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When I went to a folder of writings from SIA's founder, Del Anderson (1906-2008), for inspiration today, this page popped out to me. It feels particularly relevant in a time of so much division in the US and around the world. ~ Tanya When one holds a spiritual conviction close and dear to one's heart, a conviction which has come to be identified with that illusive ingredient we call TRUTH, it is difficult to encounter those who may be in opposition to that conviction.   Despite our belief that our convictions are God-given, these are generally our own opinions, formed on the basis of the kind of life experience we have had. Since everyone's life experience is different, it is impossible to expect everyone to carry the same convictions, even within the community of faith.   What do we do when we encounter someone with whom we have serious or even violent disagreement? The first thing we need to do is remind ourselves that people are more important than ideas. To alienate ourselves from a person because of a disagreement over an idea is foolish and immature.   The second thing is to assess the nature of the disagreement and try to understand why we are so upset. Why is this matter causing us such anxiety? Is it not a signal for us to look within instead of lashing out in anger at someone else? Those things which cause us distress and alarm are generally hints that we still have some inner work to do. The soul thoroughly grounded in God’s love will be able to make gentle responses to the other person, even when there are differences of opinion.   The third thing is to try to model one's behavior after that of Jesus. He was volatile and openly antagonistic towards only one group of people: the religionists of his day, who were hypocritical and uncaring of others. Jesus became aroused where injustices and mistreatment of others were being performed, but otherwise Jesus maintained a serenity and calm that nothing in life seemed able to destroy.   To disagree is normal, even within the family of God. But to extend those disagreements to the point of abuse and hostility is a disgrace to the name we profess to carry.   "Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice, and be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32) Del and Bebe Anderson meet with Boy Scouts in Japan in 1956. Del was a Boy Scout Troop Leader in Oakland, CA, for many years.

A shorter version of this article was included in the latest SIA Newsletter. Written by Burundi Bridges of Justice (BBJ) Director, Théoneste Manirambona In the heart of bustling Bujumbura, a dedicated legal team supported by a SIA grant is a lifeline to those in desperate need. Among them were 23 women and 19 children, whose stories resonated with pain but shone with resilience . This is not just a story of hardship but also a testament to the power of compassionate legal aid.   Every day, in countries around the world, including Burundi, hundreds of thousands of people are arrested, arbitrarily detained, tortured, and deprived of access to justice. Burundi Bridges to Justice (BBJ) is a civil society organization that protects vulnerable defendants through rapid access to lawyers in police stations, prisons, and courtrooms. Each case began at the police stage, where fear often mingles with uncertainty. Women seeking to escape abusive relationships or oppressive circumstances found themselves navigating a labyrinthine system that could seem both intimidating and impersonal. The children, too young to fully understand their situation, witnessed a turmoil that no child should have to endure. Yet, in the midst of this chaos, hope shone like a candle in the darkness. The BBJ lawyers show empathy in every interaction and provide legal advice and emotional support, ensuring that every woman and child feels seen and valued.   Through meticulous preparation and strategic planning, the BBJ lawyers navigate complex legal waters on behalf of their clients. They understand that each individual is more than just a statistic; each person has a story waiting to be told, which deserves to be heard and validated. The lawyers gather evidence, build cases, and stand firmly by their client’s side in the offices of Judicial Police Officers and courtrooms where justice often seems elusive.   Their efforts paid off; of the 98 cases handled with tenacity and heart, 88 resulted in positive outcomes!   One of the most striking cases is that of a young girl, Maya* (name changed), who witnessed her mother’s struggle against a violent partner. The mother was arrested for defending herself against the deliberate assault and battery by her husband. With the encouragement of her lawyer, Maya found her voice in the silence imposed by fear. Together, they wrote a story that highlighted not only her mother’s plight but also Maya’s own experience as an innocent bystander caught in a storm of violence. When the hammer struck for justice for Maya’s family, tears mingled with laughter - a cathartic release marking the end of one chapter and the hopeful beginning of another. In that moment, it became clear that legal aid is about more than representation; it’s about restoring dignity and empowering people. The journey didn’t stop there. Follow-up support enabled vulnerable people to continue to thrive beyond their initial victories . BBJ held sessions to share legal advice and increase awareness of people’s rights. The journey continues for many others still seeking help; may we remain vigilant allies in their quest for justice until every voice is heard and every life restored.   A call to action: This story is not only an account but also an invitation to recognize our role in this complex web of humanity.  Whether by volunteering or amplifying voices through awareness campaigns, we all can help create safer spaces for those who need it most. (watch video here) A video from Tanya's trip to Bujumbura, Burundi, in 2023. A relatively quiet road in the capital city.

Here at Spirit in Action, we are always promoting the good work of our partner organizations made possible by our amazing donors. And while all of that is important, there is a group of folks, the quiet giants as I see them, who play a vital role in keeping SIA running smoothly. The African Advisory Board (AAB) is the backbone of Spirit in Action, playing a vital yet often unrecognized role. Their expertise is crucial in approving grant requests, reporting on SIA-funded partner projects, and providing valuable guidance and support to the organizations we serve. Acting as the bridge between the North American Board, the Executive Director, and these organizations, the AAB ensures that we can offer not just financial assistance but also the sense of community and shared purpose that defines our work across borders. The AAB from left to Right: Margaret Ikiara (Kenya), Wambui Nguyo (Kenya) Mwibutsa Ndagijima (Rwanda/Burundi), Naomi Ayot (Uganda/Malawi), and Dennis Kurgat (Kenya), pictured with Kathleen King, SIA Board President, and Tanya. The photo was taken in April 2024, during Tanya and Kathleen's visit to Kenya. This was the first time that the group was all together! As SIA continues to grow, the insights of AAB members are crucial in shaping strategies for innovative initiatives. They offer informed perspectives on the needs of the regions they oversee, which is invaluable to our work. Moreover, AAB members dedicate their time and expertise to SIA while managing their own organizations and careers. Over the past two months, while Tanya has been on sabbatical, I've had the privilege of working more closely with them. Their unwavering commitment to SIA’s mission is truly inspiring, and I do not doubt that if you had the chance to meet them, you’d feel the same way! I am so grateful for this team and the strength and good spirit they bring.

On July 16, 2024, Del Anderson, SIA founder, would have turned 118 years old. Though we no longer celebrate an earthly birthday with cake and ice cream, we honor him with SIA's impactful work. Del founded Spirit In Action in 1996 to fulfill God's promise of abundant life for all. The organization began with Del and Administrator, Marsha Johnson. As I reflect on this, I wonder if Del ever dreamed that SIA would be what it is today 28 YEARS LATER... Today, Spirit In Action is a thriving organization with a North American Board, an African Advisory Board, an Executive Director and Operations Manager, and over 1,000 donors! We support 28 partners in five East African countries. From left to right: Screenshots from a quarterly Board meeting, Tanya and Board President Kathleen with the African Advisory Board visiting SIA Partner Transformers in Kenya. Over the years, SIA has supported many causes including agriculture and animal rearing, gender rights, women's health, youth, and education. Regardless of the location, language, or focus, each partner has one thing in common; the unwavering commitment to make a better way for the communities they serve. Connected through a spirit of altruism, we work as a team to turn microgrants into major change. WHAT LIES AHEAD.... Though we can never truly know tomorrow, we hope to grow with the support of our amazing donors, the SIA team, and our partners. Each is unique and important, and our united work is truly Spirit In Action.

Empowerment i s not just a buzzword; it's a transformative process that can manifest in many forms, affecting individuals, communities, and society at large. Recently, I had a conversation with Juliana Nyombi, Founder of Adolescent Psychosocial Support and Resource Center (APSARC), located in Uganda. Juliana started APSARC two years ago with the hope of changing the story for the young women in the Nakasongola District which is about 90 Km from Kampala Capital City . The area is dominated by increasing numbers of teenage pregnancies, illicit abortions, HIV and AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, alcohol and substance misuse, large numbers of school drop outs in the community, and gender based violence. APSARC offers life skills training focusing on sexual health and reproductive rights, basic sustainable farming skills to increase personal and economic yield, and trades skills like hair-dressing and beading. Additionally, APSARC offers psychosocial support through peer counseling. These sessions are used to enhance trauma healing and build resilience for the beneficiaries in addressing various issues at individual, family and community level. Juliana believes this support is particularly vital as past trauma can stifle progress. Through these efforts, many of the girls have gone from cowering in unworthiness to standing straight and looking people in eye. This new found inner strength is the foundation on which these young women can transform their lives . Beyond the skills training, counseling, and peer group services that ASPARC offers is perhaps the most valuable lesson these young women learn; "I Matter" . For many, this is the first time they are respected, loved, and encouraged . The first time they are recognized as important, able, and worthy. In many cases, the journey to empowerment starts when someone says, "I see you". This is how old stories end and new ones begin.

While sabbaticals are the norm in academic and religious settings, they are still rare in the nonprofit world. Perhaps this is because it can seem like taking time away from humanitarian or charity work would be the same as turning your back on those in need. But there has been more talk lately about how sabbatical programs provide valuable respite and rejuvenation for nonprofit and caring professionals, helping to avoid burnout, and also allowing for creative shakeup of the status quo in an office. After 17 years with Spirit in Action, I’m taking a three-month sabbatical, from June 1 to September 2, where I will be entirely away from SIA-related work. Away from a screen SIA is all about human connection, but much of my work occurs in front of a computer screen. I use Zoom to connect with Elizabeth Stanley, our wonderful Administrator and Operations Manager, and the African Advisory Board, North American Board, and Grant Partners in Eastern Africa. The Grant Partners also have an active WhatsApp chat where we share ideas, successes, and encouragement. And, of course, lots of emails!   One goal for the next three months is to get away from the screen as much as possible . To facilitate that, I’ll be camping with my family in Yosemite Valley for a week, attending Journey Farthest Out prayer retreats for two weeks (in Lassen, CA and New Hampshire), volunteering on an organic farm in Ontario, and walking and biking around my city of Toronto.   Elizabeth will step in as Interim Director during my sabbatical, and I am confident that she and the SIA Boards will keep everything running smoothly. Elizabeth will be monitoring my email while I’m away, and you can also reach her directly at admin@spiritinaction.org .   Reading List for Resting In preparation for this time away, I’ve collected four books to prepare and inspire me. 1. Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives  by Wayne Muller reminded me how even a short break from the norm can help me refresh, ground, and connect with loved ones.   2. Joyful Militancy: Building Thriving Resistance in Toxic Times by Nick Montgomery and carla bergman is about finding joy, rather than rigidity and fear, in activism work.   3. The Other Significant Other: Reimagining Life with Friendship at the Center by Rhaina Cohen ponders the many valuable relationships in our lives beyond just family members and romantic partners.   4. Rest is Resistance: A Manifesto  by Tricia Hersey, creator of the Nap Ministry, declares the value and necessity of rest.   Thank you to the SIA North American Board, African Advisory Board, and Elizabeth for supporting this sabbatical and for keeping things flowing while I’m away. I look forward to reconnecting with all of you in September!

In the middle of the Mathare informal settlement in Nairobi, Kenya, where people live very close together in informally constructed houses without utility services, is the vibrant SIA Grant Partner Transformers Mathare . The organization is led by the passionate Jack Owuor, who grew up in Mathare and now coordinates tailoring and carpentry vocational programs. He radiated positivity as he pointed out the inspirational quotes painted on classroom walls and smiled.  “You only lose when you give up. Remember this a thousand times.”  Jack, Transformer Mathare Founder and African Advisory Board member Naomi celebrate the positive messages of empowerment and hope that are featured around the space. This week, the AAB members from Uganda, Canada, and other parts of Kenya gathered to review and dream for SIA programs. Each afternoon, we visited SIA Grant Partners in the area as a learning exchange and encouragement for Grant Partners.  On Tuesday, the SIA African Advisory Board (AAB),  Kathleen (SIA Board President), and Tanya (SIA Executive Director) made our way down the busy roads in a big van to meet Jack and the members of Transformers Mathare. We saw the small shops, well situated along the road (rather than down the dirt paths into the settlement), where they run sewing and carpentry classes for anyone who wants to attend. Practical skills enable youth without many other opportunities to seek employment or start their own businesses. (Mathare has 300,000-500,000 people and only two public schools!)  Tanya, Kathleen, and AAB members visit SIA grant partner Transformers Mathare We met Miriam Nyakworo, a young mother of two who found Transformers through Facebook and said she wanted to learn tailoring skills . She didn’t know how to sew at all, but over six months, she learned to sew uniforms. When she finished the first course, Jack invited her to join the advanced class to learn how to make toiletry and tote bags. Now, she is training other young women (and a few men) to make the bags. When we visited, Miriam demonstrated how they make matching buttons for the uniforms using a button machine! After seeing the training studios, we met three of the savings and loan groups that have received business training and coordination support from Transformers. Each AAB member introduced themselves and shared encouraging words with the young women. Wow—we have some good storytellers and motivators on our team!   Margaret Ikiara, AAB member and Founder of CIFORD Kenya, giving a motivational talk to the savings and loans groups coordinating by Transformers Thank you to Faith Episcopal Church in Cameron Park, CA, for supporting the fabric for Transformers Mathare.   Interested in hearing more about Tanya's Kenya trip? Join us this Saturday, April 20, for a live Zoom where Tanya will share stories about her trip so far!

“We know it’s hard for you to see the outcomes of our work because it’s not like we can show you piglets or a building or anything,” the Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Societies (e-CATS) team told me during our catch-up call last month. However, after so many years working with SIA Grant Partners, we know that even when there are tangible, measurable outcomes, they might not be the most important outcomes. Seeing Empowerment “Empowerment” is a huge and nebulous goal, but one of its aspects is helping people see themselves in a new light and finding power within that they can use to direct their lives. The video below from CIFORD Kenya ’s workshop on girls’ empowerment in Meru, Kenya, ends with an example of empowerment beginning to take root. Watch the video , and at minute four, hear the young women proclaim, “I am a leader!” This display of a changed mentality may be the first small step toward the ultimate goal of a changed society with gender equality. For the Visionary Women’s Centre’s (VWC) Mother’s Support Group in western Kenya, it’s the intangible, difficult-to-measure benefits that are deeply important . After sharing the easily measured outcome of how much they saved in their piggy banks, the VWC members shared stories of lives changed through the program. “More than once, when asked how the project has helped them, women will say that before the Mother’s Support Group, they were ordered around and didn’t have any status in the household,” shared Lizette Gilday, one of the VWC leaders. “Now, the women have vegetables, chickens, goats, and cows and can pay for their children and grandchildren’s schooling, and that brings status and standing within their family. One woman said that this status also improved her self-image; now, she is a granny who is smart and educating her children and grandchildren.” Visionary Women's Center members receive their new savings pots (piggy banks) for the year, balancing them on their heads in a playful moment. Seeing change To try to capture some data about intangible changes, Universal Love Alliance (ULA) in Uganda did baseline surveys at their workshop for men who have perpetrated domestic violence. At the beginning of the session, all 27 attendees agreed that “a man’s choice should be accepted as the decision within the family and implemented without question.” During the workshop, the ULA leaders talked about different types of power, including power over, power to, power with, and power within. “After these presentations, the men were split into groups to determine whether they had learned something new. Each person shared with his group members what he learned during the sessions. They demonstrated reception to the ideas presented about living in harmony with their wives, and they laughed with each other as each shared the mistakes and hurt they had caused their wives out of ignorance.” The ULA team will follow up with the men and their wives in another two months to see how the workshops have impacted the family. Men participating in the Men For Women Empowerment workshop run by Universal Love Alliance As for how we might see the impact of e-CATS’s peacebuilding training of trainers workshops, we’ve agreed to have some of the newly-trained peacebuilders lead a session for me and the SIA African Advisory Board when we gather together in Kenya next month! What better way to show success than having the trainers demonstrate what they have learned in person?

Grant funds were sent to 28 grassroots organizations in December and January, kicking off another year of community action by Spirit in Action Grant Partners in Eastern Africa! Programs are underway, and there are already wins to celebrate. Here are 5 recent moments of joy from SIA Grant Partners: 1. 7th-Grade Graduates CAP-AIDS Uganda Seventh grade is the most important school year in Uganda. It's when students take the exams that determine if they can continue to high school. Last year, in partnership with the Charles Wentz Carter Memorial Foundation, SIA funded 70 students to go to 7th grade and take their exams. The results are in! 52 of the 70 students passed their exams, and two received a top grade despite many challenges in their daily lives. Ogwal Lawrence used to miss school because he needed to work tending animals to make money for school fees. SIA covered his second-term fees and the cost of boarding, which meant Lawrence could focus on studying full-time. As a result of his hard work, he earned his first 1 (the top grade) in his life! Well done to all the students who passed! 2. In the pineapple field Kakuuto Development Initiative (KADI) - Uganda How it started... (November 2022) How it's going... (February 2024) The first pineapples are harvested from KADI's communal farm in central Uganda! The fruit takes 12-18 months to grow, and each plant only grows one pineapple. So far this season, they have harvested over 200 pineapples, which they sell to buyers in the next big town. 3. "Let's help each other" Circle of Specialized Educators, Friends of the Disabled Person (CESAPH) - Burundi To physically embody the name of their new project - Dutenzanyimbere  ( Let's help each other ) - CESAPH did an icebreaker with a string to show the members of the savings circle (women and disabled people) that they are stronger together. Cedrick told me, "The string spider web refers to the Ethiopian proverb that says a three-spider web can catch a lion. The game shows that they can reach their goals when they work together. Some participants were instructed to drop the string to show that if some people withdraw from the savings circle, the cooperative loses strength and might collapse." The SIA Grant helps CESAPH establish this new savings circle and train its members in entrepreneurial skills. 4. A celebration of savings Visionary Women's Centre (VWC) - Kenya The members of the Visionary Women's Centre have been saving little bits of money in their clay pots all year, saving between $5-40. This week, they broke them open to invest what they have saved! The women plan to spend their savings on larger purchases (a sheep, a pig, paying off school fees) or small necessities (a new kettle, a rooster, or a thermos). In addition to the items purchased, the women also carry themselves with a new level of confidence and receive respect from family members for what they contribute to the household. Pictured above are the women receiving their new pots for the year, balancing them on their heads in a playful moment. 5. Award-Winning Grant Partners Great Lakes Peace Center (GLPC) - Uganda We are proud to celebrate with Faruk Kibaba, Founder and Executive Director of SIA partner Great Lakes Peace Center, Uganda , for receiving the 2024 Granco-German Peace and Reconciliation Award! This award, given by the French & German Ambassadors in Uganda, recognizes Faruku's contributions to promoting peace and reconciliation in the Kasese region, where GLPC does peace-building and conflict resolution through youth and women empowerment. Spirit in Action's grants have supported 75 people in the GLPC community to raise goats and develop economic security.

This is an excerpt from the sermon Tanya Cothran gave at United Methodist Church, Point Richmond, in October 2023. If you'd like Tanya to come to speak to your congregation, please get in touch ! "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God's people and also members of God’s household.”  - Ephesians 2:19   On my last day in Rwanda, Yannick and Gerry invited me to have lunch at their place. This was in July and at the end of my three-week trip around Malawi, Burundi, and Rwanda in Eastern Africa. When I arrived at their home, Yannick took my drink order – orange Fanta, cold, please – and he walked to the corner shop to buy my drink, along with the other sodas and water that people requested. Gerry gave me a tour of their home in Kigali: two bedrooms – separated from the living room by a curtain, a kitchen area with a propane stove, and the living room, with the couch and a few chairs. Their front door looked into a courtyard where banana trees grew and laundry hung on lines to dry. When Yannick got back with the drinks, the eight of us sat down around the coffee table. There were the three roommates who lived in the house, two of their cousins visiting during school vacations, and then me and my two traveling companions, Manassé and Mwibutsa.   I was on the couch in this simple house with a tin roof, and Benali came out from around the curtain that separated the kitchen from the living room and set down a big platter of food . It was a base of rice covered with beans, cooked tomatoes, small round eggplants cut in half, and two yellow hot peppers on top. They passed around silverware – three of us got spoons, and the other five had forks, and then we all dug into the communal plate. The flavors were amazing. The food was fresh and local, the beans perfectly cooked, and they showed me how to rub the hot pepper on the food to give it the perfect amount of heat. It’s so hot that just rubbing it makes the bite spicy!   While we ate, they chatted and laughed together in Kirundi. The air was relaxed and easy. At one point, I asked what was making them laugh, and Mwibutsa, an SIA African Advisory Board Member who speaks English and Kirundi, told me that they don’t usually use utensils. They were doing it for my benefit, and seeing each other eat with the forks – with beans falling off the edges – was amusing to them.   We ate until the plate was empty, and we were all satisfied. These young men are refugees – Burundians living in Rwanda. Their household is supported in part by Flaming Chalice International , one of Spirit in Action’s grant partners in Burundi and Rwanda. Flaming Chalice provides them with a stipend for shelter and food while they get established in their new city.   The reason they left Burundi is that there was an episode of political turmoil there in 2015. The government cracked down on demonstrators or anyone they thought might be opposed to the government, leading almost half a million Burundians to flee to safety in neighboring Rwanda, Tanzania, and Malawi. Young men, who were seen as a particular threat to the government, were especially targeted, and many of them left Burundi to avoid being arrested and thrown into jail without just cause. Mwibutsa was arrested in Burundi for his social justice work and got refugee status to come to Canada, where he is now a citizen. He continues his work from afar through Flaming Chalice International. Luckily, Rwanda is relatively welcoming to the Burundian refugees . People like Yannick and Gerry were allowed to move there and stay. The languages in both countries are very similar, and the cultures are also similar. However, there are a lot of restrictions on the jobs they are eligible to hold. As happens in the US, most education and degrees from the old country are not recognized in the new country. And though the two indigenous languages are similar, Burundian schools are taught in French, while Rwandan schools are taught in English, meaning that Burundian refugee teachers have to learn a new language and get a new degree to get a job in Rwanda. Even though Yannick is a fantastic driver/chauffeur – and also a cook and all-around helpful guy – he hasn’t been able to find steady work in Rwanda and instead hustles to get short-term jobs whenever he can find them.   "We have a lot we can contribute." Another of Spirit in Action’s partners working with refugees in Rwanda is the Forum pour la Mémoire Vigilante (FMV). When I visited them on my trip, Ferdinand, one of the FMV volunteer leaders, said, “Refugees are not just a liability. We have a lot we can contribute.” The group I visited is a collective of 29 refugee families representing about 120 people, and they are eager to establish stable lives. “We’re tired of feeling vulnerable all the time,” they told me. They don’t want to be inactive members of their new home; they want to feel grounded in the community and add their skills to benefit the community as a whole.   With a Spirit in Action grant, FMV members have built modern pig pens with a cement floor and trough to catch the urine for fertilizer. They purchased three female pigs, one of whom had just given birth to five very adorable piglets when I was there in July. The other two pigs are now pregnant and hopefully will give birth before the end of the year. [January 2024 update, one just gave birth to ten piglets! ]  The piggery project provides livelihood – when they sell the piglets, they’ll get much-needed income – and it also provides the families with purpose, a reason to meet up with each other for social support and to give shape to the day. FMV also leads peacebuilding work in Rwanda, and they teach each other English. They practice their own traditions, too – teaching their children, who have only ever known Rwanda as home – about the traditional drumming of Burundi. As Ferdinand told me, “Even as a refugee, you can still do humanitarian work.”   "Fellow members of God’s household" I hope these stories of lunch eaten from a communal plate and refugee humanitarians and their pig pens paint a fuller picture of what life can be like for a refugee community – the barriers they come up against, the talents, passion, and caring they share, and the potential that exists there, which is the potential that SIA grants help bring to reality.   These visits were profound moments for me of seeing my fellow humans , the fellow members of God’s household, the people behind the label of refugee.   I pray that we always remember the message in Ephesians 2:19, that no matter where we were born or where we live now, we are all fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household.   Thank you, and amen.

Each week in my church, the worship leader invites us into a time when we acknowledge “the many ways that we are connected in this life, affirming that what touches the life of one of us affects us all.” Now is a time on our planet when we must also affirm our shared humanity and acknowledge how our fates are tied together. When I was at the Kigali Genocide Memorial and Museum in Rwanda in July, the message came through clearly that the easiest way to sow violence and justify war is to convince people that they are different from someone else and that they, therefore, deserve different fates. The genocide of the Tutsi in Rwanda, in part, stems from the ethnic identities that the colonialist system imposed on the people in the area now known as Rwanda. These created identities and colonialist messages reinforcing the supposed differences between people set the stage for neighbors to kill neighbors and whole families to be deemed worthy of killing. A similar scenario also led to the mass killings of Tutsis in Burundi in 1993. Even though those genocides were now thirty years ago, SIA Grant Partners are still working to address the ongoing and generational trauma from that horrendous time. Forum pour la Mémorie Vigilante (FMV) is hosting workshops on truth-telling, community dialogue, reconciliation, and trauma healing. In a blog post about the workshops , Pierre Claver Niyonkuru writes that the participants – refugees who experienced violence in Burundi – came to believe that “compassion and recognition of the suffering of others will lead us to forgiveness and reconciliation.” Empathy, recognizing the humanity and feelings of others, and acknowledging the ways we are all connected will lead us to peace. Retaliation and inflicting pain on someone who has hurt you can feel like a good way to settle the score, but all it does is create more harm in more bodies, families, and societies. Let us be God's Light As an organization that values justice and peace and is dedicated to helping people reach their God-given potential, we are constantly working to create more understanding and fewer divisions, especially as we work with people with many different cultures, traditions, practices, and life experiences. During our SIA Board Meetings with members from across North America and Eastern Africa, we take time to check in with one another and share about our lives. We celebrate each person’s uniqueness and also find what connects us. We have discussed what it feels like to be an outsider and what it feels like when someone welcomes you. Once we become known to each other, it’s harder to ignore how the suffering in one affects us all. As people of faith, as the Spirit in Action network, we have a duty to live peace in our own lives and be role models and advocates for peace everywhere . “Politicians, rebels, and all those who use firearms against others have interests that are completely different from ours as humanitarians,” Ferdinand from FMV texted me recently. Years ago, SIA Founder Del Anderson wrote, “ Let us re-affirm today that we shall become God’s Light of sharing, caring partners, blessing all those that God brings into our path with examples of Light.” ( Read the full letter from Del. ) Today, we have the opportunity and obligation to reaffirm that call again to be people of Light, to see our shared humanity, and to fight for each person’s right to live in peace.

After working internationally for sixteen years, I’ve found a few online tools and phone apps that are really helpful for connecting across languages, time zones, and contexts. Here are my top three: 1. World Time Buddy Put in your location, and the location of all those you want to meet with, and this website and phone App helps you find a time that works for people in many time zones. It’s also a good reference for knowing what time it is in the place you’re calling so that you don't wake them up! (SIA Board meetings are held early in the morning in California and the evening in Kenya and Uganda.) 2. Google Translate Copy and paste your text into the box, and the site will automatically translate it into another language. The translations have been steadily improving, and it is good enough for me to translate the emails from our Francophone grant partners and connect with them on a deeper level. The Google Translate App can also use your phone’s camera to scan and automatically translate text on a sign or printed document. Google Translate has English, French, Swahili, and more, but it doesn’t have Kirundi yet! 3. Rome to Rio Find out the many ways to get from one place to another using Rome 2 Rio. Unlike websites that only find flights between two cities, this one will show you a mix of modes of transportation, including train and bus options. *Bonus! Another SIA-related resource I love is ECHOCommunity , a database of information about agricultural practices, including composting, post-harvest storage, and marketing. They have resources in English, French, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda. What websites or Apps do you love when you’re connecting internationally?

Romano Iluku, a peacebuilder in Nairobi, Kenya, with SIA Partner Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Societies (e-CATS), is sharing his skills in south Seattle public schools this month. His good work was highlighted on the front page of the Seattle Times in an article by Claire Bryan . Romano and his team are teaching the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), which helps people respond to conflict in helpful and peaceful ways rather than with violence. The Highline School District in Washington State is investing in these conflict-resolution workshops to reduce violence in their schools without increasing the presence of security guards or medical detectors. When AVP got the call to do the workshops, they reached out to their trainers around the world, and Romano was delighted to get a US visa to come and co-lead the training. Romano first learned about AVP in 2008 in Kenya, and since then, he has worked with the program in different communities in Kenya, as well as in South Sudan, Sudan and Somalia. Read the full news article. Alternatives to Violence in Kenya This year, funded with a SIA grant, e-CATS ran a series of AVP workshops around Nairobi, Kenya. In a short video about the project , e-CATS leaders, including Romano and SIA African Advisory Board member Wambui Nguyo, tell us about the impact of this program in the ethnically diverse and low-income neighbourhood of Mwihoko Githurai. An Enriching Experience When I asked Romano about his experience, he wrote: “My experience of doing the same program here in the USA and in East Africa, in the community and in schools, is enriching. The most important aspect is creating a safe space for young people to start feeling a sense of belonging and respect. That builds their self-confidence and allows them to connect with the inner self and the surrounding environment.” Worldwide , we can all benefit from learning new ways of interacting, communicating, and solving conflict in new and peaceful ways.

When I was scheduling my visit with Reach Girls last month, the fact that it was Independence Day in Malawi wasn’t an issue. “That’s mostly just something that they observe in the capital,” my host, Tiba Zimba, said. “But, there will be a funeral for one of the village headmen that day, so some of the girls related to him will attend the burial.” Trip planning is always a lesson in flexibility, rolling with the changes, and working within the current reality! African Advisory Board Member Naomi Ayot Oyaro and I arrived at the small fishing village of Maganga and met Tiba just before the funeral procession started. We stood to the side of the road and observed until they had passed before continuing our greetings. (Later, when the procession passed the other way, leaving the burial, we paused our testimonies to give our respect.) Over the past two years, Reach Girls has used SIA grants for their tailoring training program, training 25 young women and providing a welcoming space for them to borrow sewing machines and earn money. Currently, they have four machines, which are in constant use. The women are all young mothers who have found renewed hope and financial independence due to the training. “Things are different now,” Menia (in the video below, she demonstrates the treddle sewing machine) told us. “Before, I was roaming around without a purpose.” She stopped going to school when she had her child at sixteen. “As of now, I can meet my basic needs, buy soap, and make clothes for myself and my son.” Watch video on YouTube “This program has changed my life and the lives of others,” said Emma, who is one of the students and also the treasurer for the savings group that the women have started. After any tailor sells an outfit, they contribute 10% to the general fund to maintain their sewing machines. Inez, a young woman of 20 years old, always wanted to become a tailor, but she never had the money to start. She was so excited to join the Reach Girls program to gain sewing skills and access sewing machines. “Basic needs are not a problem for me,” she said with a mix of shyness and pride. “I was able to drink tea with sugar this morning.” The room erupted in applause, honoring Inez’s accomplishment. Tiba Zimba, their dedicated leader, has formed good relationships with the local village headmen to identify the most vulnerable girls in the area for the program. She also works with the Area Development Committee, a government organization tasked with improving the community, which houses the sewing machines in their secure office. Not content to keep the transformation to themselves, the girls have already Shared the Gift by making fourteen school uniforms and giving them out for free to help keep other kids in school. They also get together and have sewing bees to make menstrual pads for girls still in school. This is truly the spirit of love and the ripple of SIA in action! Jennifer, a teacher from the local school, was so delighted with the work of Reach Girls, “I am so happy,” said Jennifer during our gathering. “I’m speechless to share my gratitude. I want to dance, but there is a funeral!”

The Tubunganire Women is a collective of ten savings and loans groups, totally about 300 members, in rural Ryansoro, Burundi. The hill of Ryansoro is far from any bank or financial institution. Before the savings groups, the women would have to go to a neighbor to ask borrow money, and it could be hard to collect the amount needed. Many of the families here don’t have a lot of cash available and lack any sort of credit that so many in the Western world rely on daily. A SIA Grant last year boosted the Tubunganire loan capital so that each group has a bigger pot from which to borrow. Last week, I saw the process of their weekly meeting. Of all the years SIA has been partnering with savings and loans groups, this was the first time I saw one in action. How it Works The women are all illiterate, though they are number literate and have a record book of the money flowing in and out. They each have an ID number and sit in that order each week. First, they collect savings, with most women giving the equivalent of $0.50. For the second round, they contribute any amount they’ve earned from helping each other on their farms. (Group members can pay others to help on their farms for much less than the usual laborer wage and the earnings get added to the loan fund. This is a social time, as much as a money earner for the group.) Finally, they collect for the “rainy day fund,” which is shared with members when they’re in a crisis. After double-counting the funds, members are able to request a loan . They don’t have to give a reason, which gives the borrower a level of privacy and dignity. They pay a small interest rate, which is collected monthly for as long as the funds are borrowed. The Impact During our meeting, Jereni, one of the Tubunganire leaders, shared a testimony. She is a widow and told how the group helped her when her husband fell sick and needed to go to the far-off hospital. She was able to borrow from her savings group to pay the hospital deposit, which is something that never would’ve been possible before the group. When her husband died, she could borrow again to get his body released and bring him home for burial. (It is common for hospitals here to keep the body if a family can’t pay, with the expenses increasing daily until the family can somehow get the money together.) Being able to borrow quickly and easily meant that she could process the illness and death of her husband without the added stress of desperately trying to borrow funds from neighbors. At the end of the year, the members are given back their savings plus their share of the interest paid on the loans. Then, they are able to buy larger items, like chickens, goats, dresses, or fertilizer for the year. The loan boost from SIA is retained for the next year. Coming together to celebrate women My visit was a day of celebration. The local mayor attended, and several of the local councilors. Over 200 community members – mostly women – attended the event. They also arranged for the village’s drumming group to perform, and a dance troupe of young women also performed. Drumming is a sacred activity in Burundi, and the deep resonance of the drums, all in unison, touched my soul. It was such an amazing experience to hear how the savings groups had moved the women into a new place of security and financial independence. Rather than struggling from day to day, they are now wondering how to scale up their collective investment to move the women of Ryansoro to the next level! *A special thank you to the Friends of Tubunganire! The Friends are young people from Ryansoro who now attend school or work in other districts. Since the women only speak Kirundi and don’t know the written language, the Friends write up the SIA reports so that we can follow along with their progress.

Margaret Ikiara Founder and Executive Director of Community Initiatives For Rural Development (CIFORD) Maua, Kenya Margaret Ikiara is the founder and Executive Director of CIFORD, a renowned organization based in Kenya. With a deep commitment to community development and empowerment, Margaret has played a significant role in transforming the lives of vulnerable communities in rural areas, particularly in Meru County. Margaret has dedicated her career to addressing the challenges faced by rural communities, including poverty, food insecurity, gender inequality, and lack of access to essential services. Her leadership and passion for sustainable development have been instrumental in shaping CIFORD's programs and initiatives. Under Margaret's guidance, CIFORD has successfully implemented numerous projects focusing on education, health, agriculture, and women and girls' empowerment. Her approach emphasizes a participatory and community-led model, ensuring local communities are involved in decision-making and taking ownership of the development initiatives. In addition to her work with CIFORD, Margaret has been actively involved in advocacy and policy development at the national and regional levels. She has served as a voice for marginalized communities, advocating for their rights and inclusion in decision-making processes. Government agencies, international organizations, and development partners have sought Margaret's expertise and insights , further amplifying the impact of her work beyond CIFORD's projects. Despite the challenges faced in implementing development projects in rural areas, Margaret remains steadfast in her commitment to creating positive change . Her ability to mobilize resources, forge partnerships, and inspire communities has been instrumental in community project success. Her approach combines grassroots knowledge, innovative solutions, and a deep understanding of the local context, ensuring that interventions are relevant, sustainable, and impactful. Margaret brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the African Advisory Board and, perhaps more importantly, a spirit of warmth and generosity . Margaret is a well-known community leader with ties to many Spirit in Action partners, strengthening the opportunities for more partner collaborations. As part of the SIA African Advisory Board, Margaret looks forward to mentoring new and developing community organizations, promoting the image of Spirit in Action in Africa, and representing the interests of community service organizations on the SIA board. Welcome, Margaret! Meet our other African Advisory Board Members.

Written by Elizabeth Stanley, SIA Administrator SIA Partner TAI Community-Based Organization (TAI CBO) in Kenya works to improve the lives of children, women, marginalized groups, and the general community in Meru County through capacity building and empowerment for sustainable development. Recently, we received a mid-year report on their progress , and we are excited to learn that their initiatives are doing so well! The Meru “ Pregnant Adolescent Girls Training Project” was funded in January 2023 to reduce the mortality rate of children and mothers caused by malnutrition by July 2023. They also aim to increase the number of pregnant adolescent girls and women utilizing community-based health services and to increase health literacy, self-efficacy and peer support. Six training sessions, including educational lectures and demonstrations by Community Health Volunteers, were held covering various topics such as danger signs in pregnancy, preparing for birth, maternal nutrition, and post-natal maternal and infant care. Overall, the project outcomes are very successful. TAI CBO was able to reach 40 girls instead of the original 20 they planned for, and to date, 30 of the 40 girls have graduated. One of the graduates said, “I’m surprised at the information about pregnancy that I didn’t know, but now I know. I must help my fellow girls also to know.” The girls were enrolled in insurance to combat hospital bills, and there have been five healthy deliveries so far! TAI CBO informed us of a key takeaway: "The majority of young adolescent girls have no support system at the community level, and the most challenging situation is where girls who’ve been rejected by their families can stay. " To address this challenge, TAI CBO will work closely with the Children’s Department for reunification. Looking ahead at the next six months, TAI CBO hopes to help the young girls and their families find security by raising chickens for eggs. They also hope to broaden their training to include boys and focus on decreasing the number of adolescent pregnancies in the community. The young graduates with their newly acquired sack gardens! This vertical gardening is handy when space for growing food is not available.

Written by Elizabeth Stanley, SIA Admin Several of our partners have been very busy planting fields and tending to gardens, which ultimately fosters self-sufficiency and sustainability for the communities they serve. It is quite remarkable to see the dedication these organizations have to provide resources which promote long-term sustainability as well community building and empowerment. Mbeere Family of Brethren CBO is an SIA partner in central Kenya that works to empower grassroots people to strive for their basic needs and improve their livelihood through economic empowerment and sustainable livelihood development. We funded water pump supplies, fertilizers, and crop seeds for the farm. Mbeere understands the value of natural resources and lets nothing go to waste. Look at these beautiful tomatoes! One of their members said, "There was not any single drop of water that got lost from my kitchen. After washing all the utensils, I used that water [to] grow ten stems of tomatoes and have harvested now. Am really encouraged!" Our partner, Kakuuto Development Initiatives (KADI) , is a community organization in Uganda working with Muslim and Christian members of rural Kakuuto (some members are pictured below). They have been very busy planting roughly 40,0000 pineapple suckers! This is a collective, income-generating project for KADI members, using land shared by a local landowner. They say, "KADI would like to thank Spirit In Action for the food security and sustainability project, which is ongoing, and provides opportunities for less privileged girls, women and elderly women of the community to lead a self-sustainable livelihood." The rains have started, and they are grateful to be done with planting. We can't wait to see these full-grown pineapples! Manyamula Community Saving and Investment Promotion Cooperative (COMSIP) in Malawi is an active force for change and progress in the community. In November 2019, SIA funds were used to construct an oil factory which helps farmers get better prices for their soybean, sunflower and peanut crops, and they are continuing to expand on this today. Tanya Cothran and Naomi Ayot Oyaro will be going to visit Manymula COMSIP in July!
The sunflower field is big, and the crops are doing well. Winkley Mahowe, the Programs Officer, told us that despite erratic rains, they hope for a good yield this harvest in May. We are also praying for success! Kiini Sustainable Initiative in Kenya provides a platform for underprivileged and marginalized people through mobilization, creating awareness, and utilizing indigenous resources to meet socioeconomic needs in Northern and Central Kenya. SIA funds were used to establish an organic demonstration farm where individuals can receive training on farming technologies and food security principles. Recently, they ran a workshop for community farmers on how to make compost manure, liquid manure and tea manure. This practice will help to keep the soil rich in nutrients for farming and make extra good use of available resources such as food and animal waste. The workshop proved successful, and farmers left with a lot of good information on how to get the most out of their soil. This is another amazing use of resources. Learning to use everything, even what we think of as waste, creates a solid framework for sustainability. Even more delightful, Kiini shared the processes with all of the SIA partners, and many took advantage of the information! Grant partners share knowledge and insight through our SIA Partners WhatsApp chat group, strengthening our community. Encouraging this kind of sharing between grant partners is one of the ways that SIA gives "support beyond the check." This principle of Trust-Based Philanthropy aims to bring more equity and true partnership into grantmaking. See a map of all of SIA's grant partners!

Visionary Women’s Centre (VWC) is one of Spirit in Action’s multi-year partners. This is year three of a three-year commitment to support VWC’s activities to promote prosperity and economic independence among women and families in Turbo, Kenya. Today, we share an exciting update on their plans to become a financially independent organization. Visionary Women’s Centre (VWC) shows western Kenya that women can own land! While women do a lot of the farm work, it is rare for women to have their names on the land titles. On a recent Zoom call, Lizette Gilday, a VWC co-founder with Benter Obonyo, told me about their new piece of land. “Last summer, Benter and I had one of our regular weekly meetings on WhatsApp,” said Lizette. “We were brainstorming ways to enhance our organic gardening programme for our 165 members. We played with the idea of teaching how to build an inexpensive greenhouse with local materials. We found ourselves agreeing that if we were going to build a model greenhouse, we really should have our own piece of land on which to put it. So Benter was tasked with looking for a suitable piece of land. “ Before I knew it, we were investing in 0.7 acres!!! Donors stepped up, and Benter worked hard to find a suitable plot which would be productive, have good water and be accessible to our rural community. She has succeeded!” VWC’s land is right off a paved road, meaning they can access it even during the rainy season when dirt roads are impassible. They are located in the heart of their community, near a school, cultural centre, and grain storage facility. The newly dug well is fifty feet deep and has a good water supply, even at the end of the dry season . When SIA African Advisory Board Member and farmer Dennis Kurgat visited the land, he was impressed with the good land and arable soil. Permanent + Agriculture VWC is embracing the concept of permaculture to develop its land into a model teaching farm and profitable business to support VWC into the future. Eliza, a trained agriculturalist, is on the VWC staff, and the group has engaged Josephat Barasa (JB) of the Practical Permaculture Institute of Kenya as a consultant. VWC Members work the land together to plant bananas in time for the April rains. They are turning the soil with manure to enrich it with nutrients. More from Lizette: “The word permaculture comes from a combination of “permanent” + “agriculture, ” that is to say, to design edible landscapes and food gardens so that they improve and support the local ecosystem. “A permaculture garden is designed to mimic nature, and its design should follow natural principles. A permaculture garden is more than just an organic garden. While organic food production often has innovative elements, a permaculture-designed garden integrates each element into a functional relationship. “The ethics of earth care, people care, and fair share form the foundation for permaculture design and are also found in most traditional societies.” ( See permaculture resources. ) Eliza and JB are planning a dynamic and varied farm system on VWC’s land. Rather than plant just one crop and use expensive fertilizers, they are planning a forest vegetable garden with kale, other vegetables, bananas, and mango trees. They will use manure compost to fertilize the soil and cover crops to reduce evaporation. The community is already noticing their efforts! VWC and JB were featured in a local news video , narrated in a combination of Swahili and English.

This is adapted from part of a sermon by Tanya Cothran to the United Methodist Church in Point Richmond, CA, in October 2022. Read more of the sermon here. It’s a cliché and true sentiment that a silver lining of the pandemic lockdowns was the widespread use of video calls for connecting with people far away. While I couldn’t travel to Eastern Africa for the last few years, Spirit in Action began hosting Zoom sessions with our Grant Partners. Over the previous twelve months, I’ve hosted five sessions, including storytelling and reporting training. Next week, I’ll host a call to kick off the year, where SIA Grant Partners can meet each other and share about their work. During one Zoom session last year, Musa, from Kakuuto Development Initiative , joined from his rooftop! When it was his turn to check in, he said, “you may see the tops of trees behind me; that’s because I’m up on my roof, where I can get better reception for this call!” It was so heart-warming to see his dedication to attending the session. In September, I held a workshop about grant writing with about twenty-five people from Eastern Africa. After going through my presentation, I invited others to share their tips for successful grant applications. Margaret Ikiara, Director of Community Initiatives for Rural Development (CIFORD) in central Kenya, spoke up. She is a force to reckon with and has advocated well for the women in her community – receiving grants from the Global Fund for Women and the Soroptimists for water tanks and sustainable agriculture training. (They live in a very dry part of Kenya, which is drastically affected by the ongoing drought in the Horn of Africa.) On the Zoom call, Margaret advised her fellow grant-seekers to see the grant funders (for example, those of us at SIA) as real humans. “Sometimes we look at the partner as if they are not a real human being, maybe as if they were a machine. But I want to remind people that this is about making friends and building a relationship with them.” She shared how her persistence and patience in slowly building a friendship with a grant officer led to an invitation to apply for a large grant. This is valuable advice for the grant-seekers and was also good for me to hear. It’s always important for me (for those in North America) to remember that real humans are behind each grant application. And it was good for me to remember that some people see me as a disembodied machine! With her words, I was reminded to consciously show up as a warm presence and true partner in my communications with Grant Partners. In between the special times that I get to meet partners in person, these Zoom meetings help us all get to know each other on a human level so that we can build trust and camaraderie as we work together for a better world.

Procession of girls and their parents after graduating from CIFORD's Alternative Rite of Passage program. Together, they chant, "Say NO to FGM." Community Initiatives for Rural Development (CIFORD Kenya) is a SIA grant partner that serves Meru County. The organization has many programs that impact the lives of women, men, and youth, including food security initiatives, environmental conservation, youth mentorship, and vocational training. Earlier this month, we received an update on one important program that SIA helps support, the Girls Alternative Rite of Passage. Below, Margaret Ikiara, Executive Director for CIFORD, describes why this program hugely impacts Meru County, known in Kenya as a hotspot for female genital mutilation (FGM). FGM has been established as a cultural rite of passage that moves girls from adolescence into adulthood. Though the practice has been outlawed in Kenya, many families continue practicing FGM secretly because of their personal experiences and history. CIFORD has seen the many negative impacts FGM has on girls, including trauma, excessive bleeding, death, school absences, and earlier engagement in sexual activity, often resulting in teen pregnancies. To combat this human rights violation, CIFORD has developed their Alternative Rite of Passage program for girls between 11 and 16 years old. The program was attended by 203 girls and included six days full of curriculum on topics such as the history, myths and facts of FGM, reproductive health, sexuality, early marriage, drug and substance abuse, stress management, and career development. Students were kept safe at the center during the time of year when the FGM ritual often happens and were visiting and working with the trained program staff. Participants also received menstrual packs that included pads, underwear, and bras. Girls participating in educational seminars as part of CIFORD Kenya's Alternative Rite to Passage Program. A group of girls graduating from Alternative Rite of Passage pose with Kanana, a staff person for CIFORD.
To round up the week of learning, the girls are celebrated with a graduation ceremony attended by community leaders and parents. Students provided entertainment with dance and song performances and dramatic skits and shared speeches about the importance of girls' education and the dangers of FGM. Empowering girls with this knowledge also helps them to begin conversations about these issues at home with their family and friends. While there are many challenges CIFORD faces in their program operations, such as their vast coverage area, difficulty with transportation, and impacts of COVID and drought, Margaret sees that there is growing support for this work from both women and men. She hopes to convene even more people in 2023.
S pirit in Action is proud to support CIFORD Kenya again this year with a grant that will help the organization to expand its reach and offer additional educational seminars on sexual and reproductive health for girls and gender equality training targeted to school boys and young men. By bringing more folks to the table, CIFORD hopes to end the inhumane practice of FGM. And thanks to you, SIA can be a small part of creating brighter, more hopeful futures for girls in Kenya.

Excerpt from a sermon by Tanya Cothran to the United Methodist Church in Point Richmond, CA, in October 2022. One of the groups applying for a $5,000 Spirit in Action grant [which was approved in December!] works with farmers in Malawi, training them in a set of principles called Farming God’s Way. As described by Tombolombo Cooperative leader Mbwenu Chirwa, this method takes people “back into the garden of Eden where there was plenty of food.” Mbwenu’s program uses that promise of abundance from God coupled with agroecology methods, which improve the soil and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Their tomato gardening project will use drip irrigation (which uses less water), organic pest management (reducing the need for fertilizers), and intercropping (to grow more varieties of food in a small area). A section in our grant application asks about the community’s contribution to the project. The goal behind this question is two-fold. In part, it is for the grant evaluators to see the community’s buy-in and commitment to the project. However, it is also there because I know it can be easy in North America to slip into a savior mindset, where we think we are the only ones with resources to share. This question is a way of celebrating and honoring what the community brings to the table. Tombolombo Cooperative lists that for their community contribution, they are bringing labor, compost, and virgin soil. Reading that list, especially the last item – virgin soil – stirred something deep inside me. Spirit in Action may be sending money, but that virgin soil contribution is so precious and so valuable. We design our grant application to help us remember these community contributions and to value them in our evaluation. As another example of community contribution, the Women of Change in Cherangany, Kenya, noted their community contribution as transport labor. Spirit in Action is supporting them this year to build a community centre in their rural village. It’ll be a place where neighbors can meet, exchange ideas and tips, and generally have a place to gather and belong. However, their village is situated down many winding roads along the edge of the Rift Valley. The trucks carrying the building supplies, like cement and rebar, aren’t able to drive on those small roads. So community members contribute to the project by carrying the materials – by hand, and walking – the last 100 meters to the building site. Back and forth they go until they have all the materials assembled—just a fantastic contribution to their community development. Recognizing the contributions of both parties moves Spirit in Action towards our goal of true partnership with grant partners.

Pictured: Rev. Fulgence Ndagijimana Spirit in Action recently received an update from Rev. Fulgence, one of our African Advisory Board Members and the Executive Director of SIA grant partner, Flaming Chalice International . Below we share a bit of his story in his own words. "This year, I made one of the hardest decisions I have ever made and returned home for a visit to Burundi. You might remember that seven years ago I escaped prison there... Since that time, with your generous support, I have worked to support the people I was forced to leave behind. We have built many things together that I thought I would never see with my own eyes. A change in government combined with my Canadian citizenship opened a window of opportunity. I knew that to go back would be to risk my life." As the stars aligned, Rev. Fulgence was able to visit the villages in Burundi where he grew up. He witnessed firsthand how funding such as that from SIA has helped transform the community. The Ryansoro water project has lessened the burden on women to transport water to their families and decreased disease rates, truly saving lives. A video of children in Ryansoro drinking clean water from the new pump! "I was amazed by how the people and communities I saw are so resilient," wrote Fulgence. "I saw refugees who are alive and hopeful. I saw women who are active and working hard to be equal partners with their husbands. I saw young people who have decided to stay in the villages to keep them alive and help them thrive."

During his visit, Rev. Fulgence took in all the feedback he could get about what was needed and what was next for Flaming Chalice. Food prices have doubled, causing undue strain on the refugee community. With the area's main hospital being a great distance from the remote villages, another common complaint was the need for a vehicle to use as an ambulance to transport the critically ill; many families had already lost loved ones that could have been prevented if there had been more time to perform life-saving measures. Women and youth also shared their dreams of starting businesses and creating savings and loans programs, efforts that could go back into building the sustainability of their community.

Rev. Fulgence continues to fight the good fight on behalf of the people of Burundi and continues to evolve the work of Flaming Chalice to meet the needs. "I have seen with my own eyes the difference you have made in these communities. They are fighting every day and overcoming immense obstacles... Thank you so much for doing all you can to help FCI touch and change lives."
Spirit in Action is proud to partner with organizations like Flaming Chalice International that provide easily accessible clean drinking water to hundreds of families and school children throughout several villages in Burundi. When you support SIA, you are contributing to the continued success of people like Rev. Fulgence and building a better tomorrow.

SIA Board President Kathleen King and SIA Executive Director, Tanya Cothran, are in Uganda this week, visiting our grant partners and witnessing the amazing work they are doing there. Here is an update from the trip: Visiting KADI in the Rain “Visitors who come with rains, come with blessings.” And so everyone was in good spirits as we walked through the farm in a massive downpour of rain. We visited SIA Partner Kakuuto Development Initiative (KADI) in Luwero District in Central Uganda on Wednesday. ( See a map of our trip so far. ) They have a new pineapple plantation; a local company donated the plant suckers, and the local council lent the land. Pineapples self-propagate so they can continue to expand the plantation as a way to become a self-sustaining organization! KADI, like many SIA Partners, is entirely volunteer-run. We were impressed by the diverse team of volunteers and the strong show of community support contributing to these deveDouglas'initiatives. CAP-AID Home of Hope (& Peaceful) The CAP-AIDS Home of Hope invites teen girls from the Lira area who have suffered abuse by parents, had traumatic abortions, lost parents, been raped, and provides them with a safe and comfortable home and vocational training for a six-month period. From the moment we walked into the compound, I felt a sense of peace and calm so different from the busy roads outside the gate. The young women welcomed us with songs and the baking team had made an excellent vanilla tiered cake. They are near the end of their six months and their faces reflected a joy that I’m told was not there when they arrived. I was asked to give some words of encouragement and felt almost at a loss of how to speak to all they had been through. Watch a video of their welcome song: Douglas' Photography: Then & Now This week we were able to visit Douglas in Aboke in Northern Uganda. Douglas was orphaned at birth and raised by his grandmother. In 2018, he received business training from our coordinator, Naomi, and a $150 Small Business Fund (SBF) grant from SIA. When SIA visited in 2019, Douglas sold produce and raised pigs with his grant. He lived in a basic thatched roof hut on a property with his grandmother and was beginning to expand into photography. With his infectious laugh and endearing smile, we enjoyed visiting Douglas this week and hearing him share his many accomplishments. Despite many new challenges created by the COVID lockdown, he has been able to save and build himself a new tin-roofed, cement-floored home! He now has a mobile photo studio which he brings to events in the community, and he has created a growing business selling shoes. Douglas is very entrepreneurial, and he meets up regularly with another nearby SBF recipient. They can talk through business plans, similar struggles and ideas for future growth. We're here for one more week and will be travelling in Western Uganda tomorrow! Click for more photo updates!

Our African Advisory Board was on the ground with many of our Spirit in Action Grant Partners this past month to check up on the progress of their projects and take notes about what's next in the year to come. Board representative Fulgence Ndagijimana, who took several visits to groups in Burundi and Rwanda, is pictured above visiting with a woman from the Tubunganire Association, which has a pig rearing project. The project is part of what they call their "solidarity chain," and is a way to pass on the blessings of one family to another. This group has had a huge impact working to empower its members, most of whom are illiterate women. Another Board member, Dennis Kurgat, made the rounds to organizations located in the western part of Kenya. During his trip he connected with the Springs of Hope Foundation where young women attend trainings while staying at a boarding house. Here, they make bags and reusable sanitary pads that they are able to then sell for a profit. Graduates from the program go on to find jobs at tailoring businesses in the growing city of Nakuru in Kenya. Women hard at work in the sewing training program at the Springs of Hope Foundation. By reading the reports of these visits we are reminded of the sheer will and determination that SIA grantees possess in order to create positive and sustainable solutions to their community needs!
Dennis was also able to visit Cherangany to witness the building progress of a new Community Training Center. Construction has been slow due to impassable roads, materials are dropped off at a nearby farm and youth have been hired to carry the materials bit by bit to the building site. A true team effort that requires creative problem-solving to keep the momentum moving forward! African Advisory Board Member Dennis Kurgat exploring the grounds of future home of the Cherangany Community Training Center in the Rift Valley on the western edge of Kenya. Wambui Nguyo, another African Advisory Board Member, showed perseverance herself when she made the trek at 3:00 a.m. to visit with organizations TAI CBO and CIFORD in Kenya Central. These grantees found a common thread and have partnered to provide agricultural training for women living in areas affected by drought. With their strong community ties and connection to one another as a resource, they are multiplying their impact, bringing both hope and economic independence to the people they serve. Meeting between two SIA Grant Partners: TAI CBO and CIFORD. Below, African Advisory Board Member Naomi Ayot Oyaro, shares a video testimonial about her visit to the Great Lakes Peace Center in Uganda. Along with their typical programs aimed at advocacy and mentorship, the GLPC has been busy supporting disaster recovery efforts for folks that have been affected by recent flooding from the river Nyamwamba in the Kasese District. We are so thankful to both the African Advisory Board and the North American Board for their service to Spirit in Action. Working together, we are able to better understand the needs of our grant partners and to make the best decisions around how to disburse funding that will have long-lasting impact for the communities we work in.
Written by Callan Brown, SIA Admin Assistant

Winkley (pictured above) is the Coordinator of the Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative and has been hard at work to get a machine that filters sunflower oil up and running. The Cooperative originally purchased the machine in 2019, funded through a partnership between Spirit in Action and the Sumar-Lakhani Foundation . Since then, it has presented many obstacles for the Cooperative to overcome before it could be fully efficient and effective for the needs of this remote village. The road into Manyamula is truly rural ; you can see there are no main power lines. The first challenge the Cooperative faced was realizing they needed an upgraded power line to operate the machine. Resolving this took many official letters from the SIA Office and many visits from the Cooperative staff to the national power company to get a brand new 3-phase electrical connection in the village . Once they finally connected the machines to power, the team soon discovered that the motor for the filter did not work. They could press the sunflower seeds but had to filter the oil by cranking a hand pump—new parts for the filter needed to be ordered and delivered from another part of the country. Once the part arrived, an electrician could help get the motor filter started, and now, it is finally functioning as originally intended. This is the downtown Manyamula market where farmers come to sell their maize/corn crops. Cooperative members, who are all small-landholder farmers, grow sunflowers and share in the profits of selling the sunflower oil that is made from pressing the seeds. The machine has been a significant value-add to the agricultural development of this area. The mass left behind after the oil is pressed from the seeds is also a valuable product. Sunflower "cake" is sold to livestock farmers to feed their cattle, pigs, and goats. This lengthy path to an operational machine is a reminder of the hardships that SIA Grant partners must endure to make progress on what are typically seen as simple solutions or minor community initiatives. Mercy Zimba collects the filtered oil from the machine. One quart goes for k2,700 (about $2.65) Watch Winkley discuss the operation of the filtering machine below: ( Link to the video with Winkley ) This is a huge development for the remote village of Manyamula, and it is a well-earned achievement of the Cooperative. SIA is continually in awe of the sustainable impacts organizations are creating through small grants and the Sharing the Gift concept!

As inflation rises and climate change impacts weather and rain patterns, food security and the development of sustainable agricultural practices is the number one priority for many of Spirit In Action's grant partners. Collaborations between different community organizations is crucial to spread resources to reach as many as possible and provide individuals with the tools they need to stabilize their families. Sharing the Gift for Neighbors in Need To see two SIA grant partners coming together to create a multiplied impact for the communities they serve is a beautiful thing. Earlier this month, the Ubuntu Life Foundation and Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Societies held a joint event to distribute food to people living in Githurai, a low-income area outside of Nairobi, Kenya. This emergency food support is critical; A recent article from African news outlet, The Continent , reported how the costs of food and cooking products have risen to alarming rates, "a litre of cooking oil has risen by nearly 42% and the cost of 2kg bag of wheat by roughly 25%." Before the war, Kenya imported 34% of its wheat from Russian and Ukraine. It is not unusual for Kenyan's to spend roughly half of their household income on food. At this distribution event, families received staples like rice, grains, and cooking oil. Another partner organization, CIFORD Kenya has received over $3k in emergency funding from SIA to help with immediate food needs related to the rise of inflation. "In Tigania, it's not about the economic times but the lack of food. Due to lack of rains, many families are sleeping hungry with no hope for the next meal. " Pictured here is a food distribution event that CIFORD Kenya held for the Kaongo primary school. "We can sacrifice to share with others... this food will retain the children in this school." Strengthening Communities Through Agriculture Other SIA Partner organizations are tackling the issue of food security through programs that expand agricultural practices. The Great Lakes Peace Center in Uganda brought families together that were displaced after recurring flooding in the area of Bulembya. Great Lakes provided 25 families with goats that will jumpstart their mental well-being and recovery, "the activity has increased the spirit of togetherness... and has helped them to become more innovative," shares the team. Goats are an important part of sustainable agriculture - they provide a vital source of income for farmers who can sell their milk, meat, cheese, butter, and hides. The Tubunganire community garden produces vegetables such as cabbage, tomatoes, onions, and eggplants . With SIA funding, a "solidarity chain" has been started by grantee Tubunganire with the planting of a community garden and the distribution of a number of pigs to members in the community. The name of the organization means "let's add to their efforts" in Kirundi, the language of the Burundi people. Groups like the Great Lakes Peace Center and Tubunganire are also helping to empower women - as women often do the planting on farms and manage animals like goats, they are able to gain more financial freedom . Being able to afford daily household needs and expenses such as children's school fees without having to rely on men or their families, is a huge win for women in these areas as they continue to strive for greater independence. Spirit in Action continues to be responsive to the needs of our grant partners and is proud to support the collaborative efforts of organizations working for food security for all.

The motto on the front page of Spirit in Action’s website is “Supporting Grassroots Solutions.” That means we look to local organizations for solutions to problems in their communities . Our grant partners are “ears in the community,” listening to people’s challenges and getting creative about moving towards positive change. Supporting Women Many of SIA’s grant partners are passionate about promoting equality for women. Grants to Pastoralist Child Foundation and Community Initiatives for Rural Development in Kenya fund girls’ empowerment seminars and help advocate against female genital cutting. CAP AIDS in Uganda houses groups of girls who have experienced violence at home, giving them psychological support and marketable skills training. Universal Love Alliance (ULA) in Uganda forms women’s self-help groups, which serve as savings clubs, communal animal husbandry projects, and emotional support groups for rural women. An alternative rite of passage parade held in Maua, Kenya. During the workshops, girls are taught the value of education and about sexual and reproductive health. Not Enough These programs have a profound impact on the women and girls who participate. Yet, ULA and other grant partners have begun to notice that it’s not enough to bring awareness, support, and opportunity to women without changing the habits and practices of the men in their families. “We conducted a study in 2020, and we found for women’s rights and empowerment to succeed, there needed to be an end to violence against women,” says Turinawe Samson, Director of ULA. “For that, we needed to target the men committing this violence.” Changing Mindsets This year, ULA is hosting a series of workshops to talk to men about moving from a patriarchal mindset toward a mindset that centers justice , equality, caring, and empathy for women in the household. So far, they have held a workshop for fourteen older men with histories of domestic violence and one for twenty-two young men who are students at the local university. The one-day workshops cover topics like: · What is empowerment, and what is women’s empowerment? · What are masculinity and femininity? · What is patriarchy? · Dangers of patriarchy to men and the general public · Power and types of power · Stereotyping and stigma · Justice and human rights At the beginning of the workshop, the ULA team administered a survey to gauge the baseline understanding of the topics. “Their responses were largely academic,” writes Samson, “as if they were in school, giving what they believed the teacher wanted to hear though they didn’t believe it themselves.” Over the course of the discussions with the young men, Samson found that they were quick to grasp the range of topics and to question some of the cultural and social-constructed beliefs around gender and hierarchy. “ These young people love their mothers and sisters just like any other young person does. The vulnerability of seeing their fathers abuse their mothers makes them feel compassion for women, and they want to help to stop violence against women.” By the end of the workshop, they had created a safe space where the men could talk about their own experiences of hurting women or witnessing violence in their homes. The post-workshop survey found that the men were newly committed to spreading the word about women’s empowerment and forming clubs at their universities for men about women’s empowerment. “These young people are leaders of tomorrow,” concludes Samson. “Opening these discussions and empowering them to protect women is a good plan; soon, they will be husbands, fathers, executives, and political leaders.” After the ULA workshop, some of the young men have agreed to continue meeting with ULA leaders to discuss how they can support the women in their lives. This is just one example of SIA grassroots partners designing creative and effective actions for greater love and justice in the world. A Spirit in Action grant funds the administration costs of Universal Love Alliance so that its staff has adequate support to run their impactful programs.

This writing from SIA Founder Del Anderson was excerpted in our latest newsletter . I am sharing the full piece here. Listening Since listening is one of the less developed areas in my own life, an article by Morton T. Kelsey has helped me greatly. I believe Lucile [my wife] is one of God’s outstanding listeners, and I have observed the many people she has been able to help through this gift. In the past, I have not recognized and acknowledged my own need to learn and practice this gift of God’s: listening. Since reading Kelsey’s essay, I am beginning to take responsibility and to be aware of my need to practice learning to really listen to people. Two Scripture quotations set the tone: “The Lord is in God’s holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before God.” (Hab. 2:20), and “Be still and know that I AM God.” (Psalm 46:10) Morton Kelsey says, “Unless we listen to human beings, we do not know what they are. So we treat them by what we think they are rather than what they really are. In such cases, we project either positive or negative elements of ourselves upon other human beings and try to force them into the pattern of what we think they ought to be. This may be a kind of communication with ourselves, but it is certainly no communication with the other person and no basis for real relationship.” Kelsey further says, “There is no other way to learn to listen to God except by learning to listen to human beings.” This was a shocker for me. Then I ask myself, “What is listening?” It is surely listening in a silent, active, non-judgmental, sensitive, and loving way, with a caring heart and mind, and a receptive, alive, awareness. I am becoming aware now that as I talk, I am not listening. In Scripture, St. James says some very critical things about the lack of rational control of our tongues. Often this uncontrolled talk is to cover our shyness and insecurity. Then, how do I become silent as I listen to others? I allow myself to be silent with other people, silent not only in speech but also in my inner response, an inner silence. I neither agree nor disagree with what is said. As I really listen it opens the way for people to be what they are. Listening does not control nor censor. As I listen, I am learning to feel secure in my own beliefs and not feel threatened. I must develop an inner security if I want to listen deeply. Thus, this unfolding process is growing and strengthening me, through God’s mysterious chemistry of God’s Spirit. As I am guided by Spirit and listen creatively, I am being given greater assurance, faith, and confidence. I start listening as an act of will, and then God is enlarging my faith and confidence. I need not always remain silent. I may ask questions or amplify and clarify what is being said. Listening is love in action. It is one level of prayer. Listening assists me to penetrate through my human ego and “hear the Spirit of God which dwells in the heart of every person.” Real listening is a religious experience. It is awesome; one method of worship. As I said before, listening has been one of the missing links in my spiritual growth. Though I spend time daily listening to God, alone in the Silence, I have failed to realize the need for me to listen to people, even on a superficial level, as they begin to talk. I need to listen to their small concerns, their interests, desires, and hopes. There is no other way we Christians may become a family of God, a redemptive fellowship. As we listen to one another, slowly and gently, we, the one speaking and the listener, move into a deeper, more sensitive level of being. When one is really listened to, they feel of value, new hopes are raised: perhaps there is another who cares and understands after all. No one can really believe that another person cares about them until that person will listen. As we “feel” the pain of the other, we do bear their burden with them. Surely, this is what Jesus, the Christ, does for us. We can only know each other as we know each other’s darkness as well as our light. Now, we are in a position to be used by God in God’s Healing Light and the process of recognizing, acknowledging, affirming, and claiming the Christhood within each other. Then we are God-bearers for and with each other. How awesome! What a mystery, what depth of each human soul! The questions we may ask are how can we live and deal creatively with a person we do not know? How can we know someone to whom we have not listened? “The ability to listen is a prerequisite to love," says Kelsey. "All creative human relationship is based upon listening.” I am being “called” to be a creative listener. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” LISTEN, LISTEN, LISTEN! ~Del

In the rural village of Manyamula in northwestern Malawi, almost everyone has a small plot of land for farming. Families grow their own food and can sell any extra food to add to the household income. When I've visited Manyamula in the past, people often ask me where I get my food since I don't have a farm. The staple crop is maize, which has harder kernels than sweet corn and is ground, pounded, and then cooked into a polenta-like dish called nsima. Nsima is served at every meal, often with tomatoes, onions, and greens. When people can afford meat, they add chicken or dried fish. Because people in Manyamula rely on having land to grow their food, it can be a struggle for some young people to get established on their own land. Leaders of long-time SIA Grant Partner Manyamula Community Savings and Investment Promotion Cooperative are concerned that more and more young men are traveling to nearby South Africa to work as informal laborers in the mining and construction industries. This emigration breaks up young families and can be emotionally and physically exhausting. With its role to promote community development, the Cooperative has an interest in keeping these young families together and prospering at home. Seed Grants Last fall, Spirit in Action helped the Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative apply for a grant from Seed Programs International (SPI) , which helps farmers around the world gain access to quality seeds. In February, the Cooperative distributed 1,000 packets of vegetable seeds to around fifty farmers in Manyamula. About half of the farmers were between the ages of 18 and 35. Winkley Mahowe, Executive Director of the Cooperative, reported on their progress. "With high anticipation, farmers are busy working the ground, hoping that the path to a better economy will be possible when the crops mature . In some gardens, crops are about to manure, and sales should start soon, while others are sowing now. Of all the seeds provided, tomatoes do very well in both germination and growth." Farmers Coming Together The young farmers have formed a club to use Seed Programs International's seeds and share ideas and experiences. In their one-acre garden plot, these young farmers from Chiswa Village have planted tomatoes, cucumber, carrots, and eggplant. They have constructed a drip irrigation system, placing buckets on a pedestal at one end of the plot. They fill the buckets, and then the water flows through plastic tubes to the holes at each planting station. This system is a significant improvement over the tedious work of hand watering each plant, which is how most farmers in Manyamula do their watering. Beyond building food security, this young farmers club is also an emotional support system. "These are generally the people that have just pulled out of school and do not have the direction on their own to earn a living," Winkley explains. "Being a member of such a group gives them many advantages. One of the benefits is learning new ideas for facing life challenges."

The 2022 Spring & Summer Newsletter is here! Eight widows living with HIV/AIDS in Makueni County, Kenya were trained on bee farming and received start-up kits. All the hives have bees and they have started making honey! The training was hosted by SIA Grant Partner Ndekanga Self-Help Group. In this newsletter we feature: 14 graduates from the Home of Hope in Uganda Two SIA Grants that are supporting financial empowerment for women in Kenya Photo collage of SIA Partners and their community impact Inspiration from Del Anderson, "Listening is Love in Action" Read the full newsletter and donate now to support the work of Spirit in Action. Thank you for supporting the work of our partners for more justice in the world! #newsletters #inspiration #DelAnderson #honey

Written by Gloria J. A majority of students in East African countries study in boarding schools. Some schools have day students who commute daily from home, in addition to boarding students who stay for several months at a time. Other schools, especially high schools, are strictly boarding schools. There are breaks within the academic term where students can go home for a week or have parents visit them on assigned visiting days. Schools are closed for the holidays, which are the months of April, August, and December, and students spend time at home. Enrolling in boarding school is mainly for students in the upper primary school (class 6-8) and high school. They are expected to devote more time to their academics since they spend more time in school. Students in the lower grades can join as early as they wish. Boarding schools are seen as a home away from home. Children acquire skills such as responsibility, respect, accountability, and a sense of community and freedom. This further encourages social and emotional stability among the students. Education for Burundian Refugees in Rwanda Founded in October 2018 by Burundian refugees, Forum pour la Memoire Vigilante (FMV) works to provide humanitarian assistance to vulnerable populations in Rwanda . The refugees have been living in Rwanda since the year 2015 when Burundi experienced civil war following the third term of the former President of Burundi, the late President Nkurunziza. In a new partnership between Spirit in Action (SIA) and FMV, the organization is meetings one of its core goals of supporting education. In late 2021, SIA offered a grant worth $,1000 to help support education among Burundian refugees living in Rwanda. With this grant, FMV is starting a project that would help monitor the progress of the children they support in boarding schools across the country. The objective of this project is to support the children both financially and emotionally. FMV endorses the children's education and mental and emotional health in the program. The project aims to positively impact both the children and their parents and includes visits each semester. Several activities happened in the previous months that have enabled the success of this project. Positive Parenting In January, Sindayigaya Godefroid organized a parenting seminar with twenty-seven parents in attendance. The purpose of the meeting was positive parenting and its impact on children. The report from FMV showed that some parents could not provide the essential care that their children would need. This would destabilize the child's education. One child said: "I have never heard my parents saying to me 'I love you.'" Parents were encouraged to positively reinforce their kids at home to help shift their outlook. They learned how to praise their children, show acceptance, teach them respect, show empathy, and nurture them. Read more on FMV's website: https://www.memoirevigilante.org/2022/02/15/fmv-road-to-parenting-positive-ways/ Visiting Students In February, Vincent, a member of FMV, visited ten children studying and boarding in the Muhanga District. FMV wants to ensure that these refugee students are settling in well to their boarding schools and that they feel encouraged and cared for , in spite of the new situation. Vincent found that most children did not experience discrimination based on their refugee status and that their grades were good. More school visits were made by Freddy and Magnes, members of FMV in the Butare, Huye, Muhanga, and Kigali Districts. The recommendations for these visits were to make them regular and consistent to encourage the children and know they are not alone; someone cares. By visiting these schools and supporting the parents, FMV, in collaboration with SIA, was able to assess the environments and well-being of the refugee students in boarding schools and their parents. This further gave insight on how best to serve and make sure the children grow up in a conducive environment that fosters education. Parents were enlightened on positive parenting skills that are expected to have a constructive outcome on the development and advancement of the children. Our hope is for children to succeed and be healthy and happy.

One of the far-reaching effects of the war in Ukraine is dramatically rising costs of basic goods across much of the African continent. Eastern Africa imports significant percentages of its wheat, cooking oil, fertilizer, and petrol from Ukraine and Russia. Supply disruptions lead to cost increases in these basic needs, affecting those vulnerable people and small-scale farmers that SIA Partners support. Impact in Kenya From SIA Partner Jennifer Hughes-Bystrom of Springs of Hope: "I'm sure you'll be hearing this from your board in East Africa if you haven't already. The cost of gasoline affects the cost and availability of food and the cost of public transportation. I asked our manager to go to town and stock up as prices are going up daily. Maize, which is normally 3,000/- [Kenyan Shillings] for a 90 kg bag was 4,000/-, and she had to search for the last two remaining bags in the market. Beans, normally 6,000/- for a 90 kg bag, were 7,200/-. Christina Phiri, a SIA Small Business Fund recipient, sells beans in the marketplace in Malawi, 2019 "I don't know what the people who rely on seasonal work in the fields, usually single mothers, are going to do. Plus, it's an election year which may become the perfect storm for violence and looting." The value of the Kenyan Shilling compared to the US dollar has also dropped 10% in the last two years, after being steady for over a decade. SIA Partner Lilian Wanjira of Ubuntu Kenya: "What's worse is that it hasn't rained as usual . So despite everything, Kenyans should first pray for rain." Lush corn fields after the rains in 2019. Eldoret, Kenya. Kenya usually has two rainy seasons each year - starting in March and October. Impact in Rwanda From SIA African Advisory Board Member Fulgence Ndagijimana: "I spoke to Yannick yesterday, who works with Burundian refugees in Rwanda. He told me that the conflict between Ukraine and Russia is an excuse for everything to be almost double in price , especially food items like beans and cornflour, which do not come from Ukraine or Russia but are high in price because of speculation and transportation costs. Cooking gas is probably the most expensive item of all. The concern is that what they have will not carry them through the next weeks. The situation is the same in Burundi, where some women in rural areas are faced with the same problems. A SIA Grant in 2017 helped a group of Burundian refugees open a cafe and community hang-out spot in Rwanda. Resilience In the short term, the SIA Boards (North American and African Advisory Boards) agreed to increase the emergency funds available for immediate hunger relief in our partner communities. In the long-term, this situation highlights the great value of the food security programs that our SIA Grants support. Organic farming can reduce the need for fertilizers and protect the soil. Community-led savings and loans groups can help people diversify their businesses and tide them over until harvest time. We invite you to keep these concerns – for peace, for food security, for the rains – in your prayers in the coming weeks. The Mother's Support Program from the Visionary Women's Center (a SIA Partner) recently gave women five chickens each to assist with household income and financial security. The women are balancing their savings pot on their heads. They will save for one year before using the funds.

Over the weekend, we celebrated 25 years of community partnership through Spirit in Action. 48 people attended from 4 different countries That so many people chose to spend their Sunday afternoon/evening/night on Zoom with us was so heartwarming. $4,096.57 raised for future grants The average SIA grant is $4,000 this year. We raised enough for one more grant next year! Thank you to all who support SIA throughout the year. 5 = God's grace; 25 = Grace upon grace "The number five symbolizes God's grace, goodness, and favor. Grace is a spontaneous gift," said Amber Picou-Broadnax at the event. The invitation was to give in increments of $5! You can donate to this anniversary campaign here . Watch the whole program here: Part of the joy of the event was seeing how much we’ve grown in recent years. 25 partner organizations in 2022 The African Advisory Board has helped us identify and connect with many more grassroots organizations. Five years ago, we supported just a handful of organizations. $114,881 in grants for 2022 programming That's a 175% increase from five years ago! Average grant is $4,000 Communities add our grant funds to the resources already in the community to implement their programs for positive change. See where our grant partners are working: Click here to see the map in Google Maps Thank God for Zoom! 6 Grant Partner workshops in the past 12 months This is part of the on-going work of connecting with and building up the SIA Africa community An average of 18 people attended each workshop On the last call, one participant joined the Zoom call from up on his roof because that’s where he could get the best reception. That dedication to being part of the SIA community is inspiring! 34 participants in our SIA Partners WhatsApp group chat These participants are from 5 countries, including SIA grant recipient organization leaders, SIA African Advisory Board members, and me, the SIA Executive Director. As Wambui Nguyo said in her video at the event, "Long live Spirit in Action. Long live Del Anderson's dream!"

Just ten more days! On March 27th at 2pm PDT (5pm EDT), you are invited to see the impact of Spirit in Action Partners and hear about our 25 years of passionate service. We will have testimonies from Kenya, Burundi, and Uganda telling of the change in their communities. There will also be music from Malawi and Uganda, and a peek at what's in store for SIA in the next few years. Please RSVP here to attend. Del Anderson, the founder of SIA, wrote almost daily about his journey of faith in action. Today I share his thoughts from 2005 when Del was 99 years old. Wisdom from Del: "We can't learn until we unlearn" We accept each challenge, each change. Day by day is growth, change, fresh manna each day. Yesterday's manna is not good enough for today. My focus is coming forth as this new person each day. On this pilgrimage from sense to soul, from self to Christ, from outer to inner, meditation is our blessed tool. Meditation, contemplative meditation, and prayer are three of God's greatest tools. God's Kingdom is within us. We need to let it come forth, step by step, here on earth. It's an ever-changing world and I'm learning so much. I am seeing that every person is an expression of God, no matter where they are in their pilgrimage. We need a time apart daily to prepare our hearts and still our minds. Let us remember that our life is not a life of feeling in reaction to outer conditions. It is our privilege to choose to live in the region of Spirit where the will of God produces God’s eternal operation. If we plan to become proficient as a swimmer, or in any athletic adventure, we need to condition the body and practice, practice. There is, likewise, a period of preparation in attaining spiritual maturity and an effective prayer life. No skill is attained without steady focused interest, some understanding of and response to the Will of God. It does require a real desire to change. We feel secure in the way we are. Changes don't make us feel as secure. So much of what we have to do is unlearn, as well as learn. We can't learn until we unlearn. We have to unlearn the present. Don't miss our big celebration! See what SIA partners are doing in their communities. Register to attend here.

by Gloria J. Flaming Chalice International (FCI) is an organization that invests in the future of refugees and communities in Rwanda and Burundi. Spirit in Action (SIA) has been a crucial partner in their community work for the past two years. Last year, SIA provided a grant that allowed FCI to revise and further support its programming. Through SIA support, FCI has been able to cover the salaries of three people who ensure that all work is implemented. It also covered office rent at the Bujumbura and Rutuna offices, administrative costs, water, electricity, and communication charges. “FCI is one of our new multi-year grant partners,” explains Tanya Cothran, Executive Director of Spirit in Action. “SIA has said up-front that we will fund them for three years in a row. These multi-year grants are part of our move to assure more stability for the partner organizations.” FCI has told us that other donors feel confident in entrusting more resources because SIA had already placed trust in them. The local secretary for FCI is Manassé (pictured middle). He connects with the community members and makes sure everyone feels welcome in the community center space. Recording Successes FCI has recorded and felt substantial changes in its advancement. Their accomplishments include: Community Center- FCI built the community center, equipped with solar panels, where the community can gather, charge their phones, and buy small items needed at home. It has become a central place, earning the name Muhira , which means home. Refugee support- People are still feeling the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. FCI stepped up and continued to support shelter, food, and education. Education- FCI defied norms by sending a young mother to university. Aline has recently graduated with a degree in economics and raised three children as she studied! Aline’s fee was three times the usual cost, but FCI saw this as an opportunity to show that being a mother does not mean the end of your ambition. Supporting Women- FCI’s work has also encouraged social justice by giving a voice and dignity to the vulnerable population. The women in Rutuna have been able to gain income and, therefore, financial independence through the women’s project. Their defy the norm scholarship has changed the lives of two families by securing access to education. Women gather together at the FCI community centre in Burundi. They gather to talk, share, and learning together. Learning and Dreaming The most significant opportunity for growth and understanding in any situation comes through challenges. While FCI has had great wins, they have grown and learned from some of the challenges faced. One of the hurdles was that they did not have enough resources to cater to the community’s needs. For example, when a household was in desperate need of food or a child suddenly fell ill. They decided to set up an emergency line in their budget to help bridge that gap, beginning with $500 this year. FCI has grasped that communities have their rhythm, and it needs to learn to go at the community’s speed. More importantly, it is to engage with the community because things happen in community that need to be factored into the program design. The community is resilient and resourceful; being on their side is what FCI and SIA are here to do. The year 2021 has seen outstanding accomplishments by FCI in partnership with SIA. This year can only be seen as a year of significant strides and more remarkable growth, benefiting the community. *Flaming Chalice International is one of the organizations that will be featured at our virtual gathering on March 27th. Please register here to join us and see this exciting work in action!* Yannick Horimbere is a refugee from Burundi who lives in Kigali, Rwanda. Flaming Chalice International supported his training as a chef. He was working on a catering project when COVID hit. He is now running a café that employs 6 people. COVID has slowed things down, but he hopes business will improve as soon as people can meet again in bars and restaurants.

By Gloria J. Since its conception in 2010, Manyamula Community Savings and Investment Promotion (COMSIP) , in partnership with Spirit In Action (SIA), has made significant strides in changing the lives of its community members in Malawi. This project has encouraged members to expand and explore crop cultivation practices, making it simpler and more economical for farmers. There have been plenty of positive impacts through farming and business projects supported by SIA. Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative members sing welcome in 2019. Economic Empowerment and Training The introduction of various businesses among members and loan programs have been the steppingstones in ensuring economic empowerment among members. With these loans, low-income earners have been able to get capital to open their businesses. Proceeds have enabled them to build houses, pay school fees and manage medical bills. This has encouraged and sustained financial independence. Members and non-members have been able to profit through educational programs rolled out by COMSIP that have covered financial literacy, poultry management, farming as a business, and business management. The community, through this, has broadened its scope of thinking. By training on nutritional health and practices, the people’s health has also improved. Low-interest loans have been made accessible to the members to help by ensuring they have enough money for food and medical bills. COMSIP Stars We cannot say all this without highlighting the direct impact the cooperative and its efforts have had on its members. One of the stars of COMSIP is Mestina Tembo , who joined the cooperative at its inception. She is the co-breadwinner in her household and got a loan to start her Mandazi (fried dough) business to support her family. Mestina has been able to be food secure and earn a profit that has, in turn, improved her farm input and built a house. She has also been able to pay school fees for her son and improve her living standards. Julius and Mestina in front of the home they constructed with income from their business. Manyamula, Malawi, 2014. Christopher Nkosi is another star and successful graduate of the cooperative. When Christopher joined in 2011, he already had a small business but required a boost to expand . He was able to get loans over time that helped grow and improve his business. Now Christopher is a landlord and a successful businessman. He has been able to build and rent houses and buy a car. Since his establishment has become self-sufficient, he no longer gets loans, but he still holds his shares as savings with the cooperative. Christopher in his shop in the market. He has been a co-op member since 2010. “I run a shop and a souvenir shop; it is the best shop in Manyamula,” Christopher told me in 2017. “I was a beggar ; I’ve built a couple of houses now. I am stable now. ” Future Projects The Oil Press project for the community by COMSIP and SIA is a highly anticipated development. The cooperative has acquired an oil press machine to produce vegetable oil. The projected impact includes employment opportunities, reduced malnutrition, increased money circulation, improved soil structure, and reduced money-related violence . Social service organizations in the area will also positively impact the genesis of the Oil Press project. The Farmers Association and seed companies will experience a steady market for oil crops, increased customer base, and high-yielding varieties. Retail traders will get a local supply of oil and its by-products which would be much cheaper and reach customers from the cooperative. With the collection of cooking oil, there would be an enriched diet in homes to help improve and bridge the gap in malnutrition. The Electrical Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM), which supplies electricity, would get a new customer and profit from providing power. In conclusion, alone we can do so little, together we can do so much. That is the perfect statement to describe what we are currently seeing in Manyamula.

It’s 2022 and Spirit in Action is embarking on a new year of partnerships with amazing grassroots organizations in Eastern Africa. In December, at a joint meeting of the North American Board and African Advisory Board, we approved over $100,000 in grants. These grants are adding to the efforts of 25 organizations, 17 continuing on from last year, and eight new partnerships. One partner from last year, Pastoralist Child Foundation, “graduated” from SIA grant support after receiving a substantial grant from UNICEF for their anti-FGM work! (Confused about all the acronyms? Read my handy acronym cheat sheet. ) We gave out more grants than ever before , which is a testament both to the inspiring work being done by community organizations on the African continent and to the support from our generous donors. Ubuntu Community-Based Organization provides small business loans to women in urban Kenya. The women gain financial independence and build community among other group members. A new SIA grant is contributing to Ubuntu's new computer cafe, where women can learn about computers and youth can use them for school work. More Equity in Grantmaking Four of the new partners are francophone groups in Rwanda and Burundi. (I wrote about Tubunganire Association here.) Pushing our circle wider, to encompass groups that are often ignored by other American foundations , is part of our move toward more equity in grantmaking. In this vein, the African Advisory Board was responsible for evaluating and selecting a majority of our grant partners, moving the grant decisions closer to the communities we are supporting. Five of the grants are part of multi-year grant commitments. Multi-year grants are another part of our equitable grantmaking commitment. Knowing that funding is stable for 3-5 years means that organizations can focus on their impact in the community , rather than spending time fundraising. Supporting Strong Community One of these multi-year partners is Flaming Chalice in Burundi. This year, they are starting a poultry project for youth in their rural community. This is part of a larger effort to provide jobs for youth who want to stay in the rural community , rather than have to leave for the city for jobs. Intergenerational connections and laughter among members of Flaming Chalice International in Burundi. SIA Board Member Johnann Johnson who lives in rural California got really excited about this program, “This proposal lit me up. I love it. We see the repercussions in the US of sending all our farmer’s kids away and now we have no farms being run by families and it’s a huge issue here. How smart that this group sees, that they know, that if the youth don’t stay in the rural areas, their communities will die. I appreciate that they want to find a way for the youth to stay and fight the good fight at home.” Grant funds were sent earlier this month, so we'll be reporting on progress in the coming months! Meet all our grant partners here .

Post by Gloria J. “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success”. This quote by Henry Ford is what best describes the collaboration of SIA, CAP-AIDS, and Boroboro health facility in the rural parts of Uganda. SIA as a grant partner with CAP-AIDS were able to help kick off this project and make it concrete. COVID-19 has been a persistence that has backpedaled livelihoods, affected homesteads, and the economy in more ways than one. But with the help of SIA and CAP-AIDS, the people in the Northern and Eastern parts of Uganda have been able to access COVID-19 vaccinations and information about the illness. The team at CAP-AIDS Uganda, with SIA African Advisory Board Member Naomi Ayot Oyaro. They are a trusted source of information and support in their rural community. We have heard a number of misconceptions and controversies that have surrounded the COVID-19 vaccine, and the same can be said in these rural parts of Uganda. This has been one of the major challenges faced by the government and health officials in rolling out the vaccine. (Read an article about the complexity of vaccine supply and demand .) Access + Information In October, CAP-AIDS worked with Boroboro Health Center, with two major goals. One of the goals was to extend the COVID-19 vaccination services to the vulnerable populations who couldn’t afford it, and those who were not able to move up to the health facilities such as Persons with Disability (PWDs) and the elderly. The second goal was to create awareness and share information about the importance of getting vaccinated and demystify the negative perceptions being created about COVID 19 vaccination in the rural community. They targeted people in Boroboro East and West and within three parishes of Boke which is located in Tororo District, Eastern region of Uganda. Bororo Health Center is located in Lira district, the Northern region of Uganda. In support of that, CAP-AIDS offered one of their facilities, the Friesen Harvey’s Home of Hope, as one of the vaccination points. CAP-AIDS partnered with the local health clinic to provide both COVID-19 and measles, polio, and DPT vaccines to people in the area. Community + Collaboration In more ways than one, we are reminded of the sense of community and collaboration where together we can do so much. There were major accomplishments to be recognized after the rollout of the program which was carried out from the 19th to the 24th of October. 760 people were vaccinated within 3 days. This was a 375% increase in vaccinations compared to before CAP-AIDS got involved. Furthermore, CAP-AIDS supported in creating awareness and sharing the right information about the vaccine which helped demystify the negative perception about the COVID vaccine. This propelled the number of people coming to get the vaccine, showing a 50% increase, with the numbers building from 40-50 people per day to 100 people a day showing up to the facilities. Bringing vaccine doses right into the community, reducing the burden of travel time and costs. The collaboration was quite a success with more people learning and having a broader sense of safety being aware that they can be protected against one of the deadliest pandemics recorded. SIA’s mission is to fulfill God’s promise for abundant life for all the world by supporting people in following their dreams of building a self-sufficient, sustainable future for themselves, their families, and their communities. It is such a joy to be part of an effort that actualizes that.

This week's blog post is an excerpt from my sharing at United Methodist Church, Point Richmond last month. If you would like me to speak at your church, congregation, or club, let me know ! Martin Luther King, Junior famously said, "no one is free until we are all free." Looking deeper I found essentially the same quote was used by Jewish poet and activist Emma Lazarus, the British philosopher Herbert Spencer, and Fannie Lou Hamer, the women’s rights activist. The people pushing for new social systems realized that the work of such change requires us all to see how our futures and freedoms are tightly woven together. My favorite version of this same sentiment is from Lilla Watson, an Indigenous Australian artist and activist. She said, “If you have come here to help me you are wasting your time, but if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together.” It was a phrase that was co-created by members of an Aboriginal Rights group in Queensland, Australia. Wasting Time There are plenty of non-profit organizations that lean heavily on the first part of Lilla’s quote, “if you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time.” At a Spirit in Action gathering in Kenya a few years ago, James from the Democratic Republic of Congo, shared about a missed opportunity. A donor had wanted James to have a hydraform brick machine. The bricks are designed to be interlocking and not require mortar, therefore making them easier to use than traditional clay bricks. So the machine was bought and installed, but it soon languished. The machine was hard to use and it was actually not filling a real need. Bricks are inexpensive in the rural parts of eastern Africa where clay is abundant. And the hydraform machine would’ve taken away the livelihood of many local brickmakers. In fact, when we do fund building projects with Spirit in Action grants, providing bricks is often the contribution that the community is proud to make on their own. ( Pictured above, front to back: Tanya, Wambui, Dorcas, James, Dennis (behind), Samuel, Barbara, Naomi; Kenya, 2019) As James was telling us about this, Samuel, from Kenya, interjected that he also had a hydraform brick machine that wasn’t in use! Ha! We all laughed and James summed up the situation by lamenting that, “you can only do so much to convince a westerner to not do a project they think will work.” Just think of what the impact could have been if instead, the donors asked James and Samuel what their communities most wanted as a path to their economic security and development. Also, think of the soul impact of allowing groups the freedom to set their own priorities. As they seize this freedom, I – from afar – am also more free to not have solutions, and to just respond and support where I am asked to help. "Let's add to their efforts" Right now Spirit in Action is in the midst of our grant process for the year. I am working closely with five African Advisory Board members – all from eastern Africa – to review and select the projects to fund. This is our second year using the peer-review grant process , and their knowledge of the local context and of development work is invaluable to Spirit in Action. One of the grant applications that we received this year is from a community-based women’s organization in Burundi, which is just south of Rwanda in eastern Africa, and one of the poorest countries in the world. The group’s name, Tubunganire, means “let’s add to their efforts” in Kirundi, the language of Burundi. I’m thinking of adopting this as Spirit in Action’s new motto. “Let’s add to their efforts.” In just a few words it captures our mindset of being of service to those projects that are already in motion before we arrive on the scene . And not imposing unwanted help. Tubunganire has been around for about four years and its leaders are well-known in the community. The group supports women so that they do not need to depend on men or other families members for their daily needs. It's about increasing financial freedom. Our African Advisory Board member Rev. Fulgence Ndagijimana learned about the organization three years ago when his mother was living alone at home. Women from TUBUNGANIRE took turns fetching water for her, giving her medications, preparing food for her, and just coming to sit and talk. The group officially has 45 members, but so many more than that benefit from their work, including Fulgence’s mom, who was not an official member. Let’s add to their efforts! For the last four years, Tubunganire has been running completely on local support. A grant from Spirit in Action would be their first grant from an international organization. The funds would be used to plant a community garden to demonstrate about growing vegetables, and it will also help them develop what they call a “solidarity chain” with pigs. Half of the members will receive pigs right away, and when the pigs give birth, the members will give piglets to their fellow members and other women in the community. Those women will then pass future piglets to more women – adding to the solidarity chain. Let’s add to their efforts. (A pig solidarity project in Uganda, run by Universal Love Alliance, a SIA Grant Partner. They met in March to have women whose pigs had given birth pass on piglets to other women in the group.) "I am because we are" In Kenya, in the urban area of Githurai around the capital of Nairobi, Lilian Wanjira started the organization Ubuntu to lift up the women suffering from domestic abuse in her community. The organization started in 2019 but it was during the lockdowns related to COVID-19 that she was hearing more and more stories about domestic abuse. Lost jobs and nightly curfews created a pressure cooker environment for couples. Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are,” has a low-interest loan program for women wanting to start their own businesses. They are doing things like buying vegetables in downtown markets and bringing them to Githurai to sell along the roadside. Or making doughnuts or samosa to sell to people on their way to or from work. (Lilian, in the red shirt, visits Jane Wangari Wandaka's shop. Jane is a Ubuntu member in Githurai, Kenya.) Built into the Ubuntu loans system is a regular check-in. In the evenings, Lilian goes around to the women to collect their small loan repayments and to ask how they’re doing. She listens to their stories, provides a shoulder for them to cry on, and prays with them. She hears stories of husbands who come home drunk and encourages the women to start their own businesses to have some financial independence. Lilian is adding to the efforts of each woman, and Spirit in Action is adding to Lilian’s efforts by helping her build a small office where women can come for safety and comradery. You can see that these efforts reach deep into the strength of the grassroots movements. In contrast to the hydraform bricks, our Spirit in Action grants respond to the needs by uplifting the solutions and ideas that already exist in the communities , by supporting what is already in motion. And I do believe that as we add to their efforts, rather than going in to help, everyone in the world is a little more free.

Thank you to all those who have already supported our GivingTuesday on Facebook or online today! Even after so many months of Zoom calls in all aspects of my life, it still is a thrill to meet with SIA Grant Partners from all over East Africa. This month, we held the SIA Africa Summit on Zoom. Twenty people attended, representing 13 organizations and the African Advisory Board, and the North American Board. Each organization shared what they were most proud of in the past year. And wow- these small but mighty organizations have had some amazing moments in their work this year! Here are a few of the highlights: "We are all, through SIA, someone's answered prayer," said Tiba from Reach Girls in Malawi. Reach Girls led a sewing and tailoring training program for six girls. At the end of the training, one student has established her own shop (see below!) and she can now support her children and give them three meals per day. This is a huge turnaround from her life before Reach Girl's program. Reach Girls has also established a good working relationship with the Area Development Committee in their district, and this is helping to increase their visibility as an organization. "It is through togetherness with the community and working as a team that we have been able to reach far and achieve what we have achieved," said Vincent Atitiwa, Director of Matungu Community Development Charity (MCDC) in Kenya. MCDC used its SIA grant to expand its communal poultry project. Below is a video of Vincent showing off the new chicken coop. They have also installed solar panels which keep the power steady for their egg incubator. With the incubator, they have hatched 1,600 chicks. The other SIA Partners on the Zoom call were inspired to hear about the great potential from this income-generating activity for the organization! "There is more joy in the village because of the community center," said Manasse from Flaming Chalice International in Burundi. Burundi is a country very divided along ethnic and religious lines. The Flaming Chalice community center is a place where everyone - regardless of beliefs or family - can come to gather, share, and learn from one another. SIA supports the staff salaries of Flaming Chalice so that there can be full-time attention on their community programs. Pictured below: a group of women gather at the community center to Share the Gift with each other. More updates from our grant partners to follow! :)

People all around the world go to the salon to relieve stress and take care of their hands and feet. Next time you’re in Uganda, I know twenty newly-trained women ready to give you a manicure or pedicure! This year, Midwife-Led Community Transformation (MILCOT) used a SIA Grant to run a mani/pedi training workshop, providing desirable and marketable skills to young women who have dropped out of school. MILCOT has a team of social workers, midwives, and nurses passionate about getting out of the clinics and into the community. They are working in the Wakiso District, near the capital city in Uganda, and they focus on pairing vocational skills with health information and support. For this workshop, MILCOT hired a professional manicurist with two salons in the area to be the trainer. He shared a mix of theory and practical hands-on (no pun intended!) experience. Check out the curriculum: Topics: The strengths and opportunities of opening a manicure and pedicure business: Requires little capital to start, and does not require a lot of space Materials are cheap It’s interesting to look at the beauty of the results of your work, It brings daily income The benefits of doing pedicure: Reducing the risk of infection Getting read of dead skin cells Reducing stress through improving the beauty of your hands and feet Promoting blood circulation Description of manicure and introducing all the tools of the trade Description of how to do a foot treatment: including foot soaking, foot scrubbing, nail clipping, foot massage, and nail polishing Manicure class! Local leaders appreciate the training program from MILCOT which is helping to offset the negative impact of the COVID pandemic on all economic activity in Uganda, particularly in the areas that were already vulnerable. Practical skills: Nail cleaning Filing/shaping Polishing Removing cuticles Top Student Recognized Namayega “Resty” Kwagala was the top student in the manicure/pedicure class, and she won a free nail treatment from the teacher. Resty is grateful for the MILCOT vocational program because it is a place where she feels seen for her potential, not just for her disability. (She doesn’t have the use of her legs.) Resty said that being recognized for her skill and good work was one of the most exciting experiences in her life! MILCOT's program shows how SIA Grant Partners are providing encouragement and practical skills so that young women can forge a path towards financial independence and personal fulfillment. Resty was the top student in the class!

The news on the podcast was shocking: “Africa imported about 85% of its food (2016-208) from outside the continent.” With all that land and all those farmers, how could that be true? At the same time, agriculture production in sub-Saharan Africa actually increasing . And it’s growing faster than in other parts of the world. Many African countries even export agricultural products to other countries on the continent. Looking deeper, another report found that four countries – Nigeria, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Somalia – account for most of those imports. Many of SIA’s Grant Partners are part of this increase in agricultural production! Canaan Gondwe, SIA African Advisory Board Member who passed away this month, was a passionate advocate for farmers and rural development in Malawi. This photo is from my trip in 2019 when we tasted cassava straight from the ground. Canaan always had some advice and encouraging words for the Small Business Fund farmers. We continue to pray for all Canaan's loved ones, including the members of the Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative. "Farming as a Business" It is a big shift to move from growing food for your own family to thinking about agriculture as a business. Rural organizations like Kakuuto Development Initiative (KADI-U) in Uganda and Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative in Malawi help their members access high-quality seeds and buyers for the crop . By selling collectively as a cooperative, farmers can get a better price. New technologies in bags for storing harvested crops also make a big difference in the quality of the crop. The SIA Partners WhatsApp chat group is a lively platform for sharing photos of farms, for sharing potential prices for crops, and for celebrating when the rains arrive. Since the rainy seasons are different in Malawi, Uganda, and different parts of Kenya, there is always something growing with SIA! How it started and how it's going! KADI helps families expand their farms to grow soybeans. They will sell the crop collectively. Last weekend, Samuel Teimuge and African Advisory Board member Dennis Kurgat held a training for 100 farmers on how to plant and care for pixie oranges in the rich soil of the Rift Valley in Kenya. They provided seedlings that they had grown from seed. A family returns home with their empty ox cart after a day at the market. Manyamula Village, 2019. Photo by Kathleen King *Farmers: I recommend ECHO Community for information about all types of crops and planting techniques.*

The 2021 Fall & Winter newsletter is here! Samuel and Rhoda Teimuge held a training day at their farm in Kerio Valley, Kenya. Teri farm is a model for agroecology, which helps to replenish, rather than deplete, the soil. They are growing cowpeas, spider herb, amaranth, and chilies. In this newsletter we feature: Vocational training for young women who have dropped out of school in Uganda Universal Love Alliance providing transportation services during the pandemic lockdown Photo collage of SIA Partners and their community impact Sunflower oil is finally flowing at the Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative in Malawi! Read the full newsletter and donate now to support the work of Spirit in Action. Thank you for supporting the work of our partners for more justice in the world! Screenshot from the recent meeting of the North American Board and African Advisory Board. We are so excited to welcome new North American Board members Amber Picou-Broadnax, Becky Sutherland, and Danny Thomas. #newsletters #inspiration #DelAnderson #Kenya

This month marks my 14th anniversary with Spirit in Action. When I started back in 2007, I never guessed how much this organization would become a part of my life. With so much change over so many years, I hope you’ll indulge me in some reminiscing and reflection. The first year I climbed a steep learning curve. I learned the accounting system and tried to memorize the names and locations of the grant projects. I emailed Marsha Johnson, the previous administrator, regularly to ask for advice. After one year, I felt I had a grasp on most things. I had been through a full cycle of annual activities. In my fifth year, I started telling my friends that it actually takes five years to know a job. Now I’m 14 years in and still learning all the time. Africa is Connected I’ve taken four trips to Eastern Africa. On my first trip, in 2011, I didn’t have a local SIM card in my phone, and most places didn’t have Wi-fi access. In 2019, I used my cell phone constantly and was never really off-the-grid. In my first year, I wrote physical letters to some of our grant partners – airmail letters that took weeks to arrive, and months to get a reply. Now, I am connected to all our partners through WhatsApp . And we have active group chats and Zoom meetings across five countries. Captions: Working on my laptop in the Lilongwe airport. Stanley with the new electrical system purchased with income from his SIA small business (Malawi). Matthews with his solar powered light in rural Malawi. SIA is Growing In my first year we gave $20,000 in grants, last fiscal year we gave $150,000. This increase is in part to bequests from Del and Lucile Anderson, and Barbara and Bob Deal. Several other bequests and our growing list of monthly donors and Facebook donors also seeded this expansion. ( Check out a map of our current grant partners.) Question Rush and Busyness When I had just started, I received an emergency request for funding. I don’t remember the circumstances of the situation. I only know that there was great pressure to get money out quickly. Soon after it was sent, the relationship between this person and SIA broke down. (I probably stepped in some cultural trap that I didn’t know about.) The lesson I took with me is to always question when something is being pushed to rush. “No Hurry In Africa” a bumper sticker in a Nairobi taxi proclaimed. If I’m feeling stressed by a timeline, I now ask myself if this needs to be rushed, or if I can take time to understand more/rest when I’m sick/take time for my family/seek more input, etc. Strength in Diversity For the longest time, the board was formed of people who personally knew Del Anderson (our founder). Now we have an African Advisory Board who share their local knowledge and development expertise to help us channel funds to impactful grassroots organizations. Our North American Board, no longer constrained by location, is also welcoming some talented new members this year. The SIA team in Africa and I have built close friendships in these 14 years. We’ve been there for each other through illnesses, mourning, long car rides, and many tough situations. Friends across the years. Dennis Kurgat and I in 2011, with other friends in 2017, and with Naomi Ayot in 2019. (Kenya) Communicating Across Differences Each time I visit partners, I understand more about the many languages used by our grant partners, and about the cadence of speaking English in eastern Africa. Coming from a direct communication style country and working in indirect communication style areas, I’m still learning how to best seek feedback. It takes practice and suavity to ask for input in the indirect way that is polite and acceptable among our partners. I’m even learning some other languages! Did you know that consonants in the Ugandan language, Luganda, don’t have any sound? You only say the letter in relation to a vowel. Swahili is a mix of a Bantu language and Arabic. That’s why one of the possible greeting replies is salama (peaceful in Arabic and the equivalent of “all’s well” in Swahili). In Africa, “SIA” is pronounced see-uh , rather than es-eye-a. So that’s how I say it in my head. I love how that messes with the grammar checker on my computer, which doesn’t like “a SIA project” and wants it to be “an SIA project.” Can you tell that I’m still excited about the work even as I embark on my 15th year with Spirit in Action? I am so grateful for the hundreds of regular donors – individuals, church groups, and family foundations – who give year after year. I’m grateful for the Board of Directors, which has a “Taking Care of Tanya” committee to make sure I’m looked after. And I’m grateful for and humbled by all the amazing local leaders who work every day for a more just, kind, healthy, and prosperous world. Thank you for joining me in this work! One of my favorite SIA photos - three women, with such different life stories, working together, visiting a bicycle repair shop in rural Uganda. #Reflections #friendships #anniversary

Today's post is from the SIA Partner Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Communities (e-CATS) in Kibera, Kenya. The e-CATS team shares about their work providing vulnerable families in informal settlements with emotional support and business guidance. “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen”, This quote by Winston Churchill opens the time of reflections during the Listening Circles Workshop. When the Covid 19 pandemic brought the entire world to a halt, shutting down the world's largest economies and forcing people into hiding, it was clear that much had happened in the blink of an eye. There was little left after the loss, grief, and mourning of loved ones, as well as the loss of jobs and livelihoods, and many people began to live desperately and hopelessly. In an already unequal world, the most vulnerable poor, who had been living in abject poverty, were the most affected. Consequently, there were no better words to describe the significant increase in Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, particularly in informal settlements. As a result, Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Communities (e-CATS) planned for a chance for people to come together and experience the power of listening and ‘listening from the heart.' e-CATS saw a ripe opportunity for the community to talk about their realities and how they deal with them, a platform for them to experience empathy during these difficult times. This is where the listening circles originated. The workshop not only provided a safe space for them to express their emotions, but it also helped them build their self-image, which improved their relationship and productivity. As the saying goes, "Charity Begins at Home." e-CATS began with current and past Small Business Funds (SBF) holders and progressed to some prospects who found the SBF approach to be suitable for them. The Art of Effective Listening The Listening Circles thus examines the art of effective listening, in which one listens from the heart rather than the mind in order to have a deep emotional connection and reflect on it. The second benefit of Listening Circles is the ability to empathize, which allows people to begin feeling the connection of social beings and a sense of belonging. This ability to empathize sets it apart from other training sessions. During this time, the importance of creating a safe space for the participants is emphasized because people come as they are, some with severe vulnerability and simply needing someone to feel safe with. To that end, the sessions were led by qualified facilitators who were well-versed in Affirmation, Communication, Cooperation, and Trust and are part of the community. A selfie by Romano Iluku, e-CATS co-founder, with workshop participants. Participants came with their own set of expectations. The high expectations that e-CATS would meet their financial needs and restore their collapsed businesses were a major challenge in all of the workshops. Even though e-CATS lacked the financial muscle to meet these expectations, most of the participants went home with a lot of hope for tomorrow . “There is something really powerful about groups and shared experiences. People might be skeptical about their ability to change if they are by themselves, but a group will convince them to suspend disbelief. A community creates belief.” (Duhigg, 2014, P. 85). This statement was witnessed by the positive comments they gave at the end of the workshop. ( Read more about the work of e-CATS. ) Thank you for supporting Spirit in Action and our partners, like e-CATS, who are supporting the whole individual - mind, body, and soul.

Wisdom from Barbara Deal Your question has been a wonderful challenge to my understanding of Radiant Acquiescence. No one has ever asked me before, HOW does one, how did I, come to terms with the tragedy (and emptiness and pain) [of losing a loved one]. How do you DO radiant acquiescence while walking through shock and deep pain? Glenn [Clark] was, of course, my intro to the notion of radiant acquiescence. He wrote, in the context of The Divine Plan , "...the best way to put myself in harmony with the Divine Plan that is within myself is to accept with radiant acquiescence all the individuals and events that are drawn to me, seeing in them perfect instruments for the perfect unfoldment of my perfect Plan..." So the first step is the acceptance of the event (even when everything in me screams, "No!!!! No!!!!!!) And for me, it goes even deeper, and is a more active stance, than passively accepting the facts, allowing the facts of the situation. And that is to EMBRACE it, to actively choose to draw the loss to me, with all its pain and regret and bewilderment and anger and judgments -- holding the pain to me, cuddling it, bonding with it, digesting it, even. This is exactly the opposite of our conditioning. And it is a key to overcoming the shock and the agony. Okay, that's a good idea, and possibly one for which you immediately recognize the value. But how do we get from an intellectual recognition to acting on it? One step is to not resist , and every single time a memory, or a regret, or the anger and frustration, or the denial pop into your head, consciously choose to stop. To breathe deeply into the feelings. To let go as deeply as you know how. To become aware of what is always true: that you are wrapped and enfolded in a Love that is beyond time and space, infinite, healing wholeness – not something outside you, but of your very essence. There is a paradox to radiant acquiescence. It IS something you open to, and you choose, and you can build spiritual muscle by choosing it and acting on it . First, you see that it is a principle, then you choose to act as though it is true, and in acting on it consistently, it BECOMES true in your experience... That's our part. AND radiant acquiescence is also a GIFT. A gift from God who is in the deepest core of your being – as you embrace everything to do with this huge discontinuity in your life, and create the inner space for accepting and embracing it in your heart and mind and spirit – God rushes in with the GIFT of radiant acquiescence, that perfectly matches the space you've created within yourself for the JOY and healing that comes with radiant acquiescence. This is so difficult to put into words, because what we're considering lies outside the realm of our normal conditioning and experience of the world. But it is a realm that is even more real than the realm of our senses – and radiant acquiescence is God's own presence within you, growing like a gorgeous, fruitful plant, that, over time, heals your own hurt – and grows so big that it spills out to heal others around you, and eventually participates in healing the world. "Thy Kingdom come" is a fruit of radiant acquiescence and total surrender to Love , the love that will not let us go. Read more wisdom from Barbara.

Last month, Spirit in Action African Advisory Board Member Wabmui Nguyo flew from Nairobi up to the Samburu National Reserve . This windy, hot, dry area is home to SIA Partner Pastoralist Child Foundation . The organization is run by, and for the benefit of, the Samburu people, who are semi-nomadic pastoralists that raise cattle and goats for their livelihood. Wambui sent this report after visiting the Samburu women who received a SIA grant to build their jewelry and souvenir shop. Working and Sharing Together The Curio Shop is located on a popular tourist route. This project is run by a group of about 30 women. They also have a bank account that has three signatories, to ensure that the funds are safe. Because the shop is close to their village, they don't have to travel far to make or sell curios. When a group of tourists passes by, the women carry the goods to the road to sell to them while also performing a traditional dance to welcome them to the village. [Listen to the welcome song below.] The women take turns opening and selling the curios to customers who are foreign tourists. The funds collected are deposited in a bank and withdrawn as needed. As part of Sharing the Gift , they help pay for their children's school fees. When times get tough, the women buy food and share it together. The shop is also used as a meeting place, a place for them to air their grievances, and a place for them to share happy moments. Empowered Women PCF has a strong presence in the community. It emphasizes community ownership of the program, with women serving solely as leaders. The women have a voice in the community and are not dictated to by their husbands or other males in the village. The Namayana community holds Samuel Leadismo , the PCF founder, in high regard. He grew up with them and is one of them, so he is their son! The group opposes female genital mutilation (FGM) and is pleased with its abolition. [FGM is illegal in Kenya, though it is still practiced by some.] They support PCF's work to advocate against, intervene in, and prevent FGM and child marriage. One might think that older women who have already gone through FGM would support it, but they have had so many seminars and are aware of the disadvantages. Beaded jewelry made by the Samburu women. Wambui and Samuel in the PCF office. Challenges Now that more tourists are visiting during these post-Covid times, the group is hoping to purchase enough raw materials to manufacture a variety of products for sale. Given their location and enthusiasm, they have a lot of potential. It was clear that their relationship was founded on compassion and kindness, and it appeared to benefit everyone. Wambui (center) goes with the Samburu women to fetch water from the river. One thing that stood out was the scarcity of clean drinking water! The river is far away, and they must travel a long distance to obtain water for use in their homes. They draw the same water that their livestock waters from and it is not a healthy practice. A borehole had been dug previously, but it was already broken. Thank you, Wambui, for doing this site visit on behalf of Spirit in Action! It is so wonderful to have a local SIA team that can visit and encourage our partners, in a time of restricted international travel. Look around a Samburu homestead:

The work of Spirit in Action grant partners is getting recognized in Uganda! Last week, Kakuuto Development Initiative (KADI-U) was featured on one of the national news channels for their work to distribute food to the elderly in their community. Uganda has been struggling through a tough second wave of COVID-19, with high numbers of cases due to the very low vaccine supply and the presence of the Delta variant. The lockdown has hit the elderly and childless women particularly hard since they tend to be more isolated community members. So KADI-U pooled local resources with an emergency COVID relief grant from SIA to provide food and masks to those in need. When the reporter interviewed KADI-U's Executive Director, Bakiika Musa, he explained the additional impact that hunger has on those living with AIDS. "We have many elderly people in our community with non-communicable diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, and other illness. They cannot take medication without food. The effects of hunger can be disastrous for them." Overwhelmed with Excitement "Gugudde TV crew witnessed elderly people singing while dancing after being supported during these very hard times," reported the news announcer in the Ganda language. "They appeared overwhelmed with excitement!" One of the interviewed elderly women said, "There is too much excitement right now. Thank you so very much for supporting us. This particular time is so terrible because our children don’t have money to support us and some of us don’t have children. May the good Lord Bless the hands that have provided." Bakiida Musa distributes soap and food to Wanyana Josephine. Josephine is the local councilor for women and also a KADI-U volunteer. She is recovering from COVID-19. Musa reported that "She was so happy, to an extent that she cried." Musa with Joyce. "She was very happy that someone was thinking about her during this trying time." Read more about our partnership with KADI-U.

One of the interesting parts about working internationally is that, because we do not see it right in front of us, it can be easy to forget that the work of Spirit in Action grant partner organizations is happening every single day. In each moment, somewhere in the wide network of the SIA family , people are hosting workshops, providing emotional support to those who are suffering, distributing food to those who are hungry, and working their farms to build food security. Here is some of the recent work of SIA Grant Partners: Food security found in kitchen gardens The Visionary Women's Centre in western Kenya held a workshop last month to demonstrate how to make a sack garden. Sacks are created out of nets and filled with dirt so that the seedlings can grow out of the top and sides of the sack. This reduces the amount of water needed. Leafy greens like kale and collards are central to the Kenyan diet. Emergency food distribution Ugandans are experiencing a third wave of COVID and they are in a restrictive lockdown again. This means that people are having a hard time earning money to buy their basic daily needs. CAP-AIDS in northern Uganda is using a SIA Emergency Grant to distribute food staples to families who are vulnerable to hunger, especially those with HIV+ family members. Supporting Entrepreneurs in Nairobi Each evening, Lilian Wanjira, makes her rounds to visit the business-women who are part of Ubuntu Community Organization near Nairobi, Kenya. Ubuntu provides low-interest micro-loans to women who run small businesses to support their families. Many of the women are bravely taking control of their lves and Lilian shares words of encouragement with them as she visits. In the micro-loan program, the women are also saving for future expenses. Here Lilian (right) is pictured with Jane Wanjiku in Jane's tomato stall. In May, I hosted a workshop for SIA Partners about taking photographs. We covered basic concepts of photography composition and lighting. Afterwards, Lilian took this beautiful photo of Jane Njeri in her doughnut shop! These are just a few glimpses of SIA in action. But the SIA network is active every day, making the world a better place! #Ubuntu #CAPAIDS #covidemergencyfunding #microloans #Githurai #VWC

T oday we honor and remember Barbara Deal, SIA Board Member and my dear mentor, who passed away two years ago this week. ( Read my tribute from 2019. ) In 2017, she gave an inspiring talk at Winni JFO about service and recognizing the Divine Spark in each person. Listen to the full 45-minute talk online . An excerpt from Barbara's talk is shared here: Wisdom from Barbara Deal: One way of pointing to God, that I have just recently been playing with, is to describe God not as a Being, a personality, a Being outside of us, but perhaps as a living, interactive, generative process . We can think of God, perhaps, as a process. God is the process of love in action. God is an interaction with us, and an interaction with all creation; interacting, wooing, and drawing us into fullness, to the fullest expression of our potential. The most astonishing thing that I have learned in this spiritual journey, is that we are invited, called, and expected to live this love. We are invited to participate in this love, this harmonizing, and this transformation, for the healing of our world. Barbara Deal, Tanya Cothran, and Naomi Ayot in 2019, visiting SIA-supported businesses in Aboke, Uganda. Mother Theresa's Advice to Barbara There is one thing that Mother Theresa said that has haunted me, and challenged me, and inspired me, and I yearn to practice this with you. Jesus challenged those who loved him to see him and serve him in other people. You remember that Jesus described that in the end it all comes down to service. It all comes down to meeting the needs that are around us. “When I was hungry, you gave me food. When I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink.” And they wondered, like I wonder, like you wonder, “When did we see Christ hungry and give food? When did we see Christ thirsty and give something to drink?” And he said to them, “Inasmuch as you have done it unto one of the least of these your brothers, your sisters, you have done it for me. When you have helped another, when you have served another, you have helped and served me.” [Matthew 25:35-40] When I asked Mother Theresa how she could bear to keep on with this work that she had been called to, knowing that the human need in front of her was endless, she said, “Barbara, don’t you see that the one I serve is Christ, in his most distressing disguise.” She took quite literally the words of Jesus, “as you have done it unto the least of these, you have done it unto me.” Photos from Barbara's Spirit in Action visit to Kenya and Uganda in 2019 [In a time of shared visioning with the Spirit in Action Board], I put into words my yearning that we might more deeply understand what it is we are about in that work, that we could more deeply realize that it is about recognizing and serving Christ in those distressing disguises. And then I looked around at that group of loving people [of the SIA Board], and I realized more deeply than ever before that we are called to serve Christ not only in the distressing disguises but also in Christ’s most glorious disguises , and all the disguises in between. In other words, we are called to recognize that whatever we do for each other, to each other, we do for Christ, who dwells within each of us. Thank you for building, co-creating, and serving for a healed world together with Spirit in Action. Read more inspiration from Barbara here . #inspiration #service #serviceisourprayer #barbaradeal

Over the weekend, the SIA North American Board and the African Advisory Board met to review our grantmaking strategy, and to begin visioning for our next 25 years as an organization. Spanning a ten hour time difference, and coming from five different countries, we discussed how we can best support our grant partners as they do the work to transform their communities and regions. As a board we have been exploring the framework of Trust-Based Philanthropy. This is a framework that fits with our vision and current mode of operation, while also pushing us to be more justice-focused, rather than charity-focused. “Trust-based foundations don’t write a check and walk away leaving the grantee to do whatever they want,” says Brenda Solorzano, CEO of Headwaters Foundation Montana , in a recent blog post about the approach . “Trust-based funders stay in relationship with grantees to learn about the work, help provide other types of assistance and together, determine changes that are needed to achieve the desired impact. This close relationship allows for greater transparency and communication about challenges and opportunities.” Curious about Trust-Based Philanthropy? Here is an excellent overview guide . Since 2019, the integration of the African Advisory Board into SIA’s leadership structure has moved us more clearly towards Trust-Based Philanthropy. Our AAB members are mentors to grant partners, visiting them and offering advice and support. Also, the North American Board and African Advisory Board meet together regularly , bringing those who know the context and impact of our work into the (Zoom) board room. Supportive Relationships: Spotlight on one SIA Partner At our meeting on Saturday, Naomi Ayot (AAB Member from Uganda), shared an update from SIA Grant Partner Kakuuto Development Initiative (KADI). KADI also focuses on starting from a place of trust and prioritizing relationships within their programming. “Usually savings and loaning associations look at productive age, and they only lend to people who they are sure will be able to bring back the money," reported Naomi. "But what makes KADI exceptional is that their savings and loaning association is for the elderly. Most people think this group is a high risk, and so they fear to lend the elderly any funds. “The process, the dynamics of this group work, is a kind of group therapy. The KADI groups meet every Saturday, and when you hear the jokes that they make together and the way they talk, you hear that it is also a support group for the elderly, which makes it very unique. This is in contrast to the government programs where people have to wait long lines to get a small handout of money. The group has supported the elderly to get into their very own self-initiated income generating activities, such as rearing pigs, goats, and rabbits.” KADI has two groups for the elderly, a group for the disabled, and a group for youth, each with 24 members. A grant from Spirit in Action and Amistad International helped form the foundation of their loan funds. Each session members are asked to contribute $0.50 - $2.50 per person in savings, then people can take loans based on how much they have saved. The group is also accountable to each other between meetings, if someone misses a session, someone will go to check on that person, to find out if they are okay. Listen to Naomi's full (5-minute) report:

In the last few years, SIA has begun supporting more of our partner organizations with grants for staff salaries. Grants for overhead?? Isn't it better to pay for programs or tangible objects, rather than overhead? We've found that where there is dedicated, well-paid staff, grassroots efforts are able to thrive in a consistent way. Rather than seeing it as a waste, we see it as investing in and honoring the people that bring our vision of a better world into reality, while also making sure they support themselves and their families. Samuel Siriria Leadismo, Co-founder and Director of Pastoralist Child Foundation (PCF) in Samburu, Kenya is one of these people who is putting SIA into action, and who is compensated by a SIA grant for his salary. It's not just SIA that sees the amazing work he does to advocate for girls in Kenya. Last week, Samuel received a prestigious recognition award from Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta! From Pastoralist Child Foundation's Founder and President, Sayydah Garrett: On Friday, Samuel Siriria Leadismo, PCF's Co-founder & Director received a prestigious recognition award from Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta! Samuel was recognized and awarded for his dedication and hard work to end female genital mutilation (FGM). Speaking during the virtual launch of the Kenyan chapter of Generation Equality Forum at State House, Nairobi, President Kenyatta enumerated various initiatives the government had put in place to ensure gender equity and empowerment of women and girls. He said women are a critical national asset with great potential to shape, influence, and contribute to all spheres of development, and that empowering them strengthens the family, society, and the nation at large. “When countries respect women's rights, promote gender equality, and put women and girls at the centre of their development agenda, their societies and economies thrive, and those benefits extend far into future generations," the President said.
"Equally important to highlight is that cultural and religious leaders from the Borana, Samburu , and Pokot communities have made bold public declarations to eliminate FGM and child marriage . This includes the 'Kisima Declaration' which I witnessed in Samburu in March of this year,” President Kenyatta said. The award to Samuel was presented by CS Margret Kobia, PS Collete Suda, Diplomatic Corps, UN Women country reps, UNFPA country reps, Anti-FGM Board and National stakeholders from the Ministry of Public Service and Gender during the launch of the Kenyan chapter of the #GenerationEquality towards the commitments of the #BeijingDeclaration in 1995. (Pictured: Janet recently graduated from high school and is continuing on to university with the support of a sponsor through PCF! She is a role model for girls in their villages.) PCF has made great strides in its efforts to end FGM and child marriage. How gratifying to be recognized by the President of Kenya! Our eternal gratitude to Samuel for all he does to advance our mission! You can read more about the work, projects, and education initiatives of Pastoralist Child Foundation here . SIA has also supported the building of a curio/jewelry shop for Samburu women through PCF. * Photos used with permission from Pastoralist Child Foundation. Thank you! #overhead #SIAgrantpartners #administrativeexpenses #trustbasedphilanthropy #kenya #pcf #antiFGM

The 2021 Spring & Summer newsletter is here! Ubuntu Community Organization opened their new brightly-painted office in Githurai, Kenya. Ubuntu’s leader, Lilian (in the polka-dotted shirt) has enlisted volunteers to support women in the community. This will also be a place where people can use the internet and access low-interest loans. In this newsletter we feature: Zoom Trainings for SIA Grassroots Partners A Tragedy That Changed My Life - by Fulgence Ndagijimana, SIA Grant Partner and African Advisory Board Member Photo collage of SIA Partners and their community impact Inspiration from Del Anderson, relevant to our times of pandemic Read the full newsletter and donate now to support the work of Spirit in Action. Thank you for supporting the work of our partners for more justice in the world! "My work is to make sure people can see a light at the end of the tunnel. My experience as a refugee, torture survivor and immigrant informs the work I do, and it was born out of my experience. I would not wish that experience to anyone, but I strive to ensure that mine did not happen in vain." - Fulgence Ndagijimana (Read the full story in the newsletter) #newsletters #inspiration #DelAnderson #refugees

Samuel and Rhoda Teimuge of Eldoret, Kenya have been part of Spirit in Action since the very beginning. As friends of Del Anderson, they advised him on the best ways to support economic empowerment in Kenya. They all shared a passion for promoting self-sufficiency and sustainability, especially in terms of growing food and rearing animals, and farming in ways that preserve soil health. As we welcome Samuel and Rhoda as SIA Emeritus Board Members, I share their latest adventures in farming. Here is Samuel’s update: Mama Kigen (Rhoda) * , Timothy (my son) and I have moved to Kerio Valley, in the Rift Valley of Kenya. Tim is training on becoming a young farmer, taking a course in Agribusiness. Mama Kigan is raising chickens, and we are planting pixie orange trees and growing vegetables. The area is in a very rural area between Iten and Kabarnet, to the east of Eldoret. It looks like we shall have short rains this year and the Valley is very, very hot. The Teimuge's new home out in the Kerio Valley with the Tugen Hills to the east. No one lives around us – only goats and cows. This area is actually a grassing field for grazing. People come in the morning to release their goats, then they go back home until evening when they come to lock them. Our property is fenced with chain link but even that, goats find ways of getting in. All the families live at the base of the hills because they get water from the streams flowing down. The water does not reach the lower valley where we are. The guy who sold me the land was frustrated by the lack of water. Right now we are continuing to water by hand. When the community saw what we have done with our farm, they got motivated toward moving to this area. One by one they visited us to request water. I am careful not to induce them or tell them what to do. The best development has to come from them and this will last. We are encouraging them to clear the bushes and start to fence their properties. In this area most people are only planting maize (corn), but some are now talking about planting mangoes, bananas, and paw paws (papaya). We have already motivated over ten farmers to plant bananas in the area. Yes the land is hard dry but with water it is soft and deep and also fertile ground. We are doing soil control so that when there are heavy rains, it does not pull away the top soil. ( Watch Samuel’s video promoting vetiver grasses for erosion control. ) Thank you to SIA for funding a drip irrigation system , which will benefit the whole community. Timothy will play a role in helping me train others to use drip irrigation, so that more people can grow food in this valley. *As a way to honor elders in Kenya, it is common to call someone Mama or Baba (Father) + name of their first-born. Kigen is the eldest child of Samuel and Rhoda, and so they are called Mama Kigen and Baba Kigen by their friends. Water tanks Sunrise #farming #sustainableagriculture #kenya #teimuge

Fred Kiserem (pictured below) was working in a café in Iraq when he suddenly fell down and started jerking. When he woke up, a friend from Uganda told him that it looked like kifafa – epilepsy. This was Fred’s first seizure, and he thought that at 27 he was too young for epilepsy. To find out more, Fred returned home to Kenya. After another seizure that landed him in the hospital, he sent up a prayer to God that if he got out of the hospital, he would start an organization for people with epilepsy. The Kiserem Epilepsy Foundation , started in 2016, is a community organization in Githurai just 40km northeast of Nairobi. It supports over 300 people with epilepsy and their caregivers, sharing information about causes of epilepsy, triggers of seizures, and first aid dos and don’ts. Fred, along with his wife, Kristin (who helps with project management), and Yvonne (who is the administrator and computer teacher) have also set up a vocational training program. This program gives practical skills like tailoring, carpentry, and computer skills to people with epilepsy, helping them to move ahead in life. Fred is well-known as a resource for seizures and epilepsy in his neighborhood of Mwihoko. He has a way of talking about epilepsy that normalizes the condition and puts people at ease. People come to him to ask about where they can go for diagnosis, and to find out about treatment. Sometimes Fred comes across people who believe the seizures are caused by demons and they want to hold prayer vigils to get rid of them. Fred tells them, “you can pray for healing, and then still go to the doctor.” In order to break down the stigma around epilepsy and seizures, the Foundation hosts awareness campaigns in local elementary schools and in churches. “If we talk about seizures regularly, people will know what is happening when they see a friend or family member start jerking.” SIA Partners to Support Kiserem Epilepsy Foundation Medication is effective in treating epilepsy but many people with epilepsy in Kenya are unable to get medical care or pay for the medications. This is where Spirit in Action comes into the picture! A SIA grant to Kiserem Epilepsy Foundation in December 2020 helped them establish a poultry project. This project is a vocational training program for 100 women with epilepsy and their caregivers. Each week, one person is selected to care for the chickens, learning how to feed them, keep them healthy, and clean the coop (saving the manure for gardens!). It is also an income-generating project for the Foundation. The broiler chickens will mature after two months and they have already arranged to sell the meat to a hotel. The profits will help them distribute medicine to those who cannot afford it. Fred and his team are a great example of how SIA partners are deeply rooted in community and passionate about serving those around them to create a better future. “Once you empower someone, they will go onto help another,” says Fred, embodying the SIA principle of the ripple of Sharing the Gift. They have a big vision of reaching more than ten thousand with epilepsy in the next ten years and we are proud to join them in this important work. Women learning to sew dresses at the Kiserem Epilepsy Training Centre #epilepsyawareness #communitybasedorganization #kenya #poultry #vocationaltraining

1. Joshua & Fastina's Fish Farm in Malawi Manyamula Village is hours away from Lake Malawi, so the only fish that arrives there is dried. Joshua and Fastina saw the opportunity to sell fresh fish. They used a SIA Small Business Fund grant of $150 to stock their newly-dug fish pond in Manyamula, Malawi last year. The business has been so successful that they have expanded to three fish ponds, started beekeeping, and sent their daughter to a private school. They have Shared the Gift by giving fish fingerlings to three families. Joshua and Fastina's fish farm helps Manyamula residents add protein and diversity to their diets! 2. Financial Services for Women in Rural Uganda Most women in Uganda have a side-hustle: selling vegetables from their kitchen garden or farm, or buying cloth or kitchen items in bulk and re-selling them in their village. Sharon, a leader of Universal Love Alliance in Uganda, met with rural women last month as part of their outreach to widows. She laid the groundwork for starting a savings and credit group for these women who otherwise cannot access financial services for their micro-enterprises through the banks. 3. "The Answer is Local" 3-Minute Video I loved this short video about the power of local networks to create positive change in the world. "Too often development is something done to communities, rather than with them or by them." This misses out on local resources and local solutions! #shiftthepower #uganda #malawi #positivechange #fish #smallbusinessfund #businesssuccess #sharingthegift

I woke up to the news of the violence against eight people, including six women of Asian descent, in Atlanta, Georgia . In some ways, it may seem that this news is unrelated to Spirit in Action’s work. But as I thought about it more, I could see how confronting this hate is tied to the work of our organization and of our partners. This incident is only the most recent incident of violence against people of Asian descent. As I read more, I learned Asian people all over the world have felt increased hostility . This seem to be a result of the hateful rhetoric connecting the coronavirus pandemic to China. These hateful acts are not only in the United States. Anti-Asian racism also exists in African countries, where Chinese and Indians are seen as outsiders, even though many have lived there for generations. Sex workers and LGBTI+ people are also often targets for violence, both within their families and in the community. Spirit in Action supports organizations that are working with victims of violence, and organizations that are promoting tolerance, understanding, and peace. MILCOT in Uganda is working to help women, many who are sex workers, rebuild lives after gender-based violence. Universal Love Alliance trains youth on accepting all people and encourages pastors to preach acceptance of LGBTI+ people. Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Societies (e-CATS) holds Listening Circle workshops to teach non-violence and conflict resolution in the urban informal settlements of Nairobi, Kenya. The SIA North American Board is also continuing to do work to uncover unconscious bias and to question the legacy of colonialism that is built into the aid and charity sector. Learning about the experiences of others, listening to how they experience the world, and recognizing our blind spots are all necessary steps in Spirit in Action’s mission to fulfill God’s promise for abundant life for all , and our vision for all people to live up to their full potential. No matter where you are in the world, no matter your skin color or orientation, there is work to do to get more comfortable with people who are different , and to confront the ways that each of us have benefited from privileges that lift us up at the expense of others. Thank you for joining us in this sacred and holy work. #justice #civilrights #socialjustice #humanrights

Women around Turbo in Western Kenya are excited about the Mothers’ Support Programme expanding in their rural district. The program is the creation of Benter, Lizette, and Rhoda – the leaders of the Visionary Women’s Centre -- and it has the effect of increasing self-confidence and building a sense of pride in the women who participate . The women also improve the nutritional and economic opportunities for themselves and their families. 110 mothers and grandmothers are now participating, divided into eight smaller groups of thirteen to seventeen members. The groups meet regularly and learn how to start an organic garden and raise chickens. Overall, the Mothers’ Support Programme is supporting over 700 family members in their community. Rhoda, Davis and Benter are part of the Visionary Women's Centre leadership team Before being able to join the Mothers’ Support Programme, women must organize themselves into neighborhood groups and successfully complete the Table Banking savings program. For Table Banking, the women receive a clay piggy-bank which they fill weekly with any savings they get from sales of vegetables or odd-jobs . At the end of the year there is a celebration and the banks are smashed open! The women then use their savings for investing in chicks or paying for school fees for their children. “This project has had the most remarkable effect on everyone involved,” says Lizette, who is co-founder of VWC and lives in Canada. “It has inspired and stretched the Visionary Women’s Centre team to have the opportunity to bring such a wonderful gift to "our mothers.”” Planning for the Future There is great interest in the program, and so the VWC team has carefully designed a plan for slow and steady expansion of the program within the community. “We take two new groups per year," Lizette explains. "Once a group has been followed for five years with a gradual decrease in supervision, they will become part of the VWC MSP Alumnae. This allows for on-going contact and support from VWC but in a way that we can continue both to expand as well as honour our commitment to established groups.” The Visionary Women’s Centre is one of SIA’s multi-year partners, which means that the SIA Board has approved three consecutive years of funding. This allows VWC to plan future expansion without immediate funding concerns . Our multi-year commitment also helps VWC in their fundraising from other groups. This year the VWC team is making inroads into local fundraising initiatives, receiving support from a local gym and a bank branch in Eldoret, Kenya. As a way of Sharing the Gift , Lizette and Benter helped present at a Zoom training call for SIA partners last week! Twenty SIA partners from Eastern Africa attended the training to learn how to pitch their organizations to both international and local funders. Tanya and Barbara Deal visiting the Visionary Women's Centre in 2019. We were welcomed by the organizing team, who served us watermelon and told us about their vision for the future. #kenya #women #savings #localorganizations

It’s not often that international aid is featured on the editorial pages of a major newspaper. So I was excited and pleasantly surprised to see the New York Times Editorial Board write the opinion Foreign aid is having a reckoning . The authors start by outlining the problem. For example, “planeloads of free American corn can help famine victims in the short term, but they can also put local farmers out of business, making the food supply in the long term more precarious.” Aid is not neutral. It impacts local politics. Beatrice with her potato field and Ruth with her passion fruit crop. These two women are SIA Small Business Fund farmers. Painting people who receive support as helpless victims distorts reality and creates a stark power dynamic where donors get to see themselves as “saviors.” If we really believe that Black lives matter, then the reckoning is necessary. The opinion piece quotes Degan Ali, an activist in Nairobi, who wants humanitarian funding to be a “direct as possible.” She advocates for turning away from top-down model, toward shared decision-making and flexible funding. International fundraising “should be based on amplifying the dynamic work our communities themselves are engaged in.” Our Reckoning If you’ve been following Spirit in Action for a while, you’ve probably seen some of this “reckoning” in action. Our mission statement recognizes that “our partners know best what they need and can create the change they envision.” To live into that mission, our funding goes directly to community-based organizations like Kakuuto Development Initiative and Midwife-Led Community Transformation , amplifying their work. These organizations are doing the work before our funding arrives, not waiting for a savior. In addition, this year we’re piloting a new initiative of multi-year funding grants . For organizations like Flaming Chalice in Burundi, knowing that they will receive funding for three years creates stability and allows them to hire a local coordinator for all their activities. Manasse, pictured here, used to be a volunteer for Flaming Chalice and the SIA grant means he can now dedicate his full attention to the work. The funding commitment from Spirit in Action also makes their group more attractive to other funders. The pandemic canceled my trip to Kenya last year and nudged Spirit in Action to rely even more on the local expertise of our African Advisory Board members . One of the un-used and about-to-expire flight credits in Kenya is able to be transferred from me to Wambui Nguyo. She is already in the country and can make the visits that I had planned last year. It’s a long way from Opinion pages to real change, but it’s exciting to see these practices that we’ve seen work so well make it into the mainstream conversation! Wambui Nguyo is a trainer, organizer, and African Advisory Board member in Nairobi, Kenya. #localorganizations #grassroots #shiftthepower #mutualaid #multiyearfunding

When the social workers and psychological counselors from Midwife-Led Community Transformation (MILCOT) organization did an assessment of the young women in their community of Nansana Municipality, Uganda, they found an alarming number of girls who were in violent relationships and experiencing forms of sexual coercion. MILCOT is a SIA partner and community-based organization with the mission to take midwifery services out of the clinic setting and bring it direct to the community . Even during COVID lockdowns, the MILCOT team answered texts and phone calls from girls aged 10-24 about sexual and reproductive health issues. One of the MILCOT team members interviews household members to identify the needs in the community. Last year, MILCOT used funding for SIA to form two support groups for these girls living in dangerous situations and experiencing depression. Each group of eight members got together for a series of eight workshops using the Social Emotional Economic Empowerment through Knowledge of Group Support Psychotherapy (SEEK-GSP) Model. This model aims to treat mild or moderate depression and anxiety among those stuck in inter-generational cycles of poverty. (Those with severe depression were referred to psychiatrists for professional care.) The SEEK-GSP model aims to educate group members about depression, provide them with a supportive environment for exploring trauma, and developing positive coping and problem-solving skills. After sharing their traumatic experiences, the group members offered suggestions and encouragement, to help each young woman know she is not alone in her struggles. “We have seen that the SEEK-GSP model brought smiles on the faces of two groups of women and girls,” writes Caroline Nakanyike and Harriet Nayiga, MILCOT leaders. “Also, by coming up with income generating projects they have boosted their individual and family economic status.” Each girl was given $10 in start-up capital to start businesses selling fish, vegetables, or tea and baked goods along the roadside. (Pictured above is a group starting a frying business.) The groups also are joint savings clubs. “Team No Stress” has collectively saved USD$20! Harriet Nayiga was recognized as a Young Midwife Leader by the International Confederation of Midwives. Read her interview here: https://nursesandmidwiveslead.org/bringing-midwifery-services-to-the-community/ After completing the therapy sessions in September, the MILCOT team conducted a post-therapy assessment. They noted the following successes: Improved emotional wellbeing of members and their families; Reduced dependence and intimate partner violence, with enhanced creative and problem solving skills; Increased interest and task commitment; Increased trust amongst themselves that enabled support for each other; Enhanced patience, persistent of effort, self-assurance, determination, and responsibility; Improved individual and family income; Gratitude for acquired free knowledge in self-care, record and book keeping and saving culture. The outcome of these sessions is a general improvement of well-being, including renewed energy for activities that allow them to express their talents. One member resurrected her childhood interest in basketry, which has contributed to her household income with less stress! #uganda #girls #encouragement #skillstraining #savings #socialwork

Throughout the pandemic and national elections in Uganda, grassroots organizations like KADI-U are continuing their community-level activities to make sure everyone has enough food and is on the path to a better life. ( See all our current partner organizations. ) I was so excited after reading their report to SIA of their activities in the last few months of the year. The volunteers who run KADI are so dedicated to making sure no one in their community is left behind. One of the themes of the report was the benefit of making partnerships with other local organizations. “We have learned that partnerships with like-minded institutions lead to achievement of great results with limited use of resources since costs are shared,” reports Robert Sebunya, a social worker and KADI-U volunteer. Here are some of the highlights: Supporting Farmers In October through December, KADI-U has increased it acreage for the agribusiness. While the families who live here are familiar with growing food for themselves, it is a shift to think of growing crops to also have some to sell for profit. Now they are starting farming business in soybeans, potatoes, cassava and maize. KADI-U is partnering with the nearby Bakyabumba Farmers’ Cooperative Society. The cooperative owns a tractor that KADI-U farmers will be able to hire at subsidized rates. Previously all the ploughing would be done all by hand, or with a rented oxen team. So the tractor will allow much more land to be ready for farming. Improved potato stems were distributed to the farmers for planting in the October and those potatoes should be ready to harvest this month. KADI-U members have continued to build and use the granaries (pictured above) at their homesteads, which are very helpful in storing the larger harvest of agribusiness crops. Tailoring Another partnership that KADI-U has forged this year is with the Obulamu Bwebugagga Training Center, where sixteen of the adolescent girls from Kakuuto village are going to learn tailoring skills. KADI-U used part of a SIA grant to buy three sewing machines and tailoring materials that the girls are using during this training. The Training Centre provides the trainer and food and accommodation for the trainees for the three months of the training. At the end of the three months the girls will know how to make dresses and shirts and they will take home a certificate showing that they have completed the training. No One Left Behind Last month, KADI-U did a survey of households that have children with disabilities in the four parishes of their county. They met twenty-three people – both children and adults – with varying disabilities. KADI-U has formed a partnership with Fathers Heart Mobility Ministry to distribute seventeen wheelchairs to help those with mobility needs get around on their own . #uganda #training #skills #empowerment #farmers #disabilites #SIApartners

Happy New Year! Last year was a big one for Spirit in Action. We gave $18,800 to 20 partner organizations for emergency COVID-19 responses . We experimented with a new grant review system , using the local expertise of the African Advisory Board, and have over 20 grant partners for this year! We had online meetings with the North American Board and African Advisory Board. We also highlighted more African voices on the blog, and got a new website (waaaay back in April). I’m starting this year with the deep understanding that we cannot know what the year will bring. And even so, I have big dreams for Spirit in Action as we celebrate our 25th anniversary! Exploring a multi-year funding model to better support the stability of our grant partners and reduce the stress on their leaders. As part of this, I’ll be highlighting on the blog some of the amazing staff people who keep these grassroots organizations thriving. Meeting with some of the amazing women from Universal Love Alliance, supporting rural women in Uganda in 2019. Increase the diversity of people in our decision-making , as well as examining our unconscious bias and the colonialist tendencies in development and international philanthropy. Staying true to our roots by continuing to focus on building relationships and encouraging our partners. We’ll do this by hosting online workshops about topics that interest our grant partners, and having our African Advisory Board check in regularly with new grant partners. I’ll also be looking for new ways of grant reporting that give partner organizations useful information for improving, and give donors a true picture of what change is happening. Finally, instead of celebrating 25 years of SIA in person, we’ll get creative to find ways throughout the year to honor our past and dream large for the future . Thank you for being part of Spirit in Action in 2021! Picture left: Leaders from Visionary Women's Fund in Kenya are social workers and community development specialists.

Last year, at the conference in Kenya where we dreamed up the African Advisory Board , I asked those gathered about their vision for SIA. I asked, “What’s your wildest dream for SIA?” Out of the conversation, we honed in on a tagline for our work: “SIA is social and economic justice not charity, with God in the center.” What else do we dream for Spirit in Action? Canaan Gondwe (Malawi): To see change in the people we work with. Better livelihoods. Abundant life. To see change that is sustainable; change that comes from within. I dream that SIA continues to be a learning organization and have wider horizons. To learn from our mistakes. To see the challenges, and learn from them. To learn how to have greater impact with the small resources we have. Naomi Ayot (Uganda): To improve our skills, and help people with their reporting. I dream that the funding sources to SIA increase. That there is an increase of people who trust in the vision of SIA and invest in the programs. I see that SIA has a unique oneness and love in the communities we serve. I see women empowering women. We are creating one big SIA movement – with participatory social justice. Samuel Teimuge (Kenya): I dream of continued training and mentoring for partners. And more regular communication between partners and SIA office. We are sharing the successes, celebrating lifting someone’s life, which motivates us all. Dennis Kiprop (Kenya): I see SIA as a vehicle for social and economic justice. People are saying, “I can take my child to a better clinic. I can learn to write.” SIA can help bring justice. Wambui Nguyo (Kenya): I dream of having a thriving savings and loans group in Koch (slum community), following on the model of COMSIP in Malawi. I want people to have a different kind of life. I know it can be done. I want to always encourage people to keep moving forward and see a different future. Barbara Deal (USA): To increase the donor base and budget so more grants can be made. I want donors to understand the power of our partners. Tanya Cothran (SIA Office): to build a wider network, sharing with other NGOs and government agencies that work in the same areas as we do. I dream that there can be space for openness to try new things and learn from those experiences. My dream is to move us even more towards working for justice, not charity. Blessed holidays from all of us as Spirit in Action! See you in the New Year, when we’ll continue our dreaming, learning, and giving! Make your year-end contribution to SIA here. Celebrating prosperity in Aboke, Uganda. #aab #dreaming #inspiration #justice

Guest post by Gloria Teimuge Gloria is a public health practitioner and consultant, photojournalist and writer living in Nairobi, Kenya. This is part of our series highlighting the culture of Kenya. As we get into the holiday mood, I’d love to share some of my experiences of what I’d describe as a Kenyan holiday. This year is different, for all of us, but there are some things that still keep the holiday spirit alive. December is typically sunny. The children are on a break from school. It’s just after a harvest season (maize or wheat), and it is time for hundreds of sherehes (Swahili for occasions) - engagements, weddings, circumcision ceremonies, graduations. These occasions are feasts where people gather, eat, and make merry. Kenyans are always ready for a good time and the holidays are not any different. With the Covid-19 pandemic, gatherings are limited or prohibited, the short rains have carried on to December and most people are not in a position to splurge on festivities like previous years. Let me take you through a journey of festivities. Please tag along. Engagement Parties Engagements or traditional weddings are ceremonies in honor of the bride-to-be. This occasion is a bridal send-off of the lady from her home to join the groom’s family. In order of events, after the proposal, there’s a ‘show-up,’ which is an official sit-down with both family members to discuss bride price/dowry and to knit family ties. (See photos below.) The show-up is also meant to ascertain no blood ties between the families of the betrothed by tracing the family tree and clan totems . A date is set for the engagement and wedding. The engagement is an all-invite ceremony. Large numbers of people show up, hundreds to thousands. There’s a lot of food, music and dance, colorful outfits, cultural activities. The couple then goes ahead and plans the wedding. Pictured above: Top: Samburu wedding (QIP Photography); Kalenjin engagement; Middle: wedding (QIP Photography); Mijikenda engagement (Maisy); Bottom: Samburu wedding (QIP Photography); engagement. Rites of Passage Circumcision is a rite of passage. For about a month, a group of boys within the same age set go into isolation. While there they are circumcised and undergo training that is to transform them from boys to men. Different tribes have different cultures and methods on how things are done but at the end of the isolation, there’s a celebration. During that period, under the cultural circumcision, the boys wear traditional clothes sometimes sackcloth, smear themselves with ash and are not allowed to interact with any women. It’s the men who take care of everything. On the day of the feast, they are re-introduced to the community and sometimes with new names. Most of the ceremonies coincide with the harvest season of December. Jamhuri Day Jamhuri Day (Republic Day) is a national holiday that celebrates the date Kenya became a republic on 12th December 1964. We celebrate our country’s cultural heritage and the heroes who fought for our country. As a public holiday, there are a lot of events, concerts and parties all over the country. The Kenyan flag is hoisted on almost every building and the television stations play live recording of the national celebrations where the president is in attendance. The national anthem is played severally, together with covers by different local artists. Christmas! After the 12th, the next holiday is Christmas! A week before Christmas, thousands of city dwellers leave for the country-side. It’s typically Christmas when you get to spend the holiday with family and friends and no one likes to be left out. A continuous entourage of buses and cars snakes its way to risaf leaving the cities deserted and seemingly uninhabited. In the country-side, its pomp and color by the third week of the month, with the decisions being which party to attend next. Food is in plenty and a crowd of merry-makers is seen in almost every homestead. The Christmas mood hits with Christmas décor and music. Every shop and restaurant playing Christmas carols on repeat. All TV stations religiously bring up Christmas movies. Christmas Eve is mostly spent around family, a big dinner, laughter and stories. Some spend it in church, awaiting the birth of Jesus Christ. On Christmas day, there’s usually a short sermon in church, followed by gatherings and feasts at home. Some people visit children’s homes, hospitals and shelters to share the love and joy of Christmas. Local delicacies such as nyamachoma, chapati, ugali, and traditional vegetables are a staple in these feasts. Neglected greens such as black night shade, leafy vegetables, and salads always make an appearance. Sitting around a table with family and friends, or on a bench under a tree or on a picnic blanket, it’s the feeling, the togetherness, the love and joy that matters. The radio or television would sing one particular tune on repeat, “Mary’s born child, Jesus Christ, was born on Christmas Day!” Between Christmas day and New Year’s, there are several get-togethers with different groups of people. Friends, relatives, prayer groups, chamas , class reunions, and neighbors. A chain of ‘Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year’ messages go around. Everyone staying up late around the bonfire, the flames crackling drowning the bouts of laughter and banter. We go through the year, sharing our experiences and getting updates about things that we probably missed. The village gossip is served steaming hot. New Year’s Eve is either spent in church or at home. Some people party and gas up, waiting for the countdown. It’s a time for a yearly review and gratitude, and for some, resolutions for the coming year. Fireworks display, more music, more dancing and a hope for a better, more prosperous year. Swahili Vocab *Risafv - countryside * Nyama choma - barbecued meat * Chapati - a pan-fried flatbread made from wheat flour * Ugali - stiff porridge made from maize flour * Chama - an informal co-operative society that is used to pool and invest savings #kenya #culture #merrychristmas

“Generosity with strings is not generosity; it is a deal.” ~Marya Mannes **This blog post is taken from my sharing at UMC Point Richmond last Sunday. You can watch the service here and I start around minute 34. The aim of Spirit in Action is true generosity – with transformational, rather than transactional, relationships. From what I’ve heard from my friends in Africa, many grants can feel more like a deal than an act of generosity. Some large granting organizations are still expecting people to have the same grant outcomes they promised in December of last year, rather than accepting the reality that the world has changed. But moving away from checklists and strict rules and deals, requires trust. Like the trust that Sister Magrina built up by living in the community where she was serving. (Pictured above, Kenya 2017.) I’m learning to lean into the mantra, “trust people and they become trustworthy.” We engage our partners from a place of trust – trusting that they know what works best in their community and that there is room for flexibility in the process of community building. This trust then empowers both parties in the relationship to be trustworthy. To me, this is part of the process of seeing our work as rooted in justice, rather than charity. Sharing the Power Last year, as part of moving towards justice, and uncovering unconscious bias in our organization, we formed the Spirit in Action African Advisory Board. Creating the African Advisory Board was about letting our African colleagues take the driver’s seat. It was about aligning more fully with our vision which affirms that “our partners know best what they need and can create the change they envision.” (The moment of dreaming pictured above, Kenya 2019.) Rather than have me or the North American Board decide who should receive grants, we turned the decision-making power over to six people who are on the ground. All six of them are extremely knowledgeable – not only just about their own communities and countries – but also about community development, activism, and making change. And they know Spirit in Action well too. Canaan in Malawi has been with Spirit in Action longer than I have (and it’s 13 years for me now!). Also serving on the African Advisory Board is Naomi in Uganda, who is a child protection specialist. She helps the Ugandan Ministry of Gender plan their programs to support orphans and vulnerable children. Samuel Teimuge in Kenya has been a mentor and innovator in sustainable agriculture for 38 years. Wambui Nguyo has a degree in Banking and Finance. She was a trainer in trauma healing and peacebuilding in post-conflict areas of Kenya for many years. She recently founded e-CATS (which stands for Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Societies) as a way to give back, as a form of community service. These are the people we have on SIA’s team, and this year, for the first time ever, they are the ones making decisions about where we send our money. And, now that everything happens on Zoom – including our North American board meeting, we could easily have African Advisory Board join the meeting. (Pictured right.) Rather than have me present their report and grant recommendations earlier this month, Naomi in Uganda made the presentation. Each of the African Advisory Board members shared about their process and the way they applied the rubric to their evaluation of the applications. New Grant Partners So what did they choose to fund? Out of 90 applications from grassroots organizations in East Africa, the African Advisory Board made the tough decisions and selected nine top organizations. The Global Batwa Outreach will help 100 indigenous Ugandans start vegetable gardens at home. The Kiserem Epileptic Foundation will train 100 women (including women with epilepsy, their caregivers, and other community members) to raise poultry – while also combating stigma against epilepsy. Midwife-led Organization for Community Transformation (pictured above) will host a support group for adolescent girls who have been victims of violence, helping them to heal and see a hopeful future. For Reach Girls in Malawi this will be their first ever international grant. They will lead a vocational training course for girls in rural Malawi, as a way to encourage them to continue their education and be more independent. Those are just four of the nine new organizations that I’m excited to work over the next year. Each of them serving individuals, families, and communities to tap into their resilience and build a hopeful future. This work truly does call on us to daily “seek justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with our God.” It calls us to humbly serve by listening, by being there for the long-term, and by giving love and compassion freely, without strings or deals attached. Sometimes that means giving food aid, and sometimes it means changing our organizational structure to include more diverse voices and decision-makers. In these days of Advent, of preparing and dreaming, of listening and waiting, my invitation to you is to join me in humble service and joyful generosity, so that more people on earth can live according to their highest potential. Thank you to all of you who contributed to our Giving Tuesday fundraising campaign on Facebook! So far we have raised $1,041 towards our goal of $2,500. You can still contribute here . #partnerships #shiftthepower #aab #siaboard #newgrants

Spirit in Action was founded in 1996, when founder Del Anderson was 90 years old, which means that next year will be our 25th Anniversary! When the Spirit in Action Board met on Zoom last weekend, we took time share our history and tell the stories of SIA's early days. Letter Ministry Marsha Johnson volunteered with Del for years before SIA was an official organization and she was the first Administrator, from 1996-2007. Marsha told the story of Del's ministry which inspired Spirit in Action: "Even before Spirit in Action, daily, all day long, Del wrote letters to people who he had met through Camps Farthest Out International. During those years, Del nurtured many, many relationships through sending and receiving letters, sending self-help materials, seeds, scriptures, and inspirational readings. They were letters of encouragement and he often slipped in a $5 bill. "Del realized in time that it was important to give others the opportunity to be part of this sacred ministry that he believed so much in. He also wanted this ministry to continue past his lifetime and that was how the vision of Spirit in Action was founded in 1996." [Del is pictured above in his office with hundreds of copies of inspirational materials. Below is one of the quotes he often shared.] Leading with His Relationships Margaret Arner, who was a board member since before SIA was founded and is just now retiring from board service, also shared her stories. " My involvement in Spirit in Action is 100% a result of my admiration for Del Anderson. He had worked on his own personal relationship with God daily since he was in his 20s or even earlier. He wasn’t a speaker and didn’t lead as a speaker in a typical charismatic way. Del led with his relationships. He led through his letters and in his faithful correspondence with people who he knew around the world. He affirmed what those people were saying, and listened to them. Those were his strengths. "This was so inspirational to me, that a humble, ordinary person, who has a desire in their heart to be closer to God, can to do something with whatever their talents might be . They can do good by listening, keeping their ears open, being open to whatever job might come their way, and being open to God’s guidance." [Del was a Scout Leader for many years. Here he is in Japan in 1956, with Bebe Anderson and a local scout troupe.] Maggie appreciates that SIA has maintained its identity as not a typical business model. We keep our spiritual emphasis front and center. She is proud that over the years we have been comfortable with the process taking whatever time it takes to come into consensus in making decisions . It might not always be the most efficient, from a corporate standpoint, but it is heart-centered and gracious, and it concentrates on relationship-building as being of primary importance. We ended the evening with the inspirational writing that Del wrote for Spirit in Action called God Calling . It's a powerful call to be a mustard seed of hope in the world. One part that always inspires me is the line, " A dream has no dimension, no boundaries, no limitations." Thank you to those of you who have known SIA since the beginning, and gratitude for each of you who have joined us along the way. #history #storytelling #SIABoard #Del #Inspiration

“Having salaried staff brings a sense of pride and stability for the three employees, all of whom volunteered for many years. Having new office equipment is incredible! Our office is nicely furnished with tables and chairs to accommodate visitors, including high level staff from UNICEF, United Nations Population Fund, World Vision, and journalists conducting interviews.” The Pastoralist Child Foundation (PCF) in Kenya is one of the organizations that SIA supports with operating funds. This means that a SIA grant covers the rent, utilities, and salaries for three Kenyan staff. Sound like the scary “overhead expenses”? For our grant partners, operating support bring stability. Supporting Girls and Changing Norms This year the PCF leadership team trained five women group leaders on COVID-19 guidelines, stopping female genital mutilation (FGM) and child marriage, income generating activities, and the importance of education. The leaders then went back to train the women in their specific area, reaching 300 women total. Changing tradition is hard and a sensitive topic. The PCF leaders are all Samburu pastoralists, so they have standing in the community to talk about issues like ending FGM. PCF Director Samuel Leadismo is a highly respected mentor to youth all across Samburu County and his advocacy has led to positive changes in attitudes about FGM. He and another staff member, Elizabeth, hosted a radio show about FGM and child marriage, which reached more than 15,000 people. To introduce the topic, Samuel gives the following example, “No one goes to a mountain or river to pray anymore. Samburus go to church. No one wears animal skins any more. People wear clothes. If you can accept these changes and still consider yourself to be Samburu, you can accept the end of FGM.” PCF is also engaging morans (young warriors) in the conversation. They meet with the 14-21 year old boys and talk to them about Kenyan laws prohibiting FGM and get them interested in upholding the rights of women and girls. Samuel reports, “one method of sustaining moran engagement in this noble task is to continue motivating, mentoring and training a core group of morans who will lead a new generation of young men to advocate for the rights of the Samburu girl child.” Other Successful Activities Even with the COVID-19 crisis, PCF has had a great, positive impact in the semi-nomadic pastoralist Samburu community where they work. PCF distributed food to over 3,000 people in sixteen villages in Samburu East to help people through the COVID-19 crisis. They also collaborated with community health volunteers to ensure people had places to wash hands. Here they are in Long’eli Lorora Village. PCF trained six women’s groups on how to make reusable sanitary napkins. How wonderful that girls and women won't have to buy disposable napkins! Just last month PCF received a generous donation of 200 Dignity Kits from UNICEF-Kenya! The kits containe backpacks, solar lamps, sanitary napkins, sandals, kangas (cotton shawls), and essential personal care items. #kenya #samburu #operatingfunds #grassrootsorganizations #FGM

Guest Post by Gloria Teimuge Gloria is a public health practitioner and consultant, photojournalist and writer living in Nairobi, Kenya. This is part of our series highlighting the geography and culture of Kenya. My middle name is Jepkoech, which means I was born at dawn, right before sunrise, when the first light appears in the East. I have adapted well as an early morning riser, getting that morning run and energy boost before the schedule begins. My Mom says she was going to name me Jepkorir, which means born at korir, slightly earlier than dawn. Names and their meanings can rub off on us, make us who we are, and establish an identity. Culture and Traditions Our next topic in this blog series is one of my favorites: the culture and traditions of the Kenyan communities! I will share some of Kenya's practices, some of which still happen in many tribes and communities on the African continent. This shared ancestry is a reminder that we are one; we are the same people. One notable thing across the continent that I love for sure is the sense of community. African proverbs talk a lot about unity and togetherness; for instance, "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." On Mashujaa Day, 10th October, the National Museums of Kenya in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture unveiled a beautiful exhibition that explores the 44 Kenyan tribes , their heroes , stories and fashion. Also included is the music scene and contemporary creatives. Follow this link and discover Kenya virtually. Koitalel Arap Samoei: The Mighty Prophet (Nandi Community) by Shujaa Stories National Museums of Kenya Welcoming a baby A baby is welcomed with ululation and joy. An expectant mother is usually well taken care of and respected. Midwifery was the norm and is still common in some areas. Mkunga , as she is known, helps women with newborn delivery at home. Many of the mkunga inherit the position from a family member and learned this skill from their predecessors. Presently, they are 'birth companions' and accompany the women to hospitals in case of emergencies. Traditionally, women gave birth at home. The mkunga was always on call. They would monitor the pregnancy, especially towards the last trimester, and ensure safe delivery. When the baby is born, the women in the room would announce the gender to those waiting outside, and there would be a celebration. In some tribes, three ululations would signify a boy, and two would be a girl. (Photo above: Kenyan mom-to-be Mercy Tarus, used with permission.) I learned more about this work when I had the opportunity to work at the health development center in Makunga, a rural town in western Kenya. We educated women on the importance of ante-natal care and regular clinic visits during maternity. There was a lot of reluctance to visit the hospital. Traditionally, they strongly believe in herbal medicine and home-based care, and it has worked for centuries. So, we had to break down the conversation and address the basics. This opportunity was an eye-opener for both parties , and we also learned the importance of natural and herbal medicine. Naming practices I just heard of a friend who named her child Lord Tyrion, a Lannister from Game of Thrones! As a GoT fan, I'm all for it. When Barack Obama was elected president of the US, so many mothers that year named their newborns after him. What an honor. Naming children after influential people is becoming quite common; and in general, naming practices are changing and becoming more westernized these days. The order of naming in Kenya is: Christian name, traditional name, family name. Traditionally, there was no premeditation when it came to the naming of babies. Our middle name is a traditional/tribal name. We are given a traditional name according to the time of day/night, season (rainy, drought, famine), activity (harvesting, taking the cattle out to graze or bringing them back in the evening), or in honor of ancestors, etc. In the Kalenjin tribe, the suffix 'Che' is for a girl, and 'Kip' is for a boy. For example, the drought season is usually from November to early March, so a child born during this time would be Jepkemei (girl) or Kipkemei (boy). A child born in the rainy season would be Cherop or Kiprop. My friend Chebet was born at noon. Chepkogei or Kipkogei means delayed child labor. Dawn in Zambia Sometimes, the elderly family members would meet in a room with the child and start mentioning names of ancestors at random. If the baby sneezed after a specific name, then that would be its name. It was considered a connection to the people they loved through the newborn. Names can also be changed, which happens during circumcision or marriage. Circumcision traditionally happened for both boys and girls and it was considered a rite of passage. After being circumcised, then they would be given new names. When married, a woman would automatically drop her family name and take her husband's family name. These days, it's more a personal choice, and many women prefer to hyphenate their spouse's name or not to take the new name at all. In every society, naming is an effective form of identity, and it gives a sense of belonging. We pride in our names, and no matter where we go, our names will always be the identification and tether to our heritage. #kenya #culture

The 2020 Spring & Summer newsletter is here! You can view a PDF version here ! Students and teachers at the Flaming Chalice International sewing training workshops in Burundi wear masks and sit outdoors. In this newsletter we feature: Sewing training underway in Burundi - outdoors and with masks "Start with what you have" - The 5 Ss for Business Success! Who are SIA's Partners? Building Relationships for the Long-term Women in Kenya finding ways to work during a pandemic Ann, Gladys, Maurine, Dennis, Esther with one of the prayer mats that they have for sale, to earn extra income during the pandemic. Sharing the Gift: Universal Love Alliance in Uganda organizes women’s groups to collectively raise pigs. Here, Nyakaikara group members receive the gift of piglets shared from another group. Donate to Spirit in Action today!

I admit it. Early on in the global pandemic, I was really worried about my friends and colleagues in Africa. I had my share of doomsday scenarios of hospitals over capacity, people dying, and whole families sick. I assumed that their governments wouldn’t have money for testing and that the virus could spread rapidly in places where people don’t always have accessible water for hand-washing. Seven months along, it seems my worry was misplaced. The chart below show the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases per million people in various countries. You can see that Uganda and Malawi both had fewer cases per million than even New Zealand. And while in the US and Canada we heard a lot about how well New Zealand was doing, I didn’t really hear anything about African countries keeping case numbers low. Looking for Explanations What about testing? It is true that some countries like Tanzania decided to stop reporting case numbers so as not to cause panic. And the number of tests per 1,000 people in Uganda and Kenya are much lower than in the US. So there may be undetected cases there. However, the percentage of tests that are positive in Kenya is about on par with the US (6% and 7%, respectively), and Uganda’s percentage is much lower (2% positive). A higher percentage suggests that countries may not be doing enough testing to understand the extent of the outbreak. (I played around a lot with the Our World in Data charts, which use European CDC data.) David Zarembka , an American Quaker living in Kenya, and others have pointed out how American and European organizations and news sources seemed reluctant to credit African governments with making better decisions around managing a pandemic. Some theories that emerged to explain away the low case numbers in Africa included suggesting that African people had some genetic difference that kept them from getting the virus (you’d have to ignore the outbreak in South Africa…). Others suggested that hot temperatures were preventing the disease (never mind that Brazil has a similar climate…). David summarizes by saying, “ Notice that all of these explanations give no agency to Africans themselves, their governments, or their health officials. It is all due to external factors. They are also all false, but the racists can’t see beyond their racism to understand the real reasons Africa have done so well. They are unable to accept that Africans are doing much, much better than the Europeans/Americans because of their own efforts. Moreover they cannot comprehend that they could learn from the positive successful examples in Africa.” Lessons Not Yet Learned What lessons could Western countries have learned? Kenya and Uganda completely shut their borders after the very first cases were detected in their countries. All flights in and out were cancelled. Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, was shut off from the rest of the country, so that any cases that might have come from the single case were not spread to the rest of the country. That same week, all schools were closed and a nighttime curfew closed all evening entertainment. When I arrived in the Nairobi airport last year, I had my temperature checked to screen for ebola. That was already normalized there. In Kampala, the capital of Uganda, all transportation was immediately prohibited, unless you had a special permit to drive. This forced everyone to stay in one place. In both countries, masks were required inside all buildings. (Read also what Ghana did right.) Meanwhile, the US borders were still open to flights, and people weren’t being effectively told to quarantine upon arrival. Domestic flights within the US and Canada were (and are) still operational. And case numbers continue to grow. Emergency Support Still Crucial All this is not to say that our SIA partner communities in Africa have not been affected by the virus. While African countries have managed to control virus outbreak (they’d already had practice from dealing with ebola), the Emergency grant funds that SIA sent were still crucial. I’ve written about how hunger increased under the extreme lockdowns and all sources in income were lost. The food and emergency aid that we sent was absolutely necessary to reduce suffering. Kenyan and Ugandan governments haven’t done as well at supporting their citizens to weather the storm. There aren’t the same widespread government safety nets of unemployment insurance and stimulus checks. However, it is time to revise my thinking about how African countries acted in ways that contained the virus, and what Western countries could have done differently, if we have looked to them for inspiration.

Guest Post by Gloria Teimuge Gloria is a public health practitioner and consultant, photojournalist and writer living in Nairobi, Kenya. This is part of our series highlighting the geography and culture of Kenya. About a month ago, I was chilling in Nairobi, watching news on TV with my friend Julie. I got a call from my brother telling me to watch out and be cautious when walking the dogs at night or jogging. A mama leopard and its cubs were spotted in the neighborhood. I was surprised and kidogo (a little) scared. But my friend was completely unbothered! In the cities and large towns, such sightings are rare. The Kenya Wildlife Services will act fast to make sure there is no contact between humans and animals, and that the animals can get back to their reserves. Leopards are more common in places like Kapcheblanget, a small, beautiful village in rural Trans-Nzoia. The name Kapcheblanget means ‘home of the leopard’ in Kalenjin. Going back centuries, these lands were exclusively home to wildlife, so the current inhabitants do their part in ensuring peaceful coexistence with leopards and other game. The Big five animals in Kenya’s tourism are: the Leopard, Lion, Buffalo, Rhinoceros and the African Elephant. They are named so because of the difficulty and danger posed during their hunting in the past. Now, they are an iconic quintet in safaris. (PSA- we do not tolerate poaching, it’s against the law.) Top photos by Kigan Teimuge. Bottom photos by Tanya Cothran. Totems and Clans In our sub-tribes and clans, we have totems that are meant to symbolize the characters of its members. Totems can be animals, nature, or and seasons. We follow and respect our clans and clan totems very much. The terik, which I come from, is the clan of the elephant. My paternal lineage is terik and my maternal lineage is talai (toad). Our ancestors believe that we are connected to the elephant and the toads. We are expected to value and respect that connection. There are also rules and conditions which we adhere to; for instance when it comes to marriage. Certain clans cannot inter-marry, it’s against customs set ages ago. So during a ‘show up’- a traditional sit down before the engagement- both families have to go through the family tree and ensure there’s no relation or clash of clans. If there’s no issue, they proceed to the engagement. If there’s a problem, the engagement is annulled. I remember a story my Dad (Samuel Teimuge) told me about elephants being the superior animal of the savanna. Whenever the elephant passes, all the other animals bow and make way as a show of respect. People too! Annually, they make their way through the forest during their migration to Kerio valley. They go there to lick salt, to satisfy a craving perhaps. Salt is an essential in their diet, so they make the 50km trek once a year. Elephants never forget their path. They mark their paths and cover them with broken branches in the forest. They can smell and detect from kilometers away and are excellent trackers. They maneuver if they have to but they get back using the same route. When my Dad mentioned that, I was surprised. So intelligent! Elephants pass across my Dad's farm, so he puts out a huge barrel of water for them to drink. They pause for a while, drink and go on their way. In Rimoi national reserve, that pack of elephants is known as the largest single herd in Africa, and the world. They move together, stay together and feed together. Such a community. Until next time, take care!

“Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” This is one of Romano Iluku’s favorite quotes and it comes up often as he talks about his work with families in the informal settlements in Nairobi, Kenya. Romano has a fundamentally positive outlook and in the midst of the fear about the pandemic, he reminded me that he has seen his community in Kenya respond with resilience to the HIV/AIDS. Romano is a Spirit in Action Small Business Fund Coordinator and his organization is a SIA grant partner. Here, he writes about his vision for sustainable and transformative change in his community. My name is Romano Iluku from Nairobi Kenya. I’m passionate about education and transformation. I believe that we are all called for a purpose in our existence. My passion towards transformation and my desire to learn, love, and serve humanity has led me into starting an organization by the name of Empowering Communities as Actors for Transforming Societies (e-CATS) . Economic Empowerment E-CATS aims to reduce poverty, hunger, and inequality among vulnerable populations in Kenya’s informal settlements and rural homes. This is through fostering basic entrepreneurial skills and offering micro loans/grants to boost existing small business or start and grow new ones. I have been working with communities in the informal settlements in Nairobi on the area of peace-building and social reconciliation. While undertaking this projects, there have been some gaps especially on the area of economic empowerment. Since SIA is working with households on the area of economic empowerment and poverty reduction, I saw an opportunity to integrate this into the peace-building and community work I am involved in. Watch a video of e-CATS mutual aid response to the pandemic. In the immediate crisis, e-CATS helped supply people with food. In the long-term they are supporting small business rebuilding.
In my pilot project with SIA and e-CATS, young mothers were selected and trained on basic business skills, after which they were given grants for their small business. So far, the pilot project has benefited over twenty families hailing from the two major informal settlements (Kibera and Korogocho) in Nairobi. Pre-pandemic business training for women in Kibera Informal Settlement. By growing and improving their trades, these families are able to pay for their house rent, medical bills for themselves, and their children will stay in school without being interrupted for fees. Families graduating from the program will pay forward to help the next family with startup contribution. This will make the project more easily sustainable. Local Knowledge E-CATS is well placed to direct the initiative because we are a grassroots organization which operates on the ground. We have a direct link to the recipients of the microgrants. Our team includes diverse, young, proactive, and passionate individuals who are involved in the management of e-CATS. We all work on voluntary basis at the moment. This team draws its experience from basic accounting and finance skills, community development, entrepreneurship and economics. We are committed to transparency not only to the recipients of the microgrants but also to our development partners and donors. We understand the context on the ground and the issues faced by the community in Kenya’s informal settlements and rural areas. Wambui Nguyo and Romano Iluku, e-CATS co-founders and SIA Small Business Fund Coordinators in Nairobi. #kenya #localorganizations #guestposts #empowerment #SIAteam

Guest Post by Gloria Teimuge Gloria is a public health practitioner and consultant, photojournalist and writer living in Nairobi, Kenya. She is a long-time friend of Spirit in Action. Aaah...wildlife. You probably know so much about Africa’s wildlife already. There are so many wild animals to mention! I’ll let the internet assist you on that. During a safari, what you see for miles and miles are silhouettes of giraffes feeding on acacia trees in the vast savanna grasslands. Wild animals in Kenya typically stay and live in the wild; some are protected in parks and reserves. Since reserves characteristically aren’t fenced (because they are hectares and hectares of land), it’s not uncommon to come across people grazing their livestock alongside wildlife. Risaf , (our lingo for reserve), also known as the countryside, is an area where animals and humans have coexisted with little to no problems for centuries. It’s brilliant how most of the towns and villages in Kenya are named after inhabiting wildlife or the environment. They are named how the villagers see fit. Emsea is from the words emmet-ab seat , which means ‘home of seaat’ (a tree species). Kipchebos means a place that is bald implicating bareness; seasonally, the area becomes arid and bare. Monkeys are agile, tree hopping primates of the forest. In risaf like Kapsoo, Kessup and Nandi, they can be such a nuisance especially during the maize maturing season. They love to eat maize, the premature cobs with milky kernels. If not careful, monkeys can demolish an entire plantation in a week! So, the villagers have to be up by 5am during that season to shoo them away. They carry drums and empty buckets, sling shots and sticks to try and wad them off. Very cheeky and fast, the monkeys can keep one running around the entire day. The colobus monkey, the vervet, and baboons are some of the most commonly seen species of monkeys. My parents tell us their experiences about this very important responsibility growing up, and we crack up laughing at the mischievousness of the monkeys. It is a difficult job. We still watch out for monkeys in the farm in Kerio Valley. I remember in high school (boarding school) during the dry seasons, when it was too hot outside and the vegetations were all dried up, the monkeys would come into our dormitories to look for food. If someone left the window open, a surprise of mess and clatter would be waiting after class in the evening. So we learnt to be observant of seasons. Photos provided by Gloria Teimuge Long before urban centers swelled in population, giraffes could be seen walking around. Even now, on rare occasions, giraffes can be seen in the Ngong area. There are signs on the road for Giraffe-crossing. Animals seen relaxing in recreational parks and along major highways are baboons, warthogs, antelopes and zebras. Quick question: Are Zebras black with white stripes or white with black stripes? There are thousands of bird species in Kenya. Some of them are migratory birds that migrate to and within Kenya yearly because of the favorable weather conditions for feeding, breeding, and thriving. My brother, Kigen, is a bird enthusiast and has taught me how fascinating an activity bird watching can be. The Lilac-breasted roller and the Rooster are Kenya’s national birds. Two birds you wonder? Kindly consult with the Luhya community in Kenya. There is no way we would have a national bird that isn’t a chicken. We love our kienyeji chicken (free-range), perfect meal for any occasion. Poultry farming is a commonly practiced activity in Kenya. The roller on the other hand is a colorful bird endemic to Africa. It has a plumage of purple, azure, olive, black and brown shades with white streaks. The rooster crows while the roller has a distinct vocalization and also sings! Still more to come about the semi-arid grasslands of Kenya. Until then, take care.

Last month, Universal Love Alliance in Uganda began a new virus testing program. But instead of testing for coronavirus, this program is for preventing the spread of HIV/AIDS. Twelve participated in a ULA training about HIV and about how to use HIV self-test kits. Doctors and clinical officers from a local hospital provided the technical training. “The key message in the opening session was that HIV is a virus, not a death sentence,” says Samson Turinawe, ULA Director. Other sessions discussed safer sex, including condom use, and how to use pre- and post-exposure protection against HIV. PrEP is a pill that can be used by women and men to prevent HIV infection before (a high-risk sexual encounter). However, PrEP does not prevent transmission of other STI. PEP can be taken after a high-risk sexual encounter or needle-stick injury (within a limited time period of 72 hours). After lunch, the doctors held a practical session on how to use HIV self-test kits . Self-testing is an important option for people who are either unable to get to a clinic, or who fear judgement and stigma if they are known to be going in for an HIV test. During this session the participants tested themselves. They also learned how to test others and how to train others to use the HIV self-test kits. There is a further need to expand this program to reach youth in the communities. Because ULA is seen as friendly, their team will be able to reach youth for testing, which traditional hospitals have struggled to do. So far, ULA has helped test 72 people with the self-test kits. “Our attendees are people from the LGBTI community,” explains Samson. “We hosted the training in the ULA offices , which allowed them to feel safe. There was no fear or panic. Our participants were happy and felt appreciated.” SIA supports ULA with general operating funding, so that they can spend their time running programs like these instead of fundraising. #Uganda #HIVAIDS #SIAPartners #ULA

Report from Jonathan Hamisi TAI CBO Program Officer, Kenya At present, many communities are being forced to change rapidly because of changes in the economy and the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lives have changed so much that old ways of coping do not work anymore. In such situations, it really helps to have someone to talk. This is what TAI Community Based Organization (TAI CBO), in partnership with Spirit in Action, has done in Maua, Kenya. ( See TAI CBO's website. ) It all started when we received the first grant from SIA to facilitate making and distribution of reusable face masks and liquid soap. The project was very successful; however, we received requests from the families to intervene also on the volatile food situation. Through an additional grant from SIA, we have been able to reach forty families and supported them with food stuffs that could last for some weeks. We were also able to pay rent to one family who was being thrown out of their rented house, and pay a pressing hospital bill for another family. There were some important lessons we learnt while visiting the families in their homes. In one the families we visited, we found children alone in the homestead but when we inquired about their mother’s whereabouts, the children informed us that she was asleep due to stress. After engaging her she replied, “Today my son is celebrating the occasion of initiation from childhood to manhood and I don’t have anything in the house to prepare for him to eat.” We realized the kind of stress and mental effect the present situation had put on this mother. It is a true fact that, “just as a woman’s body can be healthy or unhealthy, so can her mind and spirit.” We offered her counseling first before we handed her the food. Children are an integral part of our program. Kimathi insisted that he wanted to receive the food on behalf of his mother, Margaret. “You have surprised me! As an old granny I didn’t expect this, may God so richly bless the work of your hands,” said Kabuku, crying while receiving the food items. Silver Linings of COVID-19 Every coin has two faces. With bad comes the good, and these are some of the positive feelings in the community now. (1) This pandemic has helped some families to build genuine relationships Everyone has been so busy living life and many had lost those real, genuine moments they have with their loved ones. Now, the COVID-19 situation has positively impacted the way members of families emote and maintain relationships. Many are spending time at home with their families and plan their work better. This actually helps families build a better future. “As life slowed down, we have found ways to stay connected with people, and reconnect with our loved ones, especially these daughters of mine,” said M’mwirabua, a single father. (2) New Hygiene Habits These recent times have made everybody aware of how to engage more hygienically. From shaking hands to greetings, we all have had a lifestyle change for the better. Being hygienic is no longer just a good habit, but the very skill we all need for survival. “Me and my daughters are going to remember to cover our mouths when we cough, to wash our hands after touching anything else because we now know what can happen if we don’t,”said Kaimuri, the TAI group secretary. At TAI CBO we believe that as countries everywhere are still fighting this pandemic, by God’s grace we are going to overcome this. We’re more than conquerors and a race of survivors. We’re going to win this too . The battle is hard and long, but we are looking forward and focus on the brighter side. We are grateful for all that we have in these difficult times. Stay physically distant but socially connected. Please take care and be safe. Report prepared by: Jonathan Hamisi Program Officer Contribute to SIA's COVID response fund here . #kenya #emergencyfunds #covidresponse #grassrootsaction #localorganizations #bodymindspirit #SIAgrants #grantreport

By Gloria Teimuge This week we are continuing the series of posts highlighting the country of Kenya, brought to you by Gloria Teimuge. Gloria is a public health practitioner and consultant, photojournalist and writer living in Nairobi, Kenya. She is a long-time friend of Spirit in Action. Kenya is located in the Eastern region of Africa, on the equator with an area of about six hundred thousand square kilometers (225,000 sq miles). The Kenyan coast borders the Indian Ocean to its South East and has charming tropical islands worth checking out, notably the car-free Lamu island! Today, we’ll delve into Kenya’s terrains ( eneo la ardhi in Swahili). Kenya’s landscape is vast and diverse with the terrains ranging from the low coastline (sea level) to mountains, ranges, and escarpments at 5000m (16,500 ft) above sea level. There are many plateaus and savanna grasslands in the middle of that range but you don’t need me to paint a picture for you on that – documentaries about Africa have done an excellent job. Then of course there are deserts, forests, lakes, swamps, rivers, waterfalls, hills, valleys, reefs, and any other byproducts of the mentioned. Perhaps the most majestic (and rightfully so) phenomenon is the Great Rift Valley. Having lived close to the rift valley growing up, we enjoyed the cool (sometimes cold) highlands weather and rugged terrains for hikes and treks. In school, we learnt about its history & geography, and took field trips to better understand its formation. Friends visiting from other countries made me realize how incredible it truly is, seeing it through their eyes. It feels different when people travel the world to come and experience it. While standing on any of the viewpoint cliffs and sipping on the view of the lay of the land from different angles, you see its remarkable magnificence. Formed ages ago by fault lines and the shifting of tectonic plates, the Great Rift Valley system is a long and deep valley with escarpments for walls. It’s a stretch of thousands of kilometers traversing 10 countries with two branches; the Western and Eastern Rift Valley. Beginning in Eritrea, the rift stretches through to Mozambique in Southern Africa. In Kenya, it runs from Turkana County in the North to Kajiado County in the South. This formation gave rise to lakes and rivers that have become a home to diverse wildlife. The valley’s floor and escarpments are geologically active with chains of volcanic hills and mountains, craters, geysers, and hot water springs dotting the landscape. In locations the agro-climatic zones differ. For instance, from Tambach heading down to Lake Kamnarok- the region is densely forested, full of huge soft boulders, has loam then sandy soils and large deposits of the mineral Fluorite. The escarpments and mountain ranges are rugged with green vegetation and deep dark volcanic soil. Located on high altitudes, these areas are very cold and often foggy. Most of the forests in these regions are of endangered indigenous trees; reforestation and afforestation plans are underway to encourage an increase in forest cover in Kenya. The soil composition in these regions and in most parts of central and western Kenya are loam soils (rich red soils) that are perfect for farming hence supporting agriculture, a great contributor to Kenya’s economy. The lake regions are mostly rocky or sandy, hot and humid. Usually, there’s a slight breeze shifting the reeds and swaying the boats while cooling off which most people find relaxing. The fine grained sands of the beaches at the Kenyan coast paved with palm trees are a sure way to unwind and chill. Clear blue waters, warm weather and some madafu (coconut water), will get you captivated for sure. Also, you can experience the spectacular bioluminescence in Kilifi! The coast is also home to well-preserved eco-regions such as mangrove forests. World-renowned Kenyan athletes train in areas along high altitude with the challenging topography. This helps to build their endurance. Towns like Iten, Eldoret, and Nandi have been dubbed as home, city and source of champions respectively for producing dominating race-winners. I remember staying in Iten during my second year of school (for an elective) and constantly feeling the psyche to join the athletes during training. I observed their resilience during practice and consistency to show up regardless (especially during the cold rainy or foggy mornings!); and that explained the importance of discipline in sportsmanship. Fun activities we love to engage in regularly are hiking, cycling, aquatic sports, safaris, sampling different cultural cuisines, camping, horse riding in the wild, archery, picnicking, fly fishing and visiting museums & culture centers. Other activities worth checking out include; zip lining, paragliding, riding a matatu, a tuktuk & piki piki, jogging with the athletes, triathlons, adventure sports, desert sports, a homestay in the villages with preserved cultural practices and so much more! A little info on devolution in Kenya; In 2010, a new constitution mandated the decentralization of Kenya’s national government. Previously, Kenya had eight provinces but according to the new constitution, Kenya reconfigured to forty-seven counties. These counties have their own system of governance; run by governors and legislated by senators. The national government still runs and maintains core functions; however, sectors like agriculture, health and tourism were devolved to the county governments. I hope this has been enlightening. Until the next article, stay safe & take care. Asante! #kenya #guestpost #greatriftvalley

Today we hear from Dennis Kurgat, who is a member of the SIA African Advisory Board . He lives in Eldoret, Kenya and has been part of the SIA team for 12 years! My Background Story I grew up in Eldoret, close to the Ilula Training Center in Kenya. I come from a family of six kids: three boys, three girls, and I am the firstborn. The first 15 years of my life were relatively stable with steady income from the family farm. My Dad had a good job too. I didn’t know what it meant to be poor materially. My life took a dramatic turn in the year 2000 when I lost my dad to alcohol and diabetes at age 46. We as a family not only suffered the terrible loss of our father but also of income. The family farm was impossible to maintain. At the time, I was at a boarding school high school about 30 miles from home (boarding school is very common in Kenya). My mom could no longer afford transportation to and from school so I walked the 30 mile trek. I often pondered along the way why life had to be so hard on me. I grew up as a self-described “half-Christian.” My mom brought me to Sunday school but my Dad didn’t go to church at all. I learned about God but my personal relationship with Jesus was a foreign, underdeveloped concept. I was plagued by a lot of fear. Releasing Fear In September of 2003, my last year of High school, I heard a sermon on the “Transformation of the Mind” from Romans 12. At that point, the message helped me to understand God more and how God calls us to offer our body as a living sacrifice. This shift in perspective led me to make a personal decision to fully accept Jesus into my life on September 26, 2003. The journey of growing in relationship with Jesus began. I admit it wasn’t easy! Next year after high school, I ask my mom to help me repair an old bike to start a boda-boda (bicycle taxi) business. Perhaps God utilized the 30 mile walks to prepare my legs for the boda-boda stint! I would ride about 40 miles per day ferrying clients to town, making about 300- 400 shillings ($3.50-$4.50). Dennis finds joy in meeting with entrepreneurs like Grace, talking about her farm and business plan. He loves to drink chai everywhere he goes! A few months later at age 19, I heard about construction for a new Children’s Home in Ilula. I tried to get a job but was turned down because they thought I was “just a kid.” I had been waiting over a year to get a permanent ID card proving I was eligible to work. I didn’t give up. I came back the next day and convinced the guys to let me work for a few hours. The few hours turned into three and half days that week. Each morning there was a devotional from Don Rogers or Samuel Teimuge or a visitor. I was inspired by their teaching and ached to learn more. Eventually, Empowering Lives International hired me for a six-month period to help make the roofs on the Children’s Home (pictured right). One day I was on top of chimney working on the roof when Ezekiel, the construction foreman, said, “Hey Dennis! Can I talk with you?” The voice of fear echoed in my mind, “Oh no! What did I do? Are they going to fire me? Am I in trouble?” Ezekiel said, “I want you to help with inventory.” Even though I had no skill in this area, I readily agreed. God used this time in my life to introduce me to my mentor, Samuel Teimuge. With daily devotions I started growing spiritually. My fear was replaced with Faith. Do you know how many times “do not fear” appears in the bible? 365 times! That’s the revelation I got. I realized God gives me an opportunity every single day to fight fear with strength, courage, and hope from God’s word. A Catalyst for Positive Change I began saving money through various entrepreneurial efforts for my college education. I attended the Kenya Institute of Management (a junior college) for three years to study management. I graduated with baccalaureate degree December of 2007. September 2009, I began my undergraduate studies at Moi University Business School. I officially graduated in 2014! Currently I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Strategic Management at the same school. In 2008, I was introduced to Spirit in Action (SIA) by Samuel. I have witnessed families being transformed by the grants they receive from SIA. Small businesses have started and families are able to have three meals a day, which wasn’t true before. I have been a SIA Small Business Fund Coordinator since, and last year I was invited to be on the SIA African Advisory Board. (Dennis is pictured above with Tanya and Canaan from Malawi.) I owe a lot to all SIA team, our founder Del, Tanya, Samuel, Our Beloved Barbara, and the African Board. They’ve all consistently encouraged and cultivated a spirit of gratitude and networking. I am inspired to be a catalyst for positive change. It’s so beautiful when you see social and economic justice prevail in the world and you are part of it. My drive is discipline and determination are to finish the course I am called to. God has called us to a higher agenda. Now I am willing to share my knowledge to empower others. God is my foundation, and I make a daily commitment to share my experience, strength, and hope with others for holistic transformation. My JOY! ….is to see every struggling home in Kenya live a sustainable life that honor God. #aab #siateam #inspiration #guestpost #kenya #dennis

This week we honor the anniversary of the passing of Barbara Deal one year ago. Barbara was a SIA Board Member and also a member of the Legacy Circle , supporting SIA with a bequest from her estate. From Barbara Deal: I’ve come to recognize that these things that look to be negative, that look like they are outside of God’s Plan, are really a gift . And I call that gift discontinuity. Our discontinuities can be our greatest friends, the greatest threshold to truth and to learning, if we just have the eyes to see and the ears to hear. A discontinuity is to be welcomed, steadied, embraced, to see what learning the Spirit has for us in that event. What do I mean by discontinuity? Well, one definition might be, “surprise!” It is to look at the unexpected, to look at the surprises, and find that there is almost always a spiritual treasure hidden in their folds. A deeper definition of discontinuity can be found by looking at its roots. Continuity is something that continues as we expect it to continue, right? Uninterrupted. A predictable flow of life, or of a relationship, or of events. A progression. Discontinuity is an interruption to that expected flow, or event, or relationship. Our human nature is most comfortable when we are surrounded by predictability. And by secure outcomes that we see unfolding around us. However, the treasures are often in the discontinuities and what we learn from them. Discontinuities aren’t always things that we experience as bad things in our lives, either. A new job, maybe which requires a move to a new location, is certainly a discontinuity. An interruption to our expected continuity. Falling in love is a discontinuity of the best kind. Having a child is a discontinuity. A transformational spiritual experience, even a revelation, is a discontinuity, because it is an interruption of how we expect things to unfold around us. We want the good things in our lives to continue uninterrupted, of course. However, I have come to learn that all discontinuities are our friends, because of what they open us up to. I’ve come to think of discontinuity as God’s way of gently grabbing me by the shoulders, and giving me a soft shake, and saying, “Come on, Barbara, wake up. I’m giving you this gift of discontinuity for you to discover how to grow in Love , to grow in awareness, to go farther out in discovering spiritual principles.” Discontinuities can plow us – and plow the heck out of us – and plow us ever deeper turning up fresh and fertile soil for growth. Memories of Barbara, from Gloria Teimuge: Gloria was one of Barbara’s caregivers in her final days. Gloria is also writing a series for the SIA blog about Kenya. (Pictured Left, L to R: Tanya Cothran, Gloria Teimuge, Dennis Kiprop, Samuel Teimuge) Barbara Deal was gentle, kind and wise. Those are the qualities I first noticed when I met Barbara. One afternoon, I had a nudge, a strong feeling, that pushed me to go see her in her room. Barbara and Tanya had arrived in Eldoret a few days prior and were still getting antiquated with the environment-it was a bit cold that time of the rainy season. Barbara was so pleased to see me. We had only communicated via letters before and had never met until her visit. So it was quite a big moment for the both of us. We had a long and warm conversation about everything from career choices to school, relationships to environmental laws and everything in between. She loved to engage in conversation and we had discussions that enabled us to understand each other more. I could sense her wisdom and discipline, words of encouragement, and understanding as we talked on and on. She was well-traveled and told me the stories of places she had been, people she had met, and memories that she cherished. We found time to chat each evening and explored different topics. As we mark one year since we laid Barbara to rest, we are celebrating a life well-lived. A life that was full of love and peace, and a love which was led by faith. A special tree was planted in memory of Barbara on July 11, 2019 (pictured right). I remember Tanya Cothran, Naomi Ayot, Miriam Leting, and I going to look for the perfect tree to plant. We got a hardwood tree, Elgon teak, which is known to be strong, durable, and resistant to harsh environmental conditions. As the tree grows beautifully every year, we are reminded of a dear sister and friend. She was a strong Christian and a child of God, and never hesitated to mention that. Through Barbara, I have made friends that I am forever grateful for. Through Barbara, I have learnt the power of friendship and gratitude. #Legacycircle #BarbaraDeal #Inspiration #Faith #guestpost #gratitude

Kakuuto Development Initiative (KADI) is not just an education organization. It’s not just a farmer’s cooperative. It’s not just an advocate for health and wellbeing in the community. KADI in rural Uganda, does all three, plus so much more! Like so many of SIA grassroots grant partners , KADI is a true community development organization. Food security is one of KADI’s top priorities. They are coaching people to start kitchen gardens, which grow food for the family, but also are dynamic family spaces. Lubowa Joseph, one of the KADI team describes them this way: "The backyard garden can be defined as a farming system which combines different physical, social and economic functions on the area of land around the family home. Within the typical home garden are social areas for meetings, children's play area and gardens for display; economic areas for growing food, medicinal plants and trees and for raising animals; physical areas for storage, living, washing and waste disposal. It is a place for people to live in and it also produces a variety of foods and other things for both home consumption and income." KADI women in a kitchen backyard garden One of KADI’s collective projects is a community soybean farm (pictured right). Now is the growing season, and KADI is hiring community members to help with hoeing and weeding the five-acres of farmland. “We hope that at the end of the season, all harvests will be pulled together for sale as one union so that there is better bargain ground for better prices,” says Joseph in his latest report to SIA. Some of the KADI team attended a farming exposition last year and they are training others in the techniques they learned. Kato Male is one of the people who helped with the farming last month. He used to work in Kampala as a car washer but came home to Kakuuto village after he lost his job as a result of the pandemic. Most Ugandans who live in the cities also have extended family in the rural areas. Kato used income from digging at the KADI farm to open a local chapati (flatbread) stall. Chapati is a staple of Ugandan meals, and also a favorite snack! When SIA African Advisory Board Member, Naomi Ayot , went to visit KADI last month, she stopped at Kato’s shop to hear his story. Part of KADI’s response to the coronavirus pandemic has been to install a “tippy tap” in the marketplace . The “tippy tab” is a water jug with a string attached to a stick. When you step on the stick it tips the jug on it’s side so that the water pours out like a faucet - no need for hands! At the end of Naomi’s meeting with KADI, she visited one of the elderly women who received food assistance from KADI and SIA last month. Naomi gave Mudo ( profiled in the latest SIA newsletter ) a pair of shoes and some food as a way of Sharing the Gift . Naomi says, “I shall always share my gift and extend my love in the poor rural community as my honour to Del Anderson's vision and to honor Barbara Deal, especially when I am able to reach out to older women without children.” #communitydevelopment #grantpartners #siagrants #covidresponse #uganda #kadi #rural #farmers #foodsecurity #gardens

This week we are starting a series of posts highlighting the country of Kenya, brought to you by Gloria Teimuge. Gloria is a long-time friend of Spirit in Action and I reconnected with her last summer. She lives in Nairobi and is working on a Masters Degree in Creative Writing. Hi there! For the next few weeks, I will take you across Kenya through my lens. In these blog posts, you will hopefully learn more about this beautiful country- as revealed by my words and photographs. Now make a cup of tea, sit comfortably, wear your reading glasses and let’s take a safari. When you think about Kenya, what comes to your mind? Just close your eyes for a minute and imagine Kenya. Can you hear the beat of the drums? Can you see the Maasai warriors with all their glory, adorned in gorgeous print shukas and colorful beadwork, jumping as high as they can, around a crackling bonfire…the audience singing and chanting catchy choruses? That’s just a taste. I’m going to take you along through a safari. Huddle closer around this literary campfire and I will tell you a little about the country I call home. The mother continent, Africa, is made up of fifty-six countries and twelve territories. With an estimated population of 1.4 billion people and over 2,000 languages spoken (astonishing, right?), Africa is considered a hub of rich culture and diversity. In Kenya alone, we have at least 83 tribal & sub-tribal languages…I only speak 2! Of course, that’s excluding Swahili and English, which are the national languages. Before all the countries and regions, Africa was made up of empires and kingdoms that spread out from the North to the South, West to East. These kingdoms were ruled by Kings and Queens, Chiefs and Elders. Very Wakanda- like… well, not presently, but let’s allow our imagination to run wild for the days of our past. Kenya is a country in East Africa. It is bordered by Sudan to the North-West, Uganda to the West, Tanzania to the South, the Indian Ocean on the South-East, Somalia to the East and Ethiopia to the North. Kenya lies on the equator, which divides it into two halves. Its position on the equator means that it has a pleasant tropical climate. In different parts of the country, weather varies with altitude though. Our country is named after Mt. Kenya, the 2nd tallest mountain in Africa standing giant along the equator snow-capped! The name Kenya is derived from Kirinyaga, a Bantu word meaning ‘God’s resting place.’ Three groups comprise the early migration into Kenya: Nilotes , Bantus and Cushites . In Kenya, Nilotes migrated in through the west, Bantus through the south and Cushites through the north. These groups can further be broken down into tribes, hence the 43 official tribes of Kenya! A unitary state divided into 47 counties, Kenya’s system of governance is in two parts; the national government and the county government. The official name is Jamhuri ya Kenya- which means The Republic of Kenya. The capital city of Kenya is Nairobi, which is a Maasai term meaning ‘a place of cool waters’. With a tropical climate, cool weather and lush green vegetation- the name is a perfect fit. The Maasai people can be seen in parts of Nairobi bringing their herds of cattle out to graze. It is also the only city in the world to have a national park within its boundary! Make sure to see it. As you walk or drive along the streets, you are surrounded by lush greenery that gels well with the concrete, brick, or timber of buildings. Nature’s own balance! Just taking a drive to the city’s outskirts, you are able to have a glimpse of the occasional antelope, zebra, warthog or a mischievous baboon. It’s these small wonders that make Kenya such a site to behold, and most importantly a cloud nine for me. That’s all for this chapter. Stay tuned for the next. We’ll be looking at geography and landscape…with giraffes no less! Asante! Photos by Heavenly Treasures Kenya and Tanya Cothran #kenya #guestpost #gloriateimuge #nairobi

Guest post by Rev. Ndagijimana Fulgence, Executive Director of Flaming Chalice International Flaming Chalice is a SIA grant partner and a job creator in Burundi and Rwanda. Rev. Fulgence is a refugee from Burundi living in Saskatoon, Canada. There are times when so many things happen, all at once and we are tempted to throw our hands in the air and give up. The time we are in sounds like one of those desperate times. The world is faced with a global pandemic that has caused death of so many people, has negatively affected economies, and has reminded us of the kind of leadership we need. There are protests across the globe that followed the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. I and many other people wonder what to do, how to find hope. There is a hymn I sometimes sing at church that has a line saying, “I will give you hope when hope is hard to find.” These are the days when I look for hope or at least signs of hope in the difficult situations that surround me. In light of anti-black racism and the racism against indigenous people and other minority groups of many colours, I have decided to choose hope, not the “things will be alright kind of hope” but the type of hope which pushes boundaries of reality. The type of hope that challenges institutions, their design and their relevance to today’s society. My best definition of hope is found in the letter to the Hebrews (11:1), “Hope is the conviction of things not yet seen.” As soon as I became old enough to understand colonialism and anti-black racism, I had to amend this definition. When it comes to the specific work of racial justice, hope is the work to transform things real for some people into things real for all. Hope is a form of active resistance! The situation is not totally hopeless, though. It is also a tender moment. Disruption is the order of the day across industries. It is a time when change is possible because certainty is no longer the point of reference. These crises have laid bare the failures of our systems, uncovered their need for improvements or for their complete overhaul. It is time to push boundaries. I believe this is an opportunity to seize. It is time to do the hard things the right way. Pushing Boundaries that Need to be Pushed Hopeful work pushes the boundaries of reality. I remember the first job I took, after my high school graduation 22 years ago. I worked with Oxfam, connecting children with parents from whom they were separated during the war in Rwanda and Burundi. My boss at the time, told me, “I give you resources and flexibility and you deliver results.” I was honored by that trust and I did my absolute best. When I succeeded, we celebrated. When I failed, I trusted her enough to say I messed up and asked for support. I learned, and she watched me grow. She gave me permission to push boundaries. Flaming Chalice International has been working with Spirit in Action for over three years now . I have felt the same flexibility and invitation to deliver results and to push the boundaries towards a better practice of grantmaking . Employees at the Flaming Chalice Cafe in Rwanda. It is run by Burundian refugees and it is a community centre as well as a restaurant. Pushing the boundaries in partnership between organizations in the global north and in the global south is important. Those partnerships were plagued, and still are in some cases, by paternalistic approaches and imperialistic practices. Though there has been significant progress made over the years, the current environment calls even for bolder moves of trust, flexibility, and being in partnership for the long haul. I am glad Spirit in Action is pushing the boundaries, helping African communities be the hopeful and thriving communities they are meant to be. Hope is the belief that boundaries need to be pushed. A new and a better reality needs to be created. And the time is now. #justice #socialjustice #guestpost #hope #inspiration #burundi #rwanda #flamingchalice #communitygrants

In the aftermath of the murders of Amaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, and George Floyd, we have heard a renewed and urgent call for racial justice. This is a long-overdue reckoning with the racist systems that underlie our culture – in the US, and around the world. At Spirit in Action, we feel deeply that Black Lives Matter. We are reflecting, learning, and acting to embody a world where Black people experience abundant life, and where Black communities are strong and free. In our deepening commitment to social justice, anti-racism, and anti-colonialism, Spirit in Action is reflecting on our responsibility to: Integrate SIA’s African Advisory Board into our grant decision-making Support community-led African organizations and African leadership Update our grant systems – including applications and reporting – to move further away from paternalistic practices Examine our Board member demographics and understand our whiteness and privilege Elevate African voices , and centering their experiences, words, and priorities Always, always listening, growing, learning There are so many resources for our personal and collective learning right now, and I want to highlight three recommendations: “What I need from white people right now” By Adele Halliday, United Church of Canada’s General Council Office. (She calls on white people to Pray.Preach.Protest ) “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” By Peggy McIntosh, PhD “Ibram X. Kendion How to Be an Antiracist” on Unlocking Us with Brene Brown [Podcast] Ruthia Fuvu and her daughters at their home in Manyamula, Malawi. #blm #blacklivesmatter #smartrisks #racialjustice #healing

Spirit in Action is on a journey toward sharing more leadership and decision-making with our African team members and grant partners. Centering their voices, experiences, and compassionate work is one of the ways SIA is moving towards our vision of social justice and true partnership. Below is a retelling of a conversation that Sharon, a leader of Universal Love Alliance (ULA) in Uganda, had with a woman she was driving to the hospital. After President Museveni banned all public transportation during the pandemic, ULA realized that they could use their van as an emergency vehicle for people needing medical care. Sharon and Samson, another ULA leader, would sometimes be in the car for 12 hours at a time, answering calls from people who needed rides. It soon became clear that the drives also were perfect opportunities to have groundwork conversations about tolerance, acceptance, and human rights. How car conversations can break down stereotypes By Samson Turinawe Caretaker: How are you, Madam? Thanks for delivering my mother to this hospital. Now there is much congestion on Entebbe Road, which is always busy with many cars. We thought it was impossible to get to the hospital and that Mother was going to die. But now we are here. Thank you, Madam, for driving us and helping us with your organization car. Sharon: I do not deserve any thanks because I am doing what I am supposed to do. Let us pray that your mother gets treatment and feels better. Caretaker: No, Madam. I must thank you. No one else would accept to carry our mother from our home, which is deep in the village of Budd. Our road is poor, it is night, and we are not related to you. You know, other people won’t allow people like us in their car, fearing that we might infect them with the Coronavirus. Sharon: Please do not call me Madam, call me Sharon. I love to be called by my name. Also, do not say that you are not related to me. That fact that you are human beings, and I am also a person, this makes you my relative and it also makes me your relative. In this world all of us belong to one tribe. Caretaker: No, Sharon, there are many tribes in the world. How can all the people on this planet belong to one tribe? Please tell me the name of this tribe that we all belong to. Sharon: All of us in this world we have one tribe, which we belong to, no matter of your language, cultural beliefs, faith affiliation, or skin color. This tribe we all belong to is humanity. Caretaker: Madam, oh I am sorry, Sharon, you are right. But some of us don’t take the time to think like this. We tend to look at families, clans, and tribes only. I think we need to think beyond our tribes, faith beliefs, cultural practices, and look at all of us as one tribe. But it may take many years for people to think and start treating each other as of one tribe. Changing people to think like this is not easy. Sharon: Can I tell you something? Change starts with you. Change starts with one person. Now, like you, you start seeing all people on earth as one tribe. And you do things that show them that you share with them one tribe. Then change will have started to happen. Now your mother has been admitted. Let’s go to the car. I will drive and we can go back home. Please keep updating us on how your mother is doing in the hospital. Kukunda Sharon of ULA Distributing food to vulnerable LGBTI people in Uganda. The back of her shirt shares ULA’s slogan, “Social justice is every individual’s responsibility.” When President Yoweri Museveni declared a nationwide lockdown and banned public transportation, vulnerable communities then became more vulnerable. COVID-19 was like adding insult to injury. HIV-positive people could not get their treatments because there was no means of transportation available to get to their health center. Also, there were pregnant mothers who are to give birth and found that even ambulances were of limited availability. Malaria is still killing people in Uganda, especially children. We began using the ULA van to provide transport to vulnerable people to access essential services. We have interacted with many different people and shared with them what ULA values and what ULA does in Uganda. These one-on-one conversations happen in the car as we transport patients and their caretakers to hospitals, clinics, and health centers. In these conversations, we have allowed the people to ask us questions, which we answer, without panic or fear. A certain percentage of Uganda’s population thinks that LGBTI organizations only help people who belong to the LGBTI community. ULA, which is known as an LGBTI organization, is proving that LGBTI organizations are helping all people, regardless of which community the person comes from. Let us keep standing together, and working together, extending love to each other. Then we shall all survive. SIA supports ULA with overhead support for office rent and utilities, and we also passed on emergency funds for food and portable stoves for 41 clients during the pandemic. #localleaders #micrograntsmajorchange #covidresponse #LGBTI #humanrights #socialjustice

Del Anderson, SIA Founder, knew some truths so deeply. He know that God's Spirit was inside him. And I think he knew also that the same Spirit was in every other living thing. He knew the promise that with God all things are possible, and that it is our privilege and pleasure to live out God's Spirit in the world. (Can you see where our name comes from?!) Today I'm sharing some of Del's wisdom with you all, to encourage you in this hard time. Some are facing need and despair on the front lines. Some are facing prejudice and hatred, and maybe blame, because of who you are and who you love. Some are facing stress, feeling the weight of responsibility on our shoulder. And all of us are facing uncertainty. Today I can affirm that life is always uncertain, but God's love and care is certain. May these words from Del comfort you and spark hope: The great secret that has been hidden from generation to generation: “Christ in you” (Col. 1:26) To “abide in Christ” is out great privilege and responsibility, and it takes constant and continuous practice to habit ourselves to this partnership with God. “Only believe, and you shall see the glory of God.” In Matthew 28, Jesus said, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given unto Me.” He also said, “The works I do, ye shall do, and greater works shall ye do.” Pictured above: Samro School was a labor of love and faith; baby chickens in Kenya; banana plants and gorgeous clouds in Western Uganda; Universal Love Alliance team in Uganda. The accepting of Jesus’ Word and practicing and living it out in our daily lives as Reality and Truth will bring a convergence of God’s Power and Energy, All Love, and a modeling of faith (trust) in God. Thus, we come into unity with God and are empowered with Love and Faith. It is in our hearts that we receive from Spirit – inwardly, deeply, and frequently – God’s transformation. As we daily feel and receive Christ’s Presence and Power within us we are abiding in God. It is this practicing the Presence of God that God’s Nature and Feelings take root in the subconscious mind, and our fears gradually are dissolved through increasing faith, courage and serenity. Fear of anything increases its power over us. Jesus said, “Fear not, I have overcome the world.” “With God, all things are possible.” Our intent and purpose is to habit ourselves to a way of life with an open heart to the Power of Spirit and the Power of Love which casts out all fear. Thus, we come alive in God’s Spirit. We find freedom and allow God’s Spirit to take possession of our hearts and minds. The same resurrecting Power which raised Jesus from the dead is available within us NOW. This Power remains latent and dormant until we recognize, acknowledge, affirm, claim, and appropriate God’s Promises in our daily lives. This is a constant and continuous nurturing process. Gradually, we learn to be guided by the Create Power of the Spirit, which even NOW is radiating continuously, acting upon the sensitive receiver of our intuitive faculty. God is saying to you and to me, “I AM the Christ within thee. My Power is greater than all. Behold I make all things new.” “Behold, NOW is the acceptable time. Behold, NOW is the day of salvation. Only believe (and act as though you believe), and you shall see the Power of God coming forth through you as God’s manifestor.” ~Del #del #inspiration #hope

The 2020 Spring & Summer newsletter is here! You can view a PDF version here ! A SIA emergency grant is helping Matungu Community Development Charity in western Kenya. Water buckets provide hand-washing facilities in a rural community with no running water. In this newsletter we feature: 'Stepping up in a Time of Crisis' + photo collage of SIA partners responding to the pandemic Midwives and social workers interview 120 households in Uganda Welcoming our new SIA Board Members! "Love me just as I am": Inclusivity clubs in Uganda A MILCOT social worker goes into the community to sit and listen to the life stories of potential workshop participants. The MILCOT team is now providing counseling for teen mothers over the phone and by text. Read the full newsletter and donate now to support the work of Spirit in Action. Thank you for joining us in this work for more justice in the world! Inclusivity Club member Nuwahereza Monica welcomes me last May. The club puts on drama skits and sing songs about accepting everyone and welcoming differences.

By now I think we all know that Zoom, and video conferencing in general, can be a blessing and a curse. It isn’t the same as being in person – I miss the hugs. But it’s also amazing how this pandemic has opened us up to the possibility of meaningful connection through a screen! This morning I met online with the Spirit in Action African Advisory Board, Small Business Fund coordinators, and representatives from grant partners. We talked about the immediate crisis that is still happening. We also shared the challenges and opportunities we see for the mid-range response. It is clear that the pandemic is affecting East African rural and urban communities quite differently. Farmers in Kenya are gearing up for planting season. The rains are here! Samuel Teimuge is in contact with the local media (TV and radio) to show people the benefits of going organic - “Farming God’s Way.” The soil in the Kerio Valley (part of the Great Rift Valley) is rich with thick river deposits. Women do the bulk of the planting and weeding, and children who are home from school are recruited to help with the work. Food security – growing enough food to last all year – is on everyone’s mind. Julia stands in her potato farm in Kenya last year Urban Challenges In Nairobi and Kampala, the pandemic is more drastically affecting daily life. There is restricted movement in Kenya, and food that is being grown in the rural areas is not making it into the city. We sent another $4,600 this week for food, soap, and facemasks in Kenya. Before we can even get to the long-term, there are immediate needs to get people through this safely. Universal Love Alliance is still in crisis mode, helping people access food and medical care. LGBT refugees were attacked and ULA was there to get them to safety. The MILCOT social workers are no longer able to hold their workshops about sexual and reproductive health for girls in Kampala. For now, they have created a WhatsApp chat group to share resources with the girls. ( Pictured below are particpants at a MILCOT workshops on breastfeeding in February. ) Resilience When Romano Iluku (pictured left) looks at his community in Kibera informal settlement, he sees resilience. “I’m looking for creative alternatives. I know that our community has learned to live with AIDS and other diseases before.” He’s organizing his thoughts around the 3 Rs: re-engage, re-equip, and re-empower, especially in the context of small entrepreneurs who are affected by high prices and a low bulk food supply. Things are changing quickly and SIA is committed to staying in touch with our partners. There is great value in hearing directly from people about their needs, and their solutions. On this #GivingTuesdayNow, all donations to Spirit in Action will be used right away. Now that we’ve taken the time to listen, we’ll use the funds in ways use local solutions, and bolster the resilience and strength already in African communities. Donate now. #covidresponse #listening #grantpartners #MILCOT #ULA #Uganda #Kenya

Dennis in Kenya started with Spirit in Action in 2007. Samuel, also in Kenya, remembers talking with Del Anderson as he named our organization in 1996. Maggie, in California, was one of the original board members. Last weekend, the Spirit in Action North American Board and the African Advisory Board gathered on Zoom for a virtual meeting. Three new board members joined from California. (Welcome, Johnann, RuthAnn, and Dan!) The collective wisdom, experience, and openness to learning contained on my small laptop screen was inspiring and motivating. We gathered from US, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Canada to share our delights and to build up a sense of collective understanding across the continents. We also approved another round of funding for emergency response to the pandemic , which is disproportionally affecting the very people that SIA partners work with. Emergency Response Fund: Sharing the Gift "Usually a bottle of soap sells for 50ksh ($0.50). But now, the gift the Women of Change received from SIA is being shared for free with the needy families who can't afford even a bar soap to wash their hands and maintain hygiene," reports Dennis, SIA African Advisory Board member. The Women of Change , an active network of small business women in western Kenya, are truly embodying the spirit of Sharing the Gift . Sharing the Gift is about paying-it-forward. The gift and benefit we receive can also be a gift for someone else. In that way, we are all givers and receivers. It comes from a mindset of gratitude and generosity. (Pictured above: Peris with her soap-making team) The women are all former alcohol brewers. "When my income was coming from brewing local beer, my husband and I would fight all the time," said Julia. After joining the Women of Change, she switched to farming as a business, and there is more peace at home. A SIA emergency grant helped the Women of Change purchase the soap supplies and now they are using their skills to make large batches of liquid soap. Together the seven different soap-making sites whipped up 2,800 half-liter bottles! (Pictured right: Soap is stirred vigorously with a paddle.) For more reports on how SIA partners are responding to immediate needs resulting from the pandemic, check out our Facebook and Instagram . You can also donate here . #womenofchange #kenya #emergencyfund #covidresponse #sharingthegift

Hello SIA Friends! I'm so excited to announce the unveiling of our new website! It has a whole new look and is designed to make it easy to see the impact of all our amazing grant partners. I welcome you to check it out and let me know if you find any glitches or suggestions. Thank you to the many volunteers who made this possible! COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund Thank you to those who have donated to our emergency response. There is still great need in all our partner communities. Uganda just extended the lockdown for another three weeks and public transportation is banned. In Kenya, people are required to wear masks, though they are expensive and difficult to find. Malawi is tracking its first cases, and in Burundi there are no tests available. People are struggling to survive. They have no savings and they usually rely on setting up shop in the market to buy food. The SIA Emergency Response Fund has given out $3,000 total to seven different grassroots groups. Over 500 people - children, women, grandparents, and LGBTI folks - have received basic necessities like soap and food. Caretakers Orphan Centre (pictured above) used the SIA grant to continue their lunch program for HIV+ children. If you want to contribute to this emergency fund, click here and note "covid-19" in the comments section. Thank you! #covid19 #emergencyreponse #siapartners #givedirectly #ubantu

Spirit in Action is part of a collection of organizations that are looking at new ways to give grants that support a bottom-up approach. The message below is from Solomé Lemma, Executive Director of Thousand Currents , a leader in this collective. Her words so perfectly capture what we are seeing with SIA partners during this time. ( Scroll to the end to read about the action Spirit in Action is taking right now in Kenya! ) From Thousand Currents: “As we continue to grapple with the impact of COVID-19 globally, we know that  this pandemic will exacerbate existing inequities and injustices. It will further marginalize those who are already vulnerable both in the United States and beyond in the Global South.  “We have heard from our grassroots partners around the world and  they need our support today.  Our first action is to launch an emergency fund to respond to their immediate needs: Information – communities lack access to quality information on how to better protect themselves. Mass media does not reach remote communities and when information is available, it is not translated into Indigenous languages. Health-  Already under-resourced rural communities cannot afford the healthcare services COVID-19 requires. The limited healthcare infrastructures lack adequate people and resources necessary to combat the pandemic. Work – For many, social distancing comes at the cost of livelihoods. Farmers are not able to sell their produce at markets. Many small community leaders and organizers have lost jobs and income sources. Grassroots groups and movements have had to postpone or cancel community organizing activities. Infrastructure –  Social distancing is difficult in informal settlements and other under-resourced communities where people live closely together with limited access to power, roads, clean water, and sanitation.  Safety – There are implications to social distancing and limited mobility when home is not safe. There is increasing militarization and surveillance, which can signal distress for social movements and limit the ways in which they organize.  “ Despite these challenges, our partners are the first responders in their communities. They are going above and beyond reaching places that NGOS and governments are not. They are drawing from existing mutual-aid practices to identify and support vulnerable community members. Just like our grassroots partners, we at Thousand Currents are also committed to going above and beyond during this challenging time for all of us.” What Spirit in Action is doing: Wambui Nguyo and Romano Iluku are both SIA Small Business Fund leaders in Nairobi. Spirit in Action is also going above and beyond by creating an emergency fund to support the
immediate needs of our grassroots partners and their communities in Kenya and Uganda. Over the weekend we transferred $1,200 to three grant partners in Nairobi. One of these groups was e-CATS (Empower Communities as Actors for Transforming Societies), which has distributed emergency food relief to the most vulnerable, needy families in Kibera informal settlements. Anna Wanna Mukinya proudly shows her notecard which lists her as 87 years old! 95% of those who received food are women who are heads of household. “A majority of this population survive daily on hand to mouth, relying on casual jobs and daily sales. Now with reduced movements and activities in Kenya today, these populations are stuck in their houses in dire situations. Most of them have been passing days half-fed for lack of work and low purchasing power,” reports Mathew Obonyo, Program officer at e-CATS team. Each of the 38 households (which represent 52 adults and over 121 children) received 20lbs wheat flour, 20lbs Maize Flour, 5lbs Rice and 1 liter of cooking oil. Flour prepared to be distributed In this moment, we are standing in true solidarity with our grant partners. People all around the world are sharing feelings of economic strain and fear. I pray that we can also share our resilience, strength, and love. You can donate to this emergency fund here and we’ll send the funds directly to where they can be used immediately. Thank you. #Emergencyfund #SIAGrants #Kenya #SmartRisks #COVID19 #Guestpost #ecats

Today’s blog post is a message of togetherness from our Spirit in Action North American Board President, Diana Halpenny. In this time of uncertainty and adjusting, we remain committed to helping communities in Eastern Africa thrive . In the coming weeks, we’ll be reaching out to our partners to hear from them about their needs and how we can best support them. We are seeing, all around the world, the power and resiliency of community. Everywhere, there is wealth of love, caring, and sharing. Children are the core of community in Manyamula Village, Malawi. From Diana Halpenny, SIA Board President: Hello my friends,
I trust you are all doing well, and not feeling too isolated in this time of “shelter in place.” Know you are all in my thoughts and prayers. I wanted to share with you my morning reading from Joyce Rupp’s Book called Fragments of Your Ancient Name . Today’s reading is entitled “Core of Community,” and it references Acts 2:43-47. “With you as the nucleus
Of every group that gathers,
Differences are respected
And tensions are overcome.
Those speaking from the edge
Gain a listening ear.
Compassion thrives.
Egos maintain a low profile.
With you as Core of Community
Peace abides and love abounds.” So, my dear friends, in this time of physical isolation, know that we are not isolated in any other sense. Rather, we are connected through our hearts, through our thoughts, and through Spirit. I am so grateful for all of you, and for this beautiful Core of Community that we have created. With deep love and peace,
Diana #Community #Guestpost #Inspiration

Today’s post is wisdom from Barbara Deal, which she wrote and shared at a retreat in 2017. (Note from Tanya: I have had to postpone my trip to Kenya due to the precautions around COVID-19. This message from Barbara about trusting and letting go seems particularly relevant today.) I’m realizing that nearly everything I’m sharing with you is another way of talking about trusting God.  In order to become truly one-pointed, and put the Yearning for the Kingdom of God first in our lives, the active principle that gets us there is trust. To be hopelessly open is to choose to live in radical trust of God, and trust in the principle that when we put the Kingdom first in our lives, all that we need is added unto us. Then our openness,
without the overlays of hope, allow us to get out of the way of what God is bringing forth in our lives, and in the world. I guess I’m not really as convinced as I sound about abandoning all hope. I know that it seems that there are times in life when we’ve reached our limits, and all we have left is hope. But what if you substitute the concept of TRUST in place of the concept of HOPE. Let’s try an experiment. Relax for a moment, and watch what you feel when I say this word: Hope. Hope. Hope.
Now let that go, and see what you feel when I say:
Trust.     Trust.   Trust. Hope.                        Trust. For me, the word Hope puts me on alert a little bit. It sets me to looking for specific things. But trust…. for me there is a letting go when I feel trust.
No need to be in charge, or to solve everybody’s problems. I relax into God’s presence, and God’s will, trusting, and knowing that God has perfect solutions that are so much above and beyond anything I could ask or even imagine. If we trust God, if we truly trust that God is working out God’s purposes in our lives, why would we need hope? Trust is active participation in letting go and letting God, while hope often gets
caught up in looking for specific outcomes, that might not be God’s best outcome. Hope can get in the way. I learned a powerful lesson in trust from Del Anderson. Del shared with us that the most powerful
prayer he had discovered in all his long life, and he was in his mid 80-s at the time, was also the simplest prayer. He told us that when he was facing a major crisis and didn’t know how to begin to solve it, or when someone he loved dearly was ill or facing a great challenge, or even when he became overwhelmed by the constant, ongoing wars and conflicts in the world – so opposite to the God’s Kingdom of love – he had learned to pray three simple words: Father, I’m trusting. This little prayer grabbed my heart. It isn’t, Father, I trusted you yesterday. It isn’t, Father, I’ll trust you
tomorrow. But rather, Father, I’m trusting, right now, in this moment, in this circumstance, in this crisis, in this need. #Inspiration #BarbaraDeal #Del #Trust #Guestpost

“If you live in a house like this, something good has happened,” McDonald Kajani told us, orienting us to the context of Manyamula Village in northern Malawi. Last June, he proudly showed us around his four-bedroom home, with new wood floors and glass windows. Whereas before he had a thatched roof, now he has corrugated tin sheets. McDonald and his wife in front of their new, fancy home Out front, McDonald has nine cows and four pigs. Each is an investment. The cows help plow his farm and provide manure. The pigs can be sold when he needs cash. His maize granary is full! It is enough to last his family of six the whole year, meaning they have achieved the enviable status of “food secure.” McDonald with his cows in the corral in front of his house. McDonald did not start out with all this stability. He used to grow a few vegetables in a small patch of land. He didn’t have enough food. The thatched roof leaked and needed to be replaced regularly. In 2010, he received a Spirit in Action Small Business Fund grant and used that $150 to start farming as a business, rather than just for subsistence. I have visited McDonald’s farm each of the four times that I have been to Malawi. ( Photo from 2014 ) “Your coming is an encouragement to me,” he said, as he welcomed us through the hedge into the farm. McDonald grows kale, potatoes, peppers, amaranth (highly nutritious green and grain) and mustard (greens). There is a waterhole nearby and so he can grow vegetables even in the dry season. Tanya, McDonald, SSIA Board Member Kathleen King, and interpreter Winkly Mahowe with kale from McDonald’s farm. (June 2019) He has a contract with a local school and supplies them with food three days a week. This gives him a more steady income than selling at the market. He can make about $12 each week with this contract. Complicating the Narrative I don’t want to present a story that is too liner and simple. It is not that a $150 grant was all it took to take McDonald from rags to riches. The grant helped. His business sense and tireless work on the farm are huge factors too. His family also helps with the farming and animal rearing. McDonald’s connection with the Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative (a long-time SIA grant partner)  gives him stability. This locally-run savings and loans cooperative is part of his success. When he has profits, he buys shares in the cooperative as a way to save. He can take low-interest loans when things are not going well. The more he saves, the more he can borrow. The Cooperative lets members borrow double to amount of the value of their shares. Meeting with McDonald and his family on their bean farm in 2017. This change in McDonald’s life doesn’t change the cyclical challenges of farming. He is vulnerable to climate change – droughts, heavy rains – and depleted soil quality. He is reliant on the local market. However, it is also right to celebrate and acknowledge the amazing transformation that he and his family have seen in the last ten years. Cooperative members say that McDonald is an inspiration, and that he teaches farming to others who are wanting to move towards sustainability and prosperity. I look forward to seeing what he will have done by the time I next visit McDonald’s farm! 2011 – One year after McDonald received the Small Business Fund grant. At this point he had earned enough to buy a new cell phone. He was also dreaming of his new house: he had bought bricks and 16 iron sheets for his roof. #COMSIP #SmallBusinessFund #Farmers #AfricaTrip2019 #Malawi #FoodSecurity #sucessstory

Today’s post is a re-post from David Zarembka’s Report from Kenya blog . David is an American who has lived in Kenya for many years. I appreciate his observations on everyday life in western Kenya. These projects are not specifically SIA related but I have seen similar small-scale manufacturing operations as part of the Spirit in Action Small Business Fund. Every day on my afternoon walk, I pass by the shop pictured below. A few weeks ago I stopped by to have Griffin’s (my grandnephew) shoes repaired. As we were waiting for them to be fixed, I realized that this shop was also making new shoes. In particular at this time at the beginning of the school year, they were making the black school shoes that students wear. I asked how much they cost and I was told $8. We had just bought shoes for Griffin for $24 from Bata Shoe-Kenya that makes 30 million pairs of shoes per year for the Kenyan market. We had spent $16 more that we could have. I then noticed that the sign said, “Shoe Maker” with drawings beside the door. I wondered how I could have missed noticing this for the years that I have walked past the shop. The owners are two men, including the one in the picture, and a women whom I assume is the wife of one of the men. They were using only a treadle sewing machine to stitch the shoes – they were using no electricity. While we were there waiting for Griffin’s shoes to be repaired, one of the men had sewed together the top of a shoe and the woman had applied the polish to a shoe that had been made previously. Since they stay in business, I expect that they are making a decent living. Brickmakers, This led me to think about all the other small manufacturing outfits in town. I give some examples below: Above is the house being built next door to us. At this point in the construction, the owner is building a cement block wall around this plot. Normally these cement blocks would be made in a large establishment, purchased, and transported to the site. In this case, though, the builders decided to bring the gravel, sand, and cement to the plot and hire people to manufacture the blocks on site. This should be much cheaper than buying and transporting them from a distant company. There are at least seven shops in Lumakanda town that make metal doors, windows, gates, and other metallic items. Here you can see the door on the left that this welder is constructing. Of course, they have to buy the metal sheets and rods, but the “added value” of making the items occurs here in Lumakanda. This is a furniture shop in town that makes chairs, sofa, tables, cabinets, and other wooden furniture. This shop does have electricity and has some power tools including a plainer. The wood comes from nearby trees, although the foam and fabric have to be purchased from outside. We have bought a good deal of our furniture from this shop. We also bought a few manufactured pieces from town and we found that the furniture built in Lumakanda is much stronger and much easier to repair if needed. While not as elegant as the store bought furniture, they are much cheaper. There are at least three other furniture shops in town. [ Read about Austin’s SIA-related carpentry business ] This bakery just opened in town a few months ago. Rather than bring their items from a larger factory, they bake the bread, cookies, biscuits, and cakes right here in town. They sell their pound loaf of white bread for 40 cents while the commercial bread is 50 cents. Next time we need a birthday cake, rather than buying it in Eldoret, which we have had to do previously, we will buy it at Daddies Cake Basket. [ Read about Ruth’s SIA-related bakery ] There are other manufacturing enterprises nearby. For example, brick making is local business where the brick makers make the mud bricks and then, after drying, fires them in a kiln. Likewise a “sawmill” is two men on a motorcycle who drive with a chain saw and fuel to the tree that needs to be cut down and sawed into lumber. I have realized that Lumakanda is a small-scale manufacturing city. When all these small manufacturing businesses are added together, they give self-employment/employment to a good number of people. In addition the money then stays in the community rather than flowing elsewhere to the large establishment in Eldoret or Nairobi. #Guestpost #Kenya #SmallBusinessFund

“We all can make a difference. We’ll start by looking within, from dependence to ascendance. Come on all, let’s shift the power. “You got the power in your hand to make a positive change in the land. Alone I can go real fast but when we put our hands together we can go way past. How do you know? There is power in unity. Everything we want is right there in the community.” These powerful words are from the song Shift the Power Zambia (watch the music video below!). It’s a catchy song and a great message from the Zambian Governance Foundation . The video is part of the #ShiftThePower campaign , which is a call to move away from a top-down view of grant-giving and to shift instead of people-based development. This means channeling the funding to get it closer to the ground where the work is happening. This message is not foreign to those who have been following Spirit in Action over the years. We know the power of community organizations . We trust and rely on local leadership . And these connections help us channel our resources to where it can support self-directed transformation. 84 Grant Applications! In our first open call for applications, we received 84 grant proposals from grassroots organizations in Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda! This week I will forward those applications to our African Advisory Board and they will review them and make a recommendation for funding. These six individuals know Spirit in Action and they know the local context on the ground. At the formation of the African Advisory Board, Kenya June 2019 Visiting Kenya in March! In just under one month, I’ll fly to Kenya for two-weeks, to visit current SIA partners and also to meet with the African Advisory Board to figure out our new grant-review-decision-making process. Our grant partners tell us that these visits are important to them for accountability in both directions. During this trip I’ll also be making my first visit to the Pastoralist Child Foundation, one of the amazing organizations that we are supporting with general operating support this year. Jane is one of the 19 girls who have been sponsored by Pastoralist Child Foundation to attend high school and university. Pastoralist Child Foundation focuses on empowering girls in Samburu, Kenya to continue their education. They also support girls to have an alternative rite of passage, rather than undergoing the traditional female circumcision. PCF’s latest campaign had the theme, “Unleashing Youth Power” to promote youth to lead the movement for social change and a more positive future. If you don’t already receive these posts by email, you can sign up here , and also follow our Facebook page here . I’ll be reporting from Kenya and posting photos from my trip at the end of March!   #AfricanAdvisoryBoard #Students #AfricaTrip2020 #SmartRisks #Empowerment

Words of inspiration written by Barbara Neighbors Deal (1948-2019) Barbara greets the elders in Kakuuto, Uganda. (May 2019 ) I’ve spent my lifetime longing to experience the depths and heights of prayer. I want to discover how prayer works in the world, and how God uses prayer to work in this world.  I’ve yearned to have my life evolve into a living prayer, to live that experience that Paul described as to pray without ceasing. So that all, all becomes living prayer. In the little leaflet called  The Divine Plan , Glenn Clark writes about a choice in prayer, when we pray for ourselves, as “asking the Father for only that which is mine to have.”  That can be a huge clue to answered prayer, I believe. It is the kind of prayer that says, “Father, I am hopelessly open to your plan for me, and that is ALL I WANT – that which is mine to have.” This is another way to talk about seeking first the Kingdom, and trusting that all else that we need flows to us because of our priority. Always be growing spiritually But I want to share with you something even farther outside mainstream understanding of prayer than this idea. My current understanding of prayer may put me a little outside of the teaching of many churches. On the other hand, maybe it isn’t so far out from your understandings. Thomas Merton, the great Trappist monk, Christian theologian, and wise mystic, once said something I love about spiritual growth: he said, “If the you of five years ago doesn’t consider the you of today a heretic, you are not growing spiritually.”    Barbara greets the daughter of one of the Small Business Fund families in Aboke, Uganda. The Ugandan custom is to kneel and shake hands with respected people. (May 2019) My understanding of prayer five years ago was different than it is today. And if we’re paying attention to God’s leading at all, our understanding of prayer will be much deeper and fuller five years from now than it is today. I’m not suggesting that anything I’m sharing with you about prayer – or anything else for that matter – is the final word. It is not the only correct understanding, or anything approaching absolute truth. But rather, I offer this to you as I have experienced it – as an opportunity for learning.    I’m farther along in my understanding of God’s yearning for relationship with us than I was five years ago. And I expect to be farther along in another five years, as Merton suggests.    I know that God leads each one of us to the learnings and understandings we need, when we need them. This happens to be the chapter of prayer I’m exploring right now. It is only the view from here, drawn from my experience and what I’ve coming to understand from seeking first the Kingdom. Barbara swaps stories and shares a laugh with Milly in Aboke, Uganda. #BarbaraDeal #Inspiration #Prayer

“First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: “I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action”; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man’s freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a “more convenient season.” S hallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. ” – Martin Luther King, Jr. February is Black History Month in the US and Canada, and it is a particular invitation to non-Blacks to open our eyes to the history of colonialism and slavery which is the backdrop to the lived reality of Black people all around the world. It is also an invitation to step up and fight for people of color in our own communities. The quote above from MLK, from his Letter from a Birmingham Jail , is a wake-up call to me every time I read it. So much of charity, particularly charity sent from abroad to the continent of Africa, falls into the category of “I agree with your goal, but not your methods…” Organizations that prescribe solutions to poverty – not listening to the innovations of people who live the context – thwart real development. Grants that want problems solved in one year, with programs wrapped up in the timeframe of the grant are, “paternalistically setting a timetable on another’s freedom.” At Spirit in Action, we are continually pushing ourselves to unlearn the default setting of, “we think we know best.” Instead, we are leaning into a space of radical trust , and admitting how much we don’t know . The formation of the African Advisory Board to lead our grant process is part of that. As is our funding of administrative costs to grassroots organizations. Children at Maruge School near Nairobi, Kenya come from Kikuyu and Maasai cultures, playing together is part of building peace in the region. February Resolutions What are you doing this month to engage with Black History Month? I’m listening to the audiobook Baracoon , which is an interview that Zora Neale Hurston did with Cudjoe Lewis in 1927. He tells stories of being in Africa before being sold into slavery in America. I’m also listening to this History of Slavery podcast. At the end of February, there is a new Netflix thriller show from South Africa that looks really exciting! Why not read one of these 20 new novels by authors of color? Or how about googling “Black History Month + [your city]” to find out what events are taking place? Or groove out to The Sounds of Blackness . If you have children in your life, try getting a book to help start a conversation about race, racism, and resistance . There is a lot of work to be done. Now is the time to make a new resolution to bravely work for what MLK calls, “positive peace, which is the presence of justice.” Looking through a doorway in Eldoret, Kenya #MLK #peace #racism #Socialjustice

You’ve probably read many of my blog posts about our Small Business Fund (SBF) program for entrepreneurs. Small groups receive a $150 (now $250) grant and local coordinators provide training and mentorship. It’s easy to share success stories from the entrepreneurs , and to see the lives changed as a result of their hard work. However, last June in Kenya, a conversation with the SIA SBF Coordinators gave me a fuller picture of the successes and challenges of implementing the program. Here are some of their insights: Naomi Ayot (Aboke, Uganda): (Naomi in the floral dress.) “When I first go to meet with potential families, I first talk with them. I talk about SIA and what we do. And I ask them what they expect to achieve” Mindset Preparation: “When I first go to meet with potential families, I first talk with them. I talk about SIA and what we do. And I ask them what they expect to achieve. I talk to them about transparency and integrity. I tell them, ‘If we cheat SIA, we cheat God.’” Additional Mentors: Naomi involves leaders from various local churches as mentors for the groups. Community Trauma: Many people in the Aboke area were forced to leave home during the Kony rebel fighting in the 1990s. Many men died in this violent war. Families are just now returning and rebuilding their lives. Sharing the Gift: Milly (past SBF recipient) said of her profit, “This is not our money, this is SIA money.” She and her husband gave a neighbor/widower a cow, so that he could use it for a dowry. Other groups pay-it-forward by giving food to people who can’t afford it. Canaan Gondwe, (Manyamula Malawi): Mentoring: Canaan now has mentored over 150 groups. But out of the first ten groups he mentored, only four are continuing. “They thought money was for free. They needed a lot of mentoring and patience to get them involved. Now, I don’t talk about money first. I listen to the family, sympathize with them, and talk about opportunity to change. There should be a consensus in the family. The husband has to agree that they want to move to another level.” Tanya and Canaan visiting Gertrude’s organic farm in Manyamula (June, 2019). Gertrude is growing cassava during the dry season. Challenges: “Illiteracy really hampers groups from their record-keeping.” Sometimes, the children in the family help their parents with the record-keeping and figures. Another challenge is the temptation to use the funds, or the initial business profits, to go to South Africa. In South Africa, men can work illegally and send home (or not) cash. Real Life Changes: 30% of SBF groups in Manyamula now have electricity in homes. “They see businesses as employment and work hard at it,” says Canaan. He has also seen a noticeable reduction in violence in SBF families. Wambui Nguyo and Dorcas Okoti (Korogocho, Nairobi, Kenya): New Friendships: “Women from the first SBF cohort group still meet twice a month to check-in and contribute to a merry-go-round saving fund. They knew each other before, but they weren’t friends until SIA.” (Their gatherings also include dancing!) Employment: “People used to wait around until they were called to do a casual job or work as a day-laborer. Now they run their own businesses.” Illiteracy: “Illiteracy is a big problem, making it difficult to keep track of business purchases and sales.” Wambui and Dorcas encourage new business groups to buy a notebook to keep track of each sale, but sometimes even those numbers are a challenge. Inclusiveness: “Poverty doesn’t choose your religion,” says Wambui. This is why they include Muslim families in the SBF program too. And they make sure to include a mix of people from different tribes. Temporary Housing: In the informal settlement of Korogocho, it is difficult to track people because they are renting their homes. Sometimes people move because they are able to now rent a better house! Samuel Teimuge and Dennis Kiprop (Eldoret, Kenya) Local Cohorts: Samuel and Dennis’s groups are spread out, so it can
be a while between their visits to any one group. This is why they encourage
local cohorts, which serve as peer support groups and also savings clubs. Samuel in his garden in Eldoret. He always mentors from his own experience. Mentor by Example: Samuel always mentors from his own experience. He is a farmer and talks to the groups about reinvestment and food security. He tells them about organic gardening and diversifying their crops. “When I go to visit the groups, I say, ‘Let the small encourage,’” says Samuel. “If you start small and expand, then you will have enough to eat and have some to sell too.” #SmallBusinessFund #Learning #LocalKnowledge #LocalLeadership #AfricaTrip2019

The Manyamula Community Savings and Investment Promotion Cooperative in rural Malawi is a vibrant force for local development. They provide low-interest loans, farming advice and assistance, and a maize mill for grinding the staple food, as well as a gathering place for community members. So who is it that keeps this organization running smoothly? Spirit in Action is proud to support the salaries for this amazing management team! (Read more about why we fund operations .) Winkly Mahowe – Programs Officer Manages all projects Visits and monitors maize mills; collects income and reviews records Meeting hall rentals, manages 10 student tenants, and cleanliness of rooms and grounds Rented, tilled and planted sunflowers on cooperative’s 5-hectare crop farm Oversaw construction of oil press house, buying machine and equipment Mobilization of local zone groups: making sure they meet weekly and are maintaining their pigs, goat, and nutrition projects Panorama view of the COMSIP Cooperative training centre Baxter Chirwa – Loans Officer Helps people fill out loan applications Ensures loans are repaid Keeps a loan book. (There are 30 loans out at any given time. This open book adds transparency, allowing everyone to see the application form, loan amount, repayment period, and interest charged.) Trains loan applicants and helps them adjust their business plans as necessary Manages money flow between borrows and bookkeeper Submits monthly reports on how much was disbursed, how much is still out, how much was received, etc. Canaan Gondwe – Coordinator Canaan with the cooperative’s peanut oil press Oversees all cooperative operations Approves (with two others) all funds going in and out of the account; supervises all bookkeeping Meets with auditors Monitors staff daily Writes grant proposals and grant reports Coordinates between management and Board of Directors Maintains stakeholder relationships (i.e. with national COMSIP organization) Keeps an eye on implementing the implementation plan Michael Nyirenda – Bookkeeper Manages everything financial Keeps records with payment book, cash book, vouchers, and receipts Manages all accounts, including grant accounts Submits monthly reports, including challenges and suggestions for changes Mercy Zimba – Receptionist Opens the office daily Receives visitors, cooperative members, and clients Directs questions to the relevant management team member Helps the other team members as needed Manyamula COMSIP Cooperative team with Kathleen King (SIA Board Member) and me (Tanya) in July, 2019. #Adminsupport #COMSIP #Community #LocalOrganizations #Malawi

Spirit in Action is a learning organization . We continually reflect on ways we can be more responsive to the needs and expertise of our grant partners . We value the input that our long-time partners bring to the formation of Spirit in Action’s vision and operations. In a shift towards co-creation and transparency, we are formalizing the input of our grant partners through the formation of an African Advisory Board. The new African Advisory Board (AAB) includes a team of six members who are have been involved with SIA Community Grants or the Small Business Fund. AAB members are from Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda. Their shared skills set includes: social work, business training, project planning and NGO management, mentorship, farm extension work, and savings and loans cooperative management. In addition to this collective expertise, AAB members bring their knowledge of Spirit in Action’s vision to the decision-making process. SIA partners with local grassroots organizations like Universal Love Alliance in Uganda, which is working with men and women to end domestic violence and promote education for girls. SIA looks for projects and organizations that are creative and work closely with community members to make lasting change. (Aboke, Uganda) Experimenting with a new grant process The AAB leaders will review applications from their country and engage the organization with any follow-up questions. They will meet in-person to discuss the applications. Then, the AAB will put forward grant recommendations to the North American Board of Directors. In this first year, we will open calls for proposals and review applications in January and September 2020. ( See the call for proposals here! ) All SIA grants are awarded through a transparent and open grants process, managed jointly by the African Advisory Board (ABB) & North America Board of Directors (NAB). The African Advisory Board members are bound by conflict of interest and confidentiality agreements. The call for proposals from Community-Based Organizations/Indigenous Organizations in Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda is now live until February 14t! If you have any questions about this process, please email Tanya Cothran , Executive Director. Thank you to all who have contributed to the development of this process! #Cocreation #AfricanAdvisoryBoard #LocalOrganizations #SIAGrants #SmartRisks #Callforproposals