We are fifteen years into moving grant funds to low-capital villages through direct transfers and ensuring women and men, young and old, have decision-making power over local initiatives.

In April, Spark’s M&E team published the 2024 Annual Impact Report, showcasing how the FCAP leads to livelihood and civic gains across geographies. After just two years of Spark’s FCAP, average household asset values have grown by 249%, and household savings increased by 160%.

Amidst significant changes in global development financing from Western nations, Spark hosted a roundtable with sector leaders in Oxford, UK, to discuss how to shape the sector moving forward. The conversation highlighted new research results on the effectiveness of development and models that yield long-term versus short-term impacts.

The women of the Nyakazenga village in Rwanda are working together to drive their own success. After just two months of training on collective action and financial management through Spark’s Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), a group of women in the Nyakazenga village of Rwanda launched a sewing business specializing in handmade table decorations for living rooms..