Celebrating 20 years of SIA's Small Business Fund

One of Spirit in Action’s longest-running grant programs is the Small Business Fund (SBF), which provides small grants (currently $250), business training, and mentorship from local coordinators to help families start or expand their businesses. This program was initially championed by my grandfather, Jim Thomas, who recognized the importance of creating a pathway for families to achieve greater financial security. Jim partnered with Ofonime Nkoko in Nigeria to launch the first iteration of the SBF there. I recently asked Ofonime to share how the SBF first started.

Jim and Ofonime connected while both served at Camps Farthest Out International. In 1991, Ofonime, a young man, was elected Camp Chairman of the Camps Farthest Out program in Oruk Anam, Nigeria. During this time, Jim, one of the founding board members of Spirit in Action, became President of Camps Farthest Out International. They shared a desire to improve the lives of campers, particularly those from the poorest backgrounds, who attended camp.

Del and Lucile Anderson, with Jim Thomas.

Jim knew about a small business program through the nonprofit Trickle Up and recommended Ofonime as a coordinator to bring the program to Nigeria. A few years later, Trickle Up suspended its activities in Nigeria because safety concerns prevented the US-based staff from traveling and conducting monitoring in Nigeria.

A new program tailor-made for SIA

Undeterred, Jim met with the Spirit in Action board to advocate for creating an SIA-run program using a similar model. Trickle Up granted SIA permission to use their business training materials, and Ofonime and Jim also collaborated to adapt the forms for the SIA context. “We limited groups to 2-3 people rather than 10 people, and introduced prayer group and consensus decision-making aspects to the entrepreneur training,” recalls Ofonime. 

Tanya and Ofonime at the first Small Business Fund Coordinator conference in Kenya, 2014.

In 2005, the first ten SIA SBF businesses were started in Nigeria. Each group received an initial grant of $100 and an additional $50 to reinvest after three months of successful reports. Ofonime, the local coordinator, assisted the groups in selecting a business idea and developing a Business Plan. SBF businesses take different forms depending on the location, materials available, and local demand, and can range from retail shops, vegetable stands, cafés, animal rearing, handicrafts, and other services.

Read FAQs about the SIA Small Business Fund

20 years and counting

Since the inception of the SBF by Ofonime and Jim in 2005, SIA has funded 1,002 businesses! Currently, we have six local SBF coordinators across Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda who mentor local groups through the business design and development process.

In 2009, during a discussion about whether to continue providing grants or to convert to a loan program, the SIA Board decided to maintain the granting aspect and add a pay-it-forward component called Sharing the Gift. This initiative invites groups that receive an SBF grant to share the blessing they have received with someone else in their community. This can manifest as sharing a piglet or chicken from the business, training another young woman to become a tailor, or giving food to a hungry neighbor. "Sharing the gift is really a good initiative and has an impact not only on the participating groups, but also those around them who witness the program," writes Dennis Kurgat, current SBF coordinator in Western Kenya.

Read success stories from the SBF over the years!

In 2014, SIA focused its efforts on Eastern Africa, ending its SBF program in Nigeria and the Philippines. However, the impact of the SBF is still felt in Nigeria 20 years later. Master’s Retail Group’s shop remains open, and it has grown into a large-scale business, enabling the family to purchase a car and build a solid family home. Over the years, we consistently see that, through the SBF, families can cover basic needs, pay school fees for their children, and build up savings for tough times. Business leaders also report discovering new avenues of optimism and harmony within their families.

Ofonime (center) with leaders of the Ntukidem Oil Enterprise, which used their SBF grant to sell fuel in their rural area. (2013)

“During these years of SIA SBF, I witnessed joy, happiness, and gratitude from entrepreneurs and the poorest individuals. Their lives have changed significantly,” says Ofonime. “I continue to appreciate Spirit in Action, Del Anderson, Jim and Barbara Thomas, and the positive impact SIA is making in other parts of Africa.”