Round Two Travelers
What's better than traveling with Spark to engage with our partner organizations? Traveling with us twice! It seems that some Spark supporters have been bitten by a very specific travel bug...
Read MoreWhat's better than traveling with Spark to engage with our partner organizations? Traveling with us twice! It seems that some Spark supporters have been bitten by a very specific travel bug...
Read MoreParticipants on our Nicaragua partnership trip do more than just see the sights--they interact with our partner organization, Las Tías, and the children the organization serves. In doing so they are able to gain an appreciation for the impact of programming for children of all...
Read MoreThe partnership trip to Nicaragua may be over, but the memories have stuck with our travelers! Some of the most fun and rewarding experiences during the trip come when we get to interact with the children of Las Tías through games and activities. The travelers started...
Read MoreAmy Jackman serving lunch to a hungry studentDuring a Q & A with some of the students served by Las Tias, one of our travelers asked a heartfelt question to the kids: "What is it that you love most about Associacion Las Tias?" The question...
Read MoreOur November partnership trip kicked off Monday without a hitch. Ten travelers, a few familiar faces and some fresh ones, arrived in Managua ready to embark upon the week’s adventures. To start the trip off, a scenic drive to León gave them a little taste of...
Read MoreExciting things are happening at Spark--both for our team and for our partner organization, Hope Ministries! Three of our friends from Zambia have come to visit us in the U.S. for a unique cultural exchange. We invest in our partners on multiple levels, not just...
Read MoreMaybe you've heard...
Read MoreKarin Scott is the Program Manager at Allowance for Good. She recently returned from traveling with Spark Ventures and Allowance for Good youth to Nicaragua on our August Partnership Trip. Karen wrote these reflections on day 3 of the trip, and agreed to share them...
Read MoreThe students from Allowance for Good and other youth who joined us for our August Partnership Trip to Nicaragua are leaving a powerful impact on the lives of the children they met at Las Tías. The trip, as with all Spark Ventures Partnership Trips, incorporated lots...
Read MoreAnother favorite activity on our Partnership Trips to Nicaragua is the traditional Nicaraguan meal the Las Tías team prepares for our travelers. Tía Corina (the matriarch of the Las Tías family) and the other incredible founding "tías" (which means "aunts" in Spanish) who started Las...
Read MoreOur Partnership Trip to Nicaragua this August is unique - in addition to travelers who have been part of the Spark Ventures community for years, we're also traveling with 10+ travelers from Allowance for Good, a fabulous Evanston-based non-profit we have formed a powerful partnership...
Read MoreAfter spending 5 days in Ndola at Hope Ministries, our partnership trip travelers headed south to Lusaka, the capital and largest city in Zambia, to visit the poultry farm. The poultry farm was established in collaboration between Spark and Hope Ministries to serve as a...
Read MoreTransformation stories are important to the fabric of our partnership trips in Zambia. During this segment of the itinerary, we highlight one of the students at Hope Community School and allow our travelers to get a glimpse at life outside of Hope - and to...
Read MoreThe Girl Effect - its a global movement, and Spark is proud of how our partner's work is moving the dial! The statistics are alarming...
Read MoreEvery day in Zambia is new and exciting, even for those who have made the trip to visit our partner in Ndola many times before. It's wonderful to see Ndola develop economically over the years.Ndola development - new mall with a Subway, grocery store and...
Read MoreOur first full day in Zambia began early and (as always) was filled with learning, dancing, and eating with the children and staff at Hope Ministries. Upon arrival at the Hope campus, we were greeted with a joyous welcome program. Staff and students alike enjoy...
Read MoreBefore our partnership trip participants arrived in Zambia, Spark CEO, Rich and Finance Manager, Marcia, met with our partners at Hope Ministries and at the Poultry farm to carry out a financial audit and take care of other Spark work. They also spent time preparing...
Read MoreAfter months of planning and preparation, the time has finally come! Spark CEO, Rich, and our Finance Manager, Marcia, have bid farewell to America and are finally on their way to Zambia for our July Partnership trip. Although our 14 trip participants won’t be arriving...
Read More*Updated May 2020. Please note that the most recent information regarding our farm initiative in Nicaragua can be found here. We are at a critical phase in our launch of the Nicaraguan agribusiness, so I was in the country for a few days last week. Lucy,...
Read MoreThey want to be teachers, pilots, the first in their family to be a doctor...
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