Discover The World was formed in 1989 by Drs Doug and Jackie Millham to serve as a provider of volunteer recruitment, mobilization, training, and networking between Christian organizations in the USA and projects among the poor in other countries. For many years, DTW served as a catalyst of people and monies from the USA to relief and development projects around the world. Partnering with many different agencies, churches, schools and other civic organizations, DTW specialized in recruiting, training and placing short-term volunteers in a variety of projects among the poor in Kenya, India, Thailand, England, Norway, Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Haiti, and other locations.

In 2003, DTW decided to focus its efforts almost entirely upon the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa. Because the need was so compelling, DTW began to direct increased resources to this task and to assist in the planning, development, and opening of an orphanage in the Kariobangi South slum of Nairobi, Kenya. The orphanage, which cared for 24 girls orphaned by HIV/AIDS, was named “The Shepherd’s Home” by the Kenyans, the name coming from the Bible:

“Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I shall have everything I need”. Psalm 23:1

DTW assisted in the creation and licensing of a Kenyan non-profit structure to manage the Shepherd’s Home. As a result, the Tumaini Commiseration Initiative, or TCI, was fully chartered, registered and properly governed by a Kenyan Board of Directors. TCI makes annual grant requests to DTW for operational funding and capital projects.

Since the decision to focus on the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa in 2003, DTW has experienced unprecedented growth. The organization’s work focuses almost exclusively on assisting orphans of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and efforts to raise money and motivate involvement towards this cause have increased dramatically. DTW’s donor base has increased to over 400 participants, and total income has increased nearly ten-fold as well.

Through the increased resources provided by DTW, TCI was able to expand its children-at-risk projects to 3 locations in Kenya. Schools and churches were added and the number of orphans residing in The Shepherd’s Homes has grown to nearly 100. Approximately 300 additional neighborhood children and countless adults have benefited from the Shepherd’s Homes facilities in their communities.

At the same time, DTW’s work enabled over 100 American volunteers to travel to Kenya. On these trips volunteers build close relationships with Kenyan children. They provide social, spiritual, and recreational encouragement to the Kenyan children and staff, while also utilizing their skills and talents in a variety of projects to assist the orphanages. Most importantly, these volunteers have become powerful voices of influence to other Americans to become involved in helping the poor and needy.