“We’ve celebrated 40 years in business and honored Craig’s legacy all the way through. The days went by fast, but the legacy and impact are everlasting. You all played a huge part in impacting thousands of the least fortunate this year and into their futures. Please, think about that…Reflect on the lives you are changing. It’s super powerful.”
– Nicole Russo, President, CEO & Owner, Dec. 30, 2023
In India, Microboard was privileged to continue its support for many outreaches that are part of the Josephs International School. These include clean water and food distribution, care for poor families, hostels for homeless children, special school programs for rag-picker children, a free medical clinic, as well as literacy and vocational training for children and adults. In 2023, the school purchased two large plots of land with construction beginning this month. A new school will be erected, initially accommodating 600 children, with plans to considerably increase this number over the next five years. In October, we will celebrate our 10th anniversary with this mission, which has helped us define our approach to effectively serving the poorest of the poor.
In Nigeria, Microboard stood alongside Peter and Miriam Fretheim and their team as they experienced many serious challenges due to the increase of tribal and religious violence that has impacted communities where City Ministries is engaged. Despite the insecurity in the northern territories where our mission takes place, Microboard was able to help install over 100 village wells, and open new areas for children’s programs, education, and church planting. Sandy’s Helpers, the sustainable farm program for women, started by Sandy Hoekenga in the summer of 2021, has seen dramatic growth since its inception.
In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Microboard supported the work of James and Riziki
Byensi and witnessed the amazing growth of the Rebuilders mission in the eastern province of Ituri. In an area that is one of the world’s most hostile with an estimated 2.5 million refugees and displaced persons, the Rebuilders are engaged in providing aid to refugee settlements, education for children, vocational training for young adults, and an FM radio station broadcasting information and messages of reconciliation and peace. Most recently, the purchase of large acreage is to be used to help displaced people produce food for their communities. Microboard also supports the work of Compassion Ministry, spear-headed by Merry Valentine and Isaiah Nyeligudi. They are working in parallel with the Rebuilders, to save and change lives that otherwise would be lost in the conflict.
Meanwhile, our mission partners in eastern parts of Africa have lots to celebrate. In Zimbabwe, The Village of Hope, the work of Bishops
Zowa and Amina, now has 1800 children being cared for, as well as their families. The new Training Center in Malinidi was completed in Kenya. In addition, the work of P.H.A.R.P (Peace, Healing, and Reconciliation Program) kept growing to include more women and families. The program has also seen an increase in training for pastors and lay workers and more outreach to poor areas like the slums of Kibera in Nairobi.
In Zambia, Jacques and Lizzy van Bommel, at Reaching a Generation continued to help reduce girls from being sold into child marriages. 
Microboard was privileged to become more involved with their School in a Box program, by introducing the initiative to the Tamer School at Columbia University in New York. In the spring, the Tamer School’s Pangae student group is planning to visit Jacques and Lizzy. As part of their “social enterprise” program, they will spend time with the team in Zambia, to develop educational opportunities in developing countries.
WorldServe continued to have a major role in Microboard’s missions in 2023, where a concentrated effort in Nigeria to borehole well projects is opening up new territories for the ministry. Providing access to clean water is an ongoing emphasis in most of the missions
Microboard supports. In many areas, where hostilities or other barriers exist, helping local popular access water, either by village or borehole wells, is a proven way to bring hope, and health, and foster peace. Microboard has supported hundreds of water projects since 2014 in Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Zanzibar, Kenya, Zambia, and India.
Lastly, Help for Christian Nationals continued to add to 150,000 pastors, missionaries, teachers and Christian lay workers who have graduated from their intensive Chain Reference Bible teaching workshops. Help for Chrisitan Nationals is one of the first missions Microboard 
supported. Beginning in 1984, and continuing into today, this mission helped define Craig’s passion to do all he could to support missions that support the poorest of the poor.
As we celebrate the successes each of our mission partners has achieved, we remember the legacy that Craig Hoekenga founded 40 years ago. As we look forward to the year ahead, we remember that this work is not finished and impossible without our partners and the brilliance of working together.
About Microboard:
Microboard is a Connecticut based electronics manufacturing service (EMS) provider delivering circuit card assembly, system integration, and test services. We’re your source for high reliability and high complexity electronics manufacturing across the Defense, Medical, Telecom, and Industrial market sectors. From simple designs to complex systems, Microboard provides complete solutions beginning with new product introduction to manufacturing fulfillment. We are committed to excellence, motivated by a higher mission, and led by our 3 guiding principles, the 3Ps. Process Excellence, Partnership and People.
Along with our strong engineering staff and test and RF test design team, our leading-edge equipment and software are capable of placing the industry’s smallest parts, building some of the most complex, challenging, and fail-critical boards in the world. Microboard’s motto of “brilliant together” is an unassailable guarantee to our customers, from government contractors to innovative startups looking to amaze the world. Answering the call to world service is a significant and inseparable part of Microboard’s company culture. Through aid projects in 9 different missions around the world, humanitarian commitment is our enduring purpose. Brilliant Together.