Our Story
One by One, Nations to Unite. That is our rallying cry. That is our mission. We exist because of the combined efforts of all those who work towards accomplishing our mission.
Obontu was founded in 2021 by Reagan Willardson and Todd Paskett with the mission to empower others ONE BY ONE. Obontu accomplishes this mission through empowering all budding entrepreneurs, regardless of social or economic status, to receive essential skillsets to run sustainable businesses.
We launched our first expeditions in the summer of 2021 to South Africa. With 25 travelers in 3 expeditions, we worked with local entrepreneurs to launch businesses including poultry farms, nail salons, bakeries, jewelry shops, yoga clubs, photography studios, videography editors, calligraphy sign makers, roller-skate clubs, ukulele clubs, soccer trainers, pork farms, ASL learners, and child foundations.
With an eye to the future, Obontu will continue to spread across the globe as one by one, WE unite to help empower and support others, nation to nation. Join us on our international expeditions to spread OBONTU.
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Everyone has their own Obontu story, we are here to help you create yours.
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It Started with a Marble
Todd Paskett
I met 7-year-old Percy while traveling with my father in Peru. For some reason, my dad felt it was important to bring his 11-year-old son along for the journey. We were building new rooms for the orphanage when I first met Percy.
The days after our meeting were nearly absent of any verbal interactions between us, as he only spoke Spanish and I only spoke English. Yet, we communicated with each other in ways only true friends can. We played soccer, volleyball, tag, and games with the other kids. We laughed as he tried sour American candy. We danced.
He showed me the room he shared with a handful of other boys, filled only with small shared beds. It was there, in that simple room, that he revealed his prize possession: a set of five little marbles. He showed me each marble with great care and taught me how to create a playing field in the dirt. We shot marbles again, and again, and again.
Finally, the day arrived when it was time to leave the humble orphanage. I went to say goodbye to Percy, my young heart hurting in ways it had never previously experienced. We embraced for a long moment, and then it happened… Percy handed me The Marble.
My emotions could not be contained; tears streamed down my face. I was shocked. A boy I had just met and would likely never see again—who lived in the humblest of circumstances and had all of five marbles to his name—gave me the greatest gift he could offer. That little boy gave me 1/5 of everything he owned. My heart overflowed with gratitude for this little boy from a remote orphanage in the Andes Mountains.
That day, as an 11-year-old child in a foreign land, I was taught the meaning of life: to unlock purpose and fulfillment, one must love unconditionally and give without recompense.
That is how Obontu was born. Since that fateful moment, I have been filled with the burning desire to give what I received from Percy. The desire to be present in moments like that, to feel again and again what I felt that day, is just as much altruistic as it is selfish. I want to be part of those powerful moments when souls connect in the sweetest of ways.
Obontu's One by One, Nations to Unite mission is a manifestation of that desire. To me, the most important part of our mission is beginning, one by one.
As one little boy changed my life forever, the mission of Obontu is to provide opportunities for others to have similar life-altering moments. We have found that those marble experiences are most abundantly available in vulnerable moments, outside of comfort zones, when individual focus is concentrated on others.
That is our belief and our rallying cry. We invite YOU to be the next spark. Join us. Find your marble! Experience the joy that comes with it. And then give. Imagine what the world could be if we all shared marbles, one by one.
Finding my Obontu
Reagan Paskett
From serving a church mission to being a river guide, I knew there was something special about getting outside of my comfort zone and creating connections with others. My Obontu moment didn't come all at once, but little by little.
From a young age, I knew there were people around the world who I needed to meet, both for my sake and theirs. I grew up pretty shy and preferred to stay in my comfort zone, but that slowly changed during my senior year in high school and continues to grow even now. Not long after I graduated, I felt that I needed to get out of my local bubble and serve others. After lots of searching and pondering, I found I was supposed to serve a church mission.
I was assigned to live and serve in Argentina for 18 months. While there, I broke through many of my insecurities through the love I felt from strangers. I gained an understanding of their culture and learned to speak their language. These helped me to better understand and connect with the people I met. They were so kind and open to me as I shared messages of hope with them. I had the strongest desire to help them all in any way that I could. Yet the miracle was that they blessed me more than I could ever have imagined. I am forever grateful for the lifelong connections created and the lessons I learned in Argentina.
After completing my service, I longed for the next adventure, and a desk job wasn't going to cut it. By divine design, I got a job as a river guide, where I pushed myself to accomplish things I never dreamed I could do, while also helping others do the same. I watched as youth groups and families worked together to push through difficult river rapids and find joy in the simplicity of life, all while camping in the desert. It was thrilling and heartwarming all at the same time. Mutually, we grew and learned many important life lessons. That same desire I felt in Argentina returned. As I helped others find themselves, I was doing the same.
I began feeling antsy for my next step. I looked for the next group of people I could learn and grow alongside. Timing couldn’t have been more perfect. When presented with the opportunity to lead expeditions in South Africa, I knew I had to jump on it. Just as before, I found my people in South Africa. I experienced many thrilling and touching moments. I knew that Obontu was what I needed to continue to do.
My journey to finding Obontu isn’t over; it continues to grow every day. One By One, Nations to Unite started with me, and starts with you. Finding yourself and helping others is what it’s all about.