Driving around Ndola today, the radio kept playing the same ad, one for ZamTel (a cell phone service provider around here). I wasn’t so captivated by their offer of discounted talk-time (cell phone minutes for the phones here), but the catch phrase they closed each...
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This is the spot. With a handful of travelers boarding planes this week, we're poised to launch yet another transformative Partnership Trip adventure in Zambia. And, we'll be chronicling all the fun right here, on the Spark blog.Rich and I both landed in Zambia today....
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Sunday, January 12th, 2014 7:00pm-ish León, Nicaragua Sitting in a corner Italian restaurant, one of the few places open in León on a Sunday night, a number of thoughts pop up as I observe the people around me. To my direct right is what looks like a married...
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Congratulations Hope Ministries Grade 7 (& their teachers!)Back in November, when we were planning our Thanksgiving dinner, the 7th grade students at Hope Community School were deep in their studies, preparing for their national exams. The results are in, and what better way to ring...
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It has been a tremendous year. Our partnerships are benefiting hundreds of children in Zambia & Nicaragua. And, thanks to supporters like you, we are more energized than ever. We look forward to sharing our plans for an exciting 2014 and working with you to...
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Three weeks ago, 12,000 chicks arrived at the poultry farm in Zambia, the first large scale cycle in the farm's history. The Chair of the Hope Ventures Board was there to to give them a warm welcome!Roy Kaonga, Chair of the Hope Ventures Board greeting...
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Cyber Monday may have come and gone, but if you're anything like us, you still have people on your list to shop for. For a gift that will bring joy to your loved ones and support Spark’s partnerships lifting children in Zambia and Nicaragua out...
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I’m writing this two hours into my five and a half hour bus ride from Lusaka to Ndola. Predictably, the bus was as delayed coming in as it was leaving the station, taking another hour to crawl out of Lusaka and onto the Great North...
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We couldn't be more excited to share with you that Spark Ventures is partnering with Groupon to offer our 2014 Partnership Trips to Zambia. If you missed it, we partnered with Groupon in 2012 and it was a roaring success - our trips sold out...
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We often get questions about our Partnership Trips; how do these unique volunteer travel experiences fit into our broader approach to international development? At the launch of our first Groupon partnership in 2012, our team put together these thoughts on how volunteer travel fits into...
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Just one year ago, the Spark Ventures team was still sworn to secrecy as we eagerly awaited sharing the identity of our newest partner organization - Las Tías, of León, Nicaragua. What a year it has been.Our impact at Las Tías has been...
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So, this wasn’t the blog I was planning to write. I intended to focus on the fantastic group of travelers with us from Florida, Boston, Los Angeles, Kansas and Chicago…to tell you how they are doing a great job with educational activities, games and crafts...
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The first day of our October Partnership Trip to Nicaragua was packed full of fun.Check out a few of the photos below. A get-to-know you game with our new friends.Scott and Jennifer giggling as they draw their favorite things.Completed projects - we have some great artists...
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Yesterday I spent the afternoon discussing the merits of an excel spreadsheet developed by the CDC to assist school nurses in the US to track the obesity rates of their students. But, given that I am in Nicaragua, where our partner organization, Las Tías, Serves...
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It started on the plane from Atlanta to Managua. When you’re traveling to a country that speaks a language other than English, you first pass through a land of double takes, where everything is announced or written first in one language, then they Translate Video into...
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With only a few days until the first of our travelers departs to Nicaragua for our second Partnership Trip to Las Tias, we are kicking into high gear in the Spark office making final preparations!This November we are celebrating one year of partnership with Las...
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Spark's Director of Partnerships, Lucy Jodlowska, is in Zambia for the next six weeks, supporting exciting developments at the poultry farm. Major progress over the next month will position the farm for a significant increase in both the number of chickens raised each cycle, as...
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We are excited to announce a new partnership for Spark Ventures that pairs our international work with another local Chicago organization, expanding horizons for local teens. Allowance for Good (AfG) is a network of American youth ages 13-18 that partner together to improve the lives...
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Carol, a Partnership Trip participant from Spark's inaugural trip to Nicaragua recently shared some memories and photos from her experience. Check our her travelogue here & then think about joining us in Nicaragua yourself! I had the incredible honor of being one of the travelers on...
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August 2013Dear Spark Supporters,A few months ago I was out for a run in the park near my apartment and as typically happens, I was thinking about Spark. We spend a lot of time sharing about our work: the various partners and programs, the trips...
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