Spark Microgrants
Model & Strategy
Spark’s model is a democratic, community-based approach to international development, built on the belief that communities facing poverty have the knowledge to solve local problems but lack the resources and capacity to do so.
Spark trains emerging governments and leading civil society organizations in deploying an inclusive village planning process where women and men, young and old, plan for local development together. Each village engages in a 6-month planning process and is awarded a 1-time $8,000 village fund to turn a project— such as a farm or a school —into reality. Each village launches a savings fund to finance future local projects.
Sasha co-founded Spark in 2010 after experiencing the power of community-driven development at local NGOs in southern India and the negative side effects of top-down aid on local drive and innovation while working in South Sudan. She wanted to know how to catalyze rural villages who aren’t organized into action. Sasha has a BA in Human Security and Studio Arts.
Sasha moved to East Africa in July 2010 to develop the Spark MicroGrants model. Her previous experiences in South Sudan, South Africa, India, and Uganda have led to her passion for community-led development. Sasha holds a BA from the University of Vermont in Studio Art and a self-designed major of Human Security, a paradigm for development that recognizes the rising legitimacy of non-state actors in securing basic human needs.
IMPACT
Spark has worked with over 320 rural communities across Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Ghana, and has benefitted over 250,000 lives.
Spark village partners have collectively launched over 505 projects, with over 300 projects implemented independently after the Spark process. 86% of projects are successful and 85% of communities continue to meet regularly after Spark, with 93% launching secondary projects independently of Spark.
Spark is currently working with the Government of Rwanda on a national scale strategy to ensure that every village across Rwanda can benefit from the Spark process.
Spark Microgrants News
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It Takes Consultation to Help a VillageTwo DRK entrepreneurs, Sasha Fisher founder of Spark Microgrants and Natalie Bridgeman-Fields founder of Accountability Counsel, are featured in a compelling New York Times article discussing…Jul 2018 -
Lessons from East Africa on Effective Community OrganizingFor the last seven years, Sasha Fisher has worked with communities across East Africa to build, test, and refine a facilitated collective action process to combat…May 2017 -
Forbes 30 Under 30 Social EntrepreneursForbes recently released their “30 Under 30” for 2015 in Social Entrepreneurship and three DRK grantees were included in the list of social entrepreneurs. Kiah…Jan 2016
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Despite its hardships, 2021 was also a year of remarkable perseverance, resilience, and progress. Thank you for you… https://t.co/2pyeUMtBOB
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“My humanity is inextricably bound up in yours,” wrote Desmond Tutu about Ubuntu. What a powerful message, especial… https://t.co/yPCYSlWovw
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"My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together." We are saddened by the death of Archbishop… https://t.co/MHyIDDAlR8
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“I dream that my children will learn to the highest levels.” This reflection by a Spark participant reminds us tha… https://t.co/LoJnreljbz
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Half a million: That’s how many people we’ve reached in the last 10 years. By 2024, we'll reach a million more. Yo… https://t.co/hXoTadthvH
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It’s #GivingTuesday
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Spark communities determine their own pathways out of poverty. They build sustainable businesses, expand women's le… https://t.co/cjpdZHJeMc
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You can champion authentic, local, community-driven poverty alleviation by donating tomorrow #GivingTuesday.
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Spark was founded in 2010 with the belief that communities should be at the forefront of their own change. Learn mo… https://t.co/Toa65PeCIX
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Over the last year, nearly 300 communities chose to join the Spark family, almost doubling our reach. Read more in… https://t.co/u7hPqM7Pq7
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We’re excited to have Spark’s co-founder and ED join the EA Philanthropy Conference panel! https://t.co/YvZ8QdC1eU
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RT @EAPhilanthropy: @bheki_moyo women are an invisible giant in giving @asiimwe4justice @sashadfisher @matt_w_reeves #EAPhilanthropyConfere…
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"Women should always participate in development process, like in my community it is the women who cleared the land… https://t.co/qq751hxiIz
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The women of Kira Kibondo, Burundi, used their seed fund from Spark to open a wholesale business for soft drinks. T… https://t.co/1577SynLxh
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Eric Gasana and family, Amahoro community in Rwanda, holding their Health Insurance cards, purchased with funds rec… https://t.co/wc4QrhXGUE
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Claudette Tuyishime, Ruli community Rwanda. Claudette is shown here taking care of her chickens, purchased with the… https://t.co/kiJVhF0XIB
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The Kabgayi community is a small remote village located in Northern Rwanda. Most community members earn a living as… https://t.co/4og020AWLG
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“From Spark meetings that I have attended I got skills and confidence to start my own small business and am seeing… https://t.co/VX3NpIccXt
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Through Spark’s Facilitated Collective Action process (FCAP), women gain access to financial institutions along wit… https://t.co/NPQSrhFopz
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Every sparked village democratically elects a leadership committee with 48% of representatives being naturally elec… https://t.co/4V7j6qZOAe