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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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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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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Greetings from Lusaka, Zambia. I’m sitting in my hotel room suffering from jet lag, which happens to be keeping me awake far past a reasonable bedtime, so I thought I’d draft my first blog for this trip.It’s an exciting time to be investing in Africa....
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Spark CEO, Rich, has arrived in Ndola, Zambia to visit our partner organization, Hope Ministries. Rich will be blogging from the field during his visit, giving us a glimpse into the lives of the children and people in Zambia.Rich is doing prep work before our...
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For the past three weeks, a team of four MIIS graduate students on the west coast has been working remotely with Spark on an intense amount of research, in what is quickly growing to be the foundation of blue prints for a social enterprise that we’ll be...
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We’re excited to welcome our new Finance Manager, Marcia, to the Spark team! We asked Marcia a few questions to help us get to know her and the background she comes from.Where are you from?I grew up on a farm in a pretty small town...
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Last week, we held a Nutrition Training for the moms and guardians of Hope children. Overall, the event was very successful and provided a new means for nutritional and community outreach.The training was facilitated by two local nurses and led in a participatory, interactive style,...
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The capacity building efforts that Spark Ventures supports in Zambia run the gambit. This includes supporting professional development opportunities for the teachers at Hope Community School, lending the expertise of a Spark board member to conduct financial audits, and, most recently, funding the construction of...
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Whenever I travel, these days that being mostly for Spark, I tend to write quite a bit. Whether in an electronic format, paper journal, or leaving notes for myself in my iPhone, I carry either pages or fragments of information and thoughts. The last time...
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