Spark MicroGrants partners with LODA to implement poverty eradication program

This agreement will primarily enable community members from Gakenke and Gisagara districts to use the Spark Microgrants approach to build capacity that will help them to overcome poverty through different projects funded by Spark Microgrants. The two districts join three existing beneficiaries including Rulindo, Musanze and Burera districts.

Following the agreements; Spark Microgrants has been testing this approach in all 24 villages of Rukozo sector in Rulindo district which have started implementing development projects worth 100 million. For instance, community members of Kivomo village were facilitated to found Twizamurane Kivomo’, a community bringing community members together for pigs husbandry.

They went through the process before receiving 5 pigs at the outset. Today, the number of pigs has risen to 35.

Spark Microgrants in partnership with Gakenke district have selected Kamubuga sector as the next beneficiary. The sector is inhabited by 23,000 community members of who 4,000 are from the first Ubudehe category.

Once in a village, Spark Microgrants selects and train community based facilitators on the model, upon completion of the training, they go back to their communities and share the acquired knowledge through participatory planning meetings. Each village of Kamubuga sector will receive Rwf 6 million to support their development projects.

The executive secretary of Kamubuga sector, Jean Bosco Nkurunziza has told IGIHE that they will make sure such projects are implemented successfully. “We have the duty of reminding community members of their role in the implementation of the project. I will be providing advisory services to ensure the projects bear fruits,” he said.

Spark MicroGrants was founded in 2010 with a novel approach to empower communities facing poverty to design and drive their own economic and democratic development. To date, they have partnered with over 210 villages across Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Ghana with a 95% project sustainability rate.