One of the most rewarding aspects of Spark’s work is the firehose of incredible achievement that flows directly from the communities with which we work. Just when it feels like the entire world is on fire, the hose soaks you in a deluge of dignity, determination, and collaboration. Refreshing, to say the least.

More than ever, I needed it this year. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all of us. One key reason why: how interconnected we are globally. From supply chain slowdowns to the rise of COVID-19 variants, we were reminded over and over again how our actions affect each other. We have never been closer. Now, we need to start working together.

As a Spark supporter, you’ve known this for some time. You know that the surest way to fight poverty, promote gender equity, and increase social cohesion is through community-driven development. You know that Spark’s model, the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), supports the collective agency of communities to create the change they wish to see — and sustain it. Communities that work together, thrive together.

That is what we saw this year. Even as global poverty rates surged, democracy struggled, and progress on the sustainable development goals stalled, Spark opened opportunities for more than 500 communities across East Africa. Highlights include:

Impact: At a time when COVID-19 has caused many poorer communities to go without, the number of Spark families eating at least two meals a day has doubled.

Reach: We launched nearly 300 new community partnerships, virtually doubling our reach, including in Burundi, where we partnered with 15 new communities and trained 60 new facilitators.

Resiliency: Spark welcomed five new communities in Uganda’s Rhino Refugee Camp, connecting more than 1,000 families with training on financial literacy, business planning, local advocacy, leadership, and capacity building.

Scale: Launched the $6 million Advancing Citizens Engagement (ACE) project, in collaboration with the Governments of Rwanda and Japan, the World Bank, and Comic Relief, to strengthen citizen engagement and support livelihoods.

As 2021 comes to a close, I want to thank you for your unwavering commitment to community-driven development. COVID-19 has disproportionately affected communities facing poverty in the global south. Thanks to you, Spark communities were able to navigate the constraints of COVID-19 and continued to meet in small groups to complete their community projects and maintain their livelihoods.

Over the last 10 years, 500 communities across six countries have sparked their future -- but as this year has shown us, there is more to do and it’s more urgent than ever. I hope you will join me and, as the holidays near, sit down with loved ones, talk about our shared values, and make a plan for giving to those who need it most.

We can build a world where everybody lives with dignity and determines their own positive future, but only if we do it together.

In immense gratitude,

Sasha Fisher

Co-Founder/Executive Director