Funding the Disruption of Abject Poverty
HVU
Provide immediate assistance to sub-Saharan
African children through education. All overhead
is absorbed by the founders. Grassroots/African /
Christian/ Education/Children.
Team
Bill Spoor
Founder of HVU. Graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 1992 where he was a varsity letterman in football and obtained a BS in Finance and a minor in Environmental Resource Management. Graduated from The J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Business at Northwestern University in 1995. Earned his Chartered Financial Analyst designation in 1998. Was a Managing Director in the Global Markets and Investment Banking Group at Merrill Lynch in New York City where he worked for 12 years from 1995 to 2007. From 2007 until the present time he has worked in New York City at Goldman Sachs as a Managing Director in the Leveraged Finance Group. Bill resides in New Vernon, NJ with his wife Elke and their four daughters. He runs a small sheep farm in New Vernon which helps him when he is scouting livestock for families in Uganda. Bill is also a commercial, instrument and multi-engine rated pilot which helps him get to and from rural places like Nyaruhanga while in Africa. Bill and Elke are members of The Presbyterian Church of New Providence, and together they founded Happy Valley Uganda in 2008.
Elke Spoor
Founder of HVU. Graduated from Gordon College in 1990 with BA in English and a minor in History. In 1992 Elke graduated from Lesley College with a Masters of Education in Elementary which brought her to Charlotte and Chicago as a teacher. Her education coupled with her love for children provided several opportunities abroad as a missionary teaching in the Philippines, and working in an orphanage in Paraguay. Elke is the mother of four young daughters. Elke and her husband Bill founded Happy Valley Uganda in 2008.
Amanda Kara
Director of HVU. A Sudanese refugee who immigrated to Kenya for eight years and then to the United States in 1995. Graduated from The University of Alabama at Birmingham where she earned a varsity letter in track and field/ cross country, was team captain, academic all-American and all-conference. While at UAB she obtained a BS in Biology/Chemistry and an MA in Exercise Physiology. Her responsibilities for HVU include liaison for the board, overseeing the entire HVU project, communication between all staff members, development and daily operations. Amanda is a marathon runner, trains other marathon runners and has completed three marathons. Amanda is a personal trainer at The Chatham Club in Chatham, NJ. and is a resident of Madison NJ. She joined HVU as director in 2008.