Through the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), beneficiaries undergo six months of training designed to empower villagers to make decisions, manage resources, and implement development projects of their choice.
The process ensures that every resident has a voice in village planning, while grants provided by Spark support initiatives in economic development, governance, and social cohesion.
Each participating village receives between Frw 8 million and Frw 12 million, disbursed in two phases â€" 60% upfront and 40% later based on performance. The funds are invested in community-selected projects ranging from farming to housing and income-generating activities.
Vestine Yansayidiye, a resident of Musekera village, is among beneficiaries who described how Spark changed their lives.
'When Spark came to our village in 2014, I joined a savings group and borrowed Frw 20,000. I bought two piglets and some rabbits. As they reproduced, I sold the livestock and earned about Frw 500,000, which I used as capital for business,' she said.
Yansayidiye explained that the profits allowed her family to stop renting and build their own house through the community group Twihute mu Iterambere.
'Now I also contribute to household needs, not everything depends on my husband,' she said.
Vestine has since purchased six plots of land worth Frw 8 million, and her assets from Spark-supported projects now exceed Frw 12 million.
Maria Nyirabarinegura, also from Musekera, shared a similar journey: 'Before Spark, I lived in a house with a tiled roof. Today, I own a beautiful house worth Frw 5 million and rear livestock.'
She borrowed Frw 100,000, invested it in farming and pig rearing, and used the profits to build her home and expand into poultry and cattle. She emphasized that livestock farming boosted crop yields through access to manure, which was previously unavailable.
According to Alphonse Sikubwabo, president of Twihute mu Iterambere, Spark's support enabled the roofing of 142 houses, each family receiving 20 roofing sheets.
'Beyond Spark's support, we also contributed, with every household adding Frw 1,000. This helped us achieve even more,' he said.
The roofing initiative saw each family receiving 20 roofing sheets, costing over Frw 21.9 million, funded through group lending, farming, and savings.
The community also invested Frw 6.5 million for further improvements including sand flooring.
Founded in 2010, Spark Microgrants is a U.S.-based international NGO operating in eight countries, including Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Ghana, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Malawi.
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