacred, and transformative, one story at a time.

As I step into this next season, I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family and serving in my local community. While I am retiring from my role, I will continue cheering for WHI and carry this mission — and the people behind it — with me always.

“As your retirement draws near, we celebrate you, your heart for people and your illustrious career with us, Nancy,” said President & CEO Jenn Petersen. “We want to say thank you for your years of service, dedication, and passion. You are more than a fundraiser; you are an advocate, an ambassador, and a faithful steward, truly bringing hope in hard places. Nancy, on behalf of all of us at World Hope and those we serve, thank you!”