There’s no disguising it. Traveling from Chicago to Zambia is not a short journey!But the long journey made the arrival even sweeter. I stepped off the plane into the open arms of Zambian hospitality – unbelievably excited about the start...
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Poultry Farm - Lusaka It’s hard for me to imagine that in just two days I will have been here in Zambia for a month, with just one more week to go. Though I spent a week in Ndola and had...
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Over the past several days, our team of 18 Grouponers have really settled in, playing with the children, participating in the student reading program, touring the village, and spending time with the staff and teachers from Hope Village. There have...
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Scott Barbeau and SweetnessOur travelers arrived at Hope Ministries for their first full day on the very same day the bi-annual health clinic for the children began. Our travelers spent the morning meeting the staff and the children and being introduced to the work Hope...
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Within the next couple of days, members of the Spark staff will be traveling to Zambia and will be joined by 18 Spark friends from around the country to visit our partner organization, Hope Ministries. Preparations for this journey began many months ago and the...
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This is the beginning of a beautiful relationship…. Part IHow 18 travelers, 3 guides, 25 local leaders and 350 children with hope created a life-long bondWe have just wrapped up an exceptional 5-day stay in Ndola, Zambia with our first group of those traveling with...
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Clairelise Rodriguez traveled to Zambia on the Spark Ventures July Partnership TripMuli shani? Bwino!If you’re planning a trip to Zambia—or even just considering one—write this down.Muli shani, meaning how are you?, is the greeting of choice for Bemba-speaking Zambians and bwino!, meaning good!, is the...
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My wife, her sister, and I were fortunate enough to come to Zambia a few days before the rest of the group because my wife made some friends here in Ndola on her first trip 5 years ago, who we were able to stay with....
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Mwaiseni!If there’s one word I would use to describe the feeling in Zambia it would be “Mwaiseni”. It is the Bembe word for “welcome”. It seems no matter where I go or who I meet in this country, everyone says to me, “You are most welcome...
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Wednesday, July 11th, 2012 Though it’s only the beginning of the third day that Rich and I are in Zambia, it feels like it’s been much longer. Maybe because of all the long meetings we’ve had thus far and how much work there is still to...
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A former Partnership Trip Participant reads with one of the children from Hope Community SchoolIn only a matter of days, a couple members of our Spark team and myself will find ourselves in Zambia, home of our first partner Hope Ministries. We will...
Read MoreThis week we introduce the second story in our three-part Stories of Transformation Series, which helps connect you to the children that Spark Ventures serves in Ndola, Zambia. We hope these stories help show the incredible potential of these children, potential we hope to help...
Read MoreEvery child that Spark Ventures serves in Ndola, Zambia has a story to tell, often a story that is heart wrenching and inspiring at the same time. As we invest in these vulnerable children to help them achieve their potential, we would like to share...
Read MoreSeries: Stories of Transformation Today we publish the final story in our three-part Stories of Transformation Series, a set of stories that we hopes helps you connect more deeply to some of the children that Spark is serving in Ndola, Zambia. These stories show not only...
Read MoreSpark Zambia Trip Featured on GrouponIt isn’t every day that a small nonprofit organization like Spark Ventures receives national recognition. But that’s what has happened this week with the offer of Groupon’s first ever volunteer vacation deal in partnership with Spark.The trip was released with...
Read MoreThis is the story of Michael Kalenga, a student at Hope Community School who receives education, nutrition, medical care and emotional support through the Spark-Hope partnership. His story was taken by Brady & Liz Josephson during the June 2010 Transformation Trip.Michael Kalenga is thirteen years...
Read MoreRecently, Sara Blumenshine returned from spending six months with Spark’s partner in Zambia. Sara had visited Hope Ministries before through a Spark Ventures Partnership Trip with North Park University, and she returned as a Global Intern to work directly with the children and serve in...
Read MoreIf you are excited about our the way we lift children out of poverty through our sustainability-focused partnership model, there are many ways that you can show your support- even without financial investment!One of the main steps in growing Spark’s base of support is via...
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Meet Lucy Jodlowska, Spark's first ever Director of Partnerships. After accepting the position two weeks ago, she hopped on a plane and headed with a Spark team to Central America this past week, and is now back in Chicago and settling into her new...
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