The Conviction

Paul Soper was looking for opportunities to invest DAF capital in funds that invested in African companies when he was introduced to the Tree of Life team in January 2023. The introduction turned into a relationship he has continued to invest in, in every sense, ever since. For Paul, capital deployed well should do more than generate returns — it should build up kingdom-minded businesses and strengthen the ministries connected to them.
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The Complexity

For a US-based investor, credible access to African companies and non-profits is not straightforward. Geography, networks and diligence capacity all stand between capital and confident deployment. Paul needed both financial performance and a trustworthy partner on the ground in order to responsibly put DAF capital to work in South Africa.
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The Solution

Over several years, Paul built a multi-layered partnership with Tree of Life: capital placed in the short, medium and long-term funds; participation in the impact fund, which invests in kingdom-minded businesses; a direct investment in a local South African kingdom-minded company; introductions to Christian non-profits he and his wife have since chosen to support directly; and, most recently, co-establishing a new fund that invests in kingdom-focused companies led by Triga Ventures fellows and alumni.
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The Impact

What began as a search for fund returns has become, in Paul’s words, a partnership he can’t imagine replicating elsewhere. Tree of Life now functions as both investment manager and trusted guide — connecting his capital to strong returns, to kingdom businesses, and to non-profits doing meaningful work, while giving him confidence that his DAF is in capable, kingdom-minded hands.