Spirit in Action partners are working at the ground level – demanding rights for girls and young women, adding value to farmers’ crops, training and creating employment opportunities for female entrepreneurs, and more.
At the beginning of December we approved another $47,000 in grants direct to community organizations in eastern Africa. Here are some highlights:
25 bicycles for young women in rural Malawi. Most people in Malawi don’t own a car and so walking is the most common form of transportation. Bicycles will be a game changer! They will help the girls get safely to school (carrying their friends on the back of the bike, of course), as well as help them fetch water. Plus, bicycles can bring freedom and independence. (This project is through the youth-led organization, Hope for Relief.)
Getting around in Malawi and Kenya…
Administrative support! I’ve written before about how SIA is proud to support the general operating budgets of our grassroots partners. This gives organizations the flexibility to respond to the reality on the ground. It also enables them to plan for the long-term work of the movement, rather than work from project to project.
In 2020 we are supporting the administration of Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative in their work to provide savings, loans, and advice to farmers in Malawi.
Women of the Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative. Both men and women work in the fields, growing maize for home consumption, and peanuts and sunflowers for sale.
We are also joining forces with Pastoralist Child Foundation in Samburu, Kenya, as they fight to end female-genital mutilation and get more girls through school.
400 youth participated in the Pastoralist Child Foundation Annual Youth Soccer & Volleyball Tournament 2019. The day was also an opportunity to teach girls and boys about HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy, FGM, child marriage, and the importance of education.
25 more Small Business Fund grants! After listening to our SBF Coordinators at the conference this summer, we increased the amount of our SBF grants from $150 to $250. This is the first increase since the program was started in 2003! We also welcomed Romano Iluku of Nairobi as a new Small Business Fund (SBF) coordinator, working with families in Kibera informal settlement.
This is just a taste of the SIA Network! To see the full list of grants, click here.
Thank you for supporting grassroots action in Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, and Rwanda this season! Donate here for more justice in 2020.
