Spirit in Action

What difference can the gift of one pig make? One of the key components of SIA’s Small Business Fund (SBF) is the concept of “Sharing the Gift”, which encourages groups that receive small business grants from SIA to pay it forward to others in their community.

As Boyd Cothran wrote in the Fall 2009 SIA Newsletter, “We take small amounts and give entrepreneurs in developing countries the opportunity to succeed. We don’t ask that they pay us back but that they use their success to give someone else in their community a chance to get ahead.”

The following story, written by SIA SBF Malawi Coordinator Canaan Gondwe, shows that one small act of generosity can put a new roof over a family’s head.

Winkly Mahowe with a family size of four entered the SIA SBF program in 2007 through the Sharing of the Gift program. The family received one piglet of seven months old in May. It was indeed a small beginning and it was as if there will be small impact. But today, the impact on the family is big and there are celebrations all over for this achievement.

In Malawi, 75% of the households live in houses that are grass-thatched and very small in size. Most people are not well accommodated especially these low-income earners. These houses leak during rainy season. Most of these households can’t afford the iron-roofed house and it really becomes a miracle to attain such a house in this category of people.

After successfully benefiting from the gift, the pig in 2008 gave birth two times in the year and there were 19 piglets (11 female and 8 male). These were sold at three months of age at the cost of MK 5000/each (USD$32). Money realized was MK 95000 (USD$626)! The family bought 38 iron sheets of 12 feet. In the year 2009 the pig farrowed twice again to 16 piglets and they were sold at MK 5000/each and the family realized again MK 80000 (USD$527) and bought 32 iron sheets. Total iron sheets were now 70 and now they have built a house and roofed it.

For a long time, the family was struggling financially to get the iron sheets and through the Sharing of the Gift of SIA they have managed. It is smiles on the family as they no longer stay in a house that does not leak. The family is thankful to the program as they can witness the love of Christ emanating within fellow Malawians.

As you may know, many of the new businesses that SIA supports are started in remote rural communities. This means that new business groups may not have a lot of infrastructure on which to develop their businesses. However, the beauty of the Spirit in Action Small Business Fund is that it doesn’t require fancy equipment to learn about budgeting, running a business and working together to build a successful business.

I love this picture because it shows SIA Small Business Fund coordinator Benoit Malenge (Democratic Republic of Congo) training the new group leaders with the minimal resources they have available to them.

Most of the new businesses might be described as “micro-enterprises”, which sell their wares or services along the roadside or in a central market. Some of the most recent businesses started by this group in the DRC include: Buying and selling palm oil and dried fish, making and selling banana juice, and collecting and selling groundnuts. The businesses are given a small start-up grant of $100 and are given $50 three months later to expand their businesses. Most of these funds are spent on the initial stock, and materials needed to transport the goods to market.

The enterprises are simple but they are providing services that fill a demand in the community and they give hope to the business owners who have the chance to realize their entrepreneurial dreams.

Here is a state of the field update from SIA Small Business Coordinator Canaan Gondwe in Malawi. Canaan reports on the progress and real change he has seen and experienced in his community through SIA and praises SIA volunteer coordinators for keeping our administrative costs so low!

Man repairs a bicycle in Malawi

Five solid years have elapsed since SBF – Mzimba group was launched. The years have been characterised by business groups showing the entrepreneurial spirit where creativity and innovativeness have taken centre stage. To date 54 business groups have been established and grown to impacting the lives of the youth, HIV Positive people, less privileged, and women headed households (widows). These members are able to survive economically on the incomes and have created jobs for themselves. GOD BLESS SIA.

SIA has revolutionized the lives of poor of the poorest in our community. Many have a praise song in their heart. The participating members are ablbe to see God through the program. What is more intresting to me as a Coordinator is the change that has taken place in these people. IT IS POSITIVE CHANGE, THIS IS TRANSFORMATION AT ITS BEST.

Also what is so good to me is that SIA IS NOT an expensive initiative compared with these other so called Development institutions. They have huge administrative funds for the implementation of community projects, yet SIA has sponsors in the US AND Volunteer coordinators in the community with BIG CHANGES ON PARTICIPATING BUSINESS GROUPS.

In Gods love,

CANAAN GONDWE

MZIMBA, MALAWI

New store in Malawi