Spirit In Action

Spirit in Action is one of the most effective and trustworthy non profits I have ever worked with in my 45 years of work in the non profit sector. I am the founder and director of a sister organization that has worked with Tanya Cothran and SIA for several years. The reason we choose to work alongside SIA is because of the ethics and effectiveness of the leadership and values of Tanya and her American/Canadian and African boards of directors. SIA considers, above all else, what programs do the people they serve most want and need and how can SIA work alongside most effectively? Equally, they consider the best use of donor funds. I am a personal donor to SIA. And in fact I will be leaving a portion of my personal estate to SIA when I move on to God's loving arms. I have utmost respect for SIA and shareholder programs. Karen Kotoske, Founder/Executive Director, Amistad International

Spirit in Action (SIA) has continued to provide significant support to smaller and more grassroots organizations, as well as to families in their efforts to become more self-sufficient and secure a better future for themselves.

I've been volunteering with SIA since 2013 as part of the Small Business Fund program in Nairobi's informal settlements. I've worked with over 60 families whose lives have been significantly improved. Some people who are unable to afford medical care or food are able to do so after establishing a small business with the assistance of a SIA grant.

One aspect of the SIA's method of ‘repaying' the grant that stands out is the Sharing The Gift initiative, which asks beneficiaries to spread the love. Sharing the Gift encourages SIA micro grant recipients to pass the gift on to someone else. Sharing the Gift not only helps more people in the community start successful businesses, but it also strengthens community bonds by showing concern for one another's well-being. They do so by donating a portion of their profits to another family or by sharing a chick if they are in the poultry farming business.

SIA is indeed a unique non-profit!

Spirit In Action is love in action! My husband and I are very picky about which charities we give to. We decided to support Spirit In Action (SIA) a few years ago and have continued doing so monthly ever since. The lives that are changed by receiving small to medium donations allow for individuals and families to support themselves. Their craft, animal(s), or what may be that they hone, develop, and grow not only gives them hope and means to live sustainably, but oftentimes those helped individuals and families "pay" their blessing forward to others to enable them. And the giving effect expands exponentially.

Spirit In Action is financially responsible in their giving to others. There is an application and screening procedure in place that enables Spirit In Action to function ethically and morally. The donations get to the needy people.

My husband and I know Tanya Cothran personally and know her integrity is beyond reproach. She cares deeply about helping others and works hard to oversee the organization to maintain its high quality and outreach. Tanya has developed a network of trustworthy volunteers to assure the efficacy is constant.

I encourage others to read SIA newsletters to learn of all of the good that comes from this organization. The recipients are so grateful and joyous and want to have others in their community experience the same success, so they share some of their resources as they become truly established. What a wonderful thing it is to see God's love grow through people, change them, and free them from daily struggles. We love being a part of this work.

Wendy and Hank Fusco

Spirit in Action offers grants to grassroots organizations in East Africa. These grants support people in following their dreams of building a self-sufficient, sustainable future for themselves, their families and their communities.

Administrator, Tanya Cothran, visits the projects every two years, and celebrates the many accomplishments of the grant recipients. The US Advisory Board and the African Advisory Board share together by meeting on Zoom.

In 1996, Del Anderson had a dream, and gathered like-minded friends to prayerfully bring his dream into reality. Thus, Spirit in Action was formed. I was privileged to be part of that group. and became Spirit in Action's first administrator. I celebrate it's evolution and the many in East Africa who are implementing the vision and strengthening their communities.

Please see http://www.spiritinaction.org to learn more about its powerful mission and impact.

Gratefully,
Marsha Johnson

Spirit in Action is the most connected with those it serves, spiritually and operationally, of any nonprofit I've seen. Real help is achieved by thoughtful interaction with community. I really do think this is a great nonprofit.

 Hello,

To more fully understand the wonderful work Spirit-in-Action is doing in Africa I highly recommend the book entitled Smart Risks by Jennifer Lentfer and Tanya Cothran. Here is part of a book review I wrote about the book:

“Anyone interested in understanding the core principles that small-grant organization Spirit-in-Action relies on to succeed in lifting individuals and entire villages from poverty to self sufficiency will find Smart Risks enlightening. I learned that SIA grant risks are smart because they are based on what is learned through caring, freely communicative relationships with the actual individuals who are struggling with poverty. Villagers and their leaders know what they need and very often smaller but flexible grant organizations like SIA are better able to gain understanding through careful listening, leading to more useful financial support. Large corporate grant charities often don’t reach down to grassroots levels for ideas, solutions and feedback but instead decide to fund what they think is most needed. A powerful quote on page 76: ‘Who defines innovation matters. We can think of innovation as simply including previously-excluded people in decision-making and accountability mechanisms.’”

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On a different occasion I wrote this and sent it to S.I.A.:

“What I love about Spirit-in-Action

1) Its work reminds me of the story of Jesus changing water into wine - money(and time) are lovingly transformed into small business grants that improve people’s lives in the most basic and necessary ways.


2) I love the part where hard-working grant recipients share what they can with others needing a leg-up to get themselves started with an idea to try.


3) I appreciate how Tanya keeps us informed about S.I.A.’s work in such a personal way. In email blogs and newsletters she gives us people’s actual names, details and updates about how individual grants are being used, and photos and direct quotes from recipients expressing their heart-felt appreciation. Donating to S.I.A. is beginning to feel like donating to an extended family.”

I hope this is helpful.

Sincerely,

Carol Schifferling

Spirit in Action uses funds and volunteers to help to people with their own goals for a self-sufficient, sustainable future. I love the respect shown by allowing people to decide how best to use money in their own context, whether it is buying chickens, opening a small business in a booth or operating a funding cooperative. SIA has excellent support and follow-up, both by leaders in Africa and in North America, but the help comes with great respect and inclusion. People who benefit are encouraged to "pay it forward," and the movement is growing!

SIA is unique. It connects directly with the grassroots locals that need to experience God's Love. It amazes me to see thousands of lives in Africa being impacted by the skills and small grants they receive from SIA. I've had first hand experience with the beneficiaries. Positive change with ripple effect is real!

What is different about this non-profit is that the board in North America partners with outstanding community members in Africa to truly understand and support vulnerable African people. I happily donate because every dollar goes far in helping to change lives.

The one-on-one approach to solving a woman’s life problems with a hand up (not a hand out) by Spirit in Action brings economic help to her, her family and her community. You can see the pride in their faces as they talk about the opportunity for hard work and a better future they are creating from the grants by Spirit in Action. Happy to be becoming a monthly supporter.