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This month, Five Talents launched a redesigned and much improved www.FiveTalents.org. In addition to the new features and navigation on the website, we've also move our blog.
We'd love for you to continue walking alongside us and those that we serve! Be sure to stay up-to-date by visiting: http://www.fivetalents.org/media-center/blog.
Kelli Ross
Director of Communications
kelliross@fivetalents.org
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Week 2 Wrap-Up: Training of Trainers in Sudan
We’ve just heard from Suzanne, who shared a recap of her second week in Sudan. Week 2's agenda introduced training for the financial education component of our Literacy and Financial Education Program with the Mothers’ Union and World Concern. (This training is being conducted in Juba.)
At the beginning of Week 2, 18 women (who are Mothers’ Union trainers in six dioceses in Sudan – Juba, Renk, Khartoum, Wau, Lainya and Malakal) were split up into two groups. One group received business skills training and the other half received Savings and Loan Association training.
These sessions were led by two trainers, Salome Leipa and Sarah Kasule – one from Uganda and one from Kenya – who came to Juba to teach the business skills and Savings and Loan Association curriculum. During the course of the week, these two lead trainers had the unique opportunity to encourage the Sudanese Mothers’ Union trainers as each of the trainers performs very similar roles in their home regions.
Suzanne shared this example: Two women in the business skills class had operated businesses in their village. But, due to discouragement and various circumstances, they closed their shops and gave up the idea of being businesswomen. Now, by learning a new set of skills from women who have faced similar struggles, they feel confident to start again!
During the five days of training, role plays were incorporated so that the business skills and Savings and Loan Associations groups could practice by presenting the knowledge they had gained as well as have the chance to see what the other group had been learning throughout the week.
The business skills class role play was based on a marketplace created by the women participants. They had props for goods and demonstrated the skills they learned during the training – it resulted in lots of laughter!
The Savings and Loan Association class conducted a mock meeting, giving the women in this class the opportunity to practice the proper methods of holding a savings and loan association meeting. All participants in the mock meeting saved money and some served as leaders of the group. They did a wonderful job acting out their parts and stating the objectives and values of their group.
This week (Sept. 6), marks Week 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation. During this time, trainers will receive monitoring and evaluation training and will learn more about how the program will work as a whole. The closing ceremony of this three-week training will be Friday, Sept. 10, which will be attended by the Archbishop of Sudan, the Most Rev. Dr. Daniel Deng Bul. Those who completed the training will be presented with certificates.
Suzanne noted that one of the most inspiring and encouraging aspects of this training has been that there are very young women, who are participating as Mothers’ Union trainers. This takes great bravery as it is a great challenge to gain respect as a young female. However, there are several older women who are also in the training and serving as amazing mentors and examples for the younger women!
Prayer Requests
As the Five Talents/Mothers’ Union/World Concern team (Naomi, Harun, Peter and Suzanne) is in their final days of the training, please continue to pray for them. Pray that they would have energy and the ability to clearly present all of the appropriate materials and resources for the local Mothers’ Union trainers. Also, please pray for the Mothers’ Union trainers, that they would be blessed by this training, learn skills that they didn’t possess before, and share those with community facilitators who will in turn form literacy and savings and loan association groups within the various dioceses.
At the beginning of Week 2, 18 women (who are Mothers’ Union trainers in six dioceses in Sudan – Juba, Renk, Khartoum, Wau, Lainya and Malakal) were split up into two groups. One group received business skills training and the other half received Savings and Loan Association training.
These sessions were led by two trainers, Salome Leipa and Sarah Kasule – one from Uganda and one from Kenya – who came to Juba to teach the business skills and Savings and Loan Association curriculum. During the course of the week, these two lead trainers had the unique opportunity to encourage the Sudanese Mothers’ Union trainers as each of the trainers performs very similar roles in their home regions.
Suzanne shared this example: Two women in the business skills class had operated businesses in their village. But, due to discouragement and various circumstances, they closed their shops and gave up the idea of being businesswomen. Now, by learning a new set of skills from women who have faced similar struggles, they feel confident to start again!
During the five days of training, role plays were incorporated so that the business skills and Savings and Loan Associations groups could practice by presenting the knowledge they had gained as well as have the chance to see what the other group had been learning throughout the week.
The business skills class role play was based on a marketplace created by the women participants. They had props for goods and demonstrated the skills they learned during the training – it resulted in lots of laughter!
The Savings and Loan Association class conducted a mock meeting, giving the women in this class the opportunity to practice the proper methods of holding a savings and loan association meeting. All participants in the mock meeting saved money and some served as leaders of the group. They did a wonderful job acting out their parts and stating the objectives and values of their group.
This week (Sept. 6), marks Week 3 – Monitoring and Evaluation. During this time, trainers will receive monitoring and evaluation training and will learn more about how the program will work as a whole. The closing ceremony of this three-week training will be Friday, Sept. 10, which will be attended by the Archbishop of Sudan, the Most Rev. Dr. Daniel Deng Bul. Those who completed the training will be presented with certificates.
Suzanne noted that one of the most inspiring and encouraging aspects of this training has been that there are very young women, who are participating as Mothers’ Union trainers. This takes great bravery as it is a great challenge to gain respect as a young female. However, there are several older women who are also in the training and serving as amazing mentors and examples for the younger women!
Prayer Requests
As the Five Talents/Mothers’ Union/World Concern team (Naomi, Harun, Peter and Suzanne) is in their final days of the training, please continue to pray for them. Pray that they would have energy and the ability to clearly present all of the appropriate materials and resources for the local Mothers’ Union trainers. Also, please pray for the Mothers’ Union trainers, that they would be blessed by this training, learn skills that they didn’t possess before, and share those with community facilitators who will in turn form literacy and savings and loan association groups within the various dioceses.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Update on Sudan Training
Suzanne Schultz, our director of program, has just completed her first of three weeks in Sudan as part of the Five Talents/Mothers' Union/World Concern literacy and financial education training that is currently taking place.
McKenzie Butler, our program assistant, just spoke to Suzanne, and here's her recap:
I just wanted to give you a brief update on the literacy training taking place in Sudan this past week. I got the chance to chat with Suzanne for a few moments today, and she is doing very well. They have just finished their 1st of 3 weeks of training. This past week, Suzanne had the opportunity to sit in on the literacy training, and she is very encouraged by all that is taking place. With this Sudan program, the Mothers’ Union and Five Talents will be providing literacy training as well as business skills and savings and loan association training to community members within 6 different dioceses in Sudan.
Suzanne shared something interesting that I thought I’d pass along to you to hopefully make the training become more real, even though we are miles away.
This week, the literacy trainer was explaining to the training participants the importance of literacy in the context of savings groups. He asked the question, “How would a group member know when to attend group meetings (in order to pay interest back on their loan) if they could not read a calendar?” His point was that being given the chance to become literate opens up so many doors including the ability to join a savings group and even the ability to read expiration dates on food items to ensure that the food does not go bad before you sell it to your clients!
It is really exciting to think about this synergy of literacy and financial education training. Many, many people will be empowered and will be given the skills to read and write and to save money and receive loans for their businesses.
I hope this is an encouragement to you. Please continue to keep everyone in your prayers. Harun Matuma, who will be the National Program Director for this program will be arriving in Juba on Sunday, and Peter Macharia, our program partner at World Concern, is currently in Wau and hopes to attend some of the training as well. Please continue to pray for all of them and together let us thank the Lord for the people Five Talents has the opportunity to partner with and the work that we have ahead of us!
McKenzie Butler, our program assistant, just spoke to Suzanne, and here's her recap:
I just wanted to give you a brief update on the literacy training taking place in Sudan this past week. I got the chance to chat with Suzanne for a few moments today, and she is doing very well. They have just finished their 1st of 3 weeks of training. This past week, Suzanne had the opportunity to sit in on the literacy training, and she is very encouraged by all that is taking place. With this Sudan program, the Mothers’ Union and Five Talents will be providing literacy training as well as business skills and savings and loan association training to community members within 6 different dioceses in Sudan.
Suzanne shared something interesting that I thought I’d pass along to you to hopefully make the training become more real, even though we are miles away.
This week, the literacy trainer was explaining to the training participants the importance of literacy in the context of savings groups. He asked the question, “How would a group member know when to attend group meetings (in order to pay interest back on their loan) if they could not read a calendar?” His point was that being given the chance to become literate opens up so many doors including the ability to join a savings group and even the ability to read expiration dates on food items to ensure that the food does not go bad before you sell it to your clients!
It is really exciting to think about this synergy of literacy and financial education training. Many, many people will be empowered and will be given the skills to read and write and to save money and receive loans for their businesses.
I hope this is an encouragement to you. Please continue to keep everyone in your prayers. Harun Matuma, who will be the National Program Director for this program will be arriving in Juba on Sunday, and Peter Macharia, our program partner at World Concern, is currently in Wau and hopes to attend some of the training as well. Please continue to pray for all of them and together let us thank the Lord for the people Five Talents has the opportunity to partner with and the work that we have ahead of us!
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Reflections on Sudan by Craig Cole
Recently, I traveled to Sudan with a Five Talents board member, Mr. Jim Oakes, to look at several microcredit and savings programs that Five Talents is funding and to lead a seminar on business planning and leadership principles.
The theme that best summarizes the trip and our message to the people we encountered was simply, “Don’t Ever Give In.” Jim, who preached at a Sunday service at the church in Wau, used the story of Winston Churchill giving this famous speech during World War II in which he exhorted a group of students to “Never Ever Give In.” He then used it again during our business planning and leadership principles seminar.
The testimony of the people we met in South Sudan is just that, a people who have not bowed to the horrors of almost 40 years of civil war since Sudan gained independence in 1956. And now that there has been a peace accord for four and a half years, they are hungry to learn how to become leaders and how to make their communities prosper. The church leaders and those working in the market place know they face enormous obstacles but their faith sustains them as they march toward a future they hope will bring peace and prosperity.
Overall the trip could be described as amazing and inspirational, and we clearly witnessed that the Sudanese have a desire to make a better life for themselves. They don’t seem to have the same type of entitlement mentality we sometimes see in our type of work. They understand the need for training, and they are eager to learn. There is this hopeful optimism for the future that definitely surfaces when engaged in conversation with the church and community leaders.
Yet, it is a complicated society that is still literally shell-shocked from war, and the learning curve is steep in a country that has few paved roads and a population with illiteracy rates of 85 to 90 percent in some regions. There is also an underlying tension in which violence might erupt without warning. The clan-fighting over cattle and property continues to plague the smaller towns and villages and keeps life unsettled and progress slow.
Biblically-Based Business Planning
While in Wau, we spent three days teaching basic business planning, alternating with leadership skills training. The group of 40 men and women meeting in the church were comprised of leaders in the local savings groups in Wau as well as the church leaders.
The purpose of the business planning sessions was to provide them with a learning environment where they would create an actual business plan that would include choosing a business, developing a marketing strategy and learning about record-keeping – all with a foundation in biblical values. We split the attendees into groups of six. At the end of the training, each group presented a viable business plan for the type of business they might want to start. One group wanted to start a guesthouse, another wanted to buy a tractor and then rent it out to local farmers, while others wanted to start a brick-making business and operate a rice farm.
Every time we conduct these trainings, I’m always struck by the intelligent questions and how committed the people are to learning. I shouldn’t be so surprised but that is the bias I carry with me into developing countries – that people can’t do things on their own. But, time and again, I’m proven wrong.
Leadership Training – Start Small Groups and Grow from There
One of the key points we made during the leadership training was the concept of the leader training a small group first and then spreading the word from there. We used Jesus as an example of how to lead effectively. He spent most of his time with a group of 12 men – his disciples. He trained them as a group, so they in turn could train others. The local Episcopal priest in Wau was really inspired by that idea and could envision his church becoming a training hub for the diocese by inviting a one or two priests from each region instead of all of them at once, and then training them to teach the others in Bible, evangelism and other topics.
The closing ceremony of our training was also memorable as the 40 or so participants each received a certificate and many of them gave a yell and held it up above their heads as they took it from our hands. At the end, two of the leaders in the church said a prayer for us and gave us a small gift.
Lietnhom – Transformation and Reconciliation
In December 2007, Jim visited the Lietnhom village bank site as they were just digging the foundation for the concrete bank structure. He admits that the hot, humid weather and rugged conditions made for his most difficult overseas trip.
In May 2008, the village of Lietnhom was burned to the ground by a rival ethnic group and tragically many villagers were killed and their homes destroyed. However, in the midst of the destruction, the village bank was spared because both groups had money in the bank. The local church and other leaders intervened and within one year, the savings groups were reconciled and the village bank became a focal point of community building. In 2009, the bank was dedicated as the Amat Wuot Community Bank, which in Dinka, the local language, means, “a union of communities.” Now, several different ethnic groups have members on the governing board.
The burned-out huts have been rebuilt, the marketplace has been revitalized, and the village leaders are proud of what they have accomplished. This is not just a story of individual transformation but one of an entire community that has been transformed and empowered.
“I was amazed by what has happened,” Jim remarked upon this most recent visit.
The Blacksmiths
I have one final story that I want to share with you. We met a group of blacksmiths, who were part of a savings group in Wau. As they were talking about their work, they told us they acquired their metal from burned out planes and tanks that were used in the most recent 22-year civil war. From these machines of war, they were making farm implements – literally taking swords and turning them into plowshares!
The theme that best summarizes the trip and our message to the people we encountered was simply, “Don’t Ever Give In.” Jim, who preached at a Sunday service at the church in Wau, used the story of Winston Churchill giving this famous speech during World War II in which he exhorted a group of students to “Never Ever Give In.” He then used it again during our business planning and leadership principles seminar.
The testimony of the people we met in South Sudan is just that, a people who have not bowed to the horrors of almost 40 years of civil war since Sudan gained independence in 1956. And now that there has been a peace accord for four and a half years, they are hungry to learn how to become leaders and how to make their communities prosper. The church leaders and those working in the market place know they face enormous obstacles but their faith sustains them as they march toward a future they hope will bring peace and prosperity.
Overall the trip could be described as amazing and inspirational, and we clearly witnessed that the Sudanese have a desire to make a better life for themselves. They don’t seem to have the same type of entitlement mentality we sometimes see in our type of work. They understand the need for training, and they are eager to learn. There is this hopeful optimism for the future that definitely surfaces when engaged in conversation with the church and community leaders.
Yet, it is a complicated society that is still literally shell-shocked from war, and the learning curve is steep in a country that has few paved roads and a population with illiteracy rates of 85 to 90 percent in some regions. There is also an underlying tension in which violence might erupt without warning. The clan-fighting over cattle and property continues to plague the smaller towns and villages and keeps life unsettled and progress slow.
Biblically-Based Business Planning
While in Wau, we spent three days teaching basic business planning, alternating with leadership skills training. The group of 40 men and women meeting in the church were comprised of leaders in the local savings groups in Wau as well as the church leaders.
The purpose of the business planning sessions was to provide them with a learning environment where they would create an actual business plan that would include choosing a business, developing a marketing strategy and learning about record-keeping – all with a foundation in biblical values. We split the attendees into groups of six. At the end of the training, each group presented a viable business plan for the type of business they might want to start. One group wanted to start a guesthouse, another wanted to buy a tractor and then rent it out to local farmers, while others wanted to start a brick-making business and operate a rice farm.
Every time we conduct these trainings, I’m always struck by the intelligent questions and how committed the people are to learning. I shouldn’t be so surprised but that is the bias I carry with me into developing countries – that people can’t do things on their own. But, time and again, I’m proven wrong.
Leadership Training – Start Small Groups and Grow from There
One of the key points we made during the leadership training was the concept of the leader training a small group first and then spreading the word from there. We used Jesus as an example of how to lead effectively. He spent most of his time with a group of 12 men – his disciples. He trained them as a group, so they in turn could train others. The local Episcopal priest in Wau was really inspired by that idea and could envision his church becoming a training hub for the diocese by inviting a one or two priests from each region instead of all of them at once, and then training them to teach the others in Bible, evangelism and other topics.
The closing ceremony of our training was also memorable as the 40 or so participants each received a certificate and many of them gave a yell and held it up above their heads as they took it from our hands. At the end, two of the leaders in the church said a prayer for us and gave us a small gift.
Lietnhom – Transformation and Reconciliation
In December 2007, Jim visited the Lietnhom village bank site as they were just digging the foundation for the concrete bank structure. He admits that the hot, humid weather and rugged conditions made for his most difficult overseas trip.
In May 2008, the village of Lietnhom was burned to the ground by a rival ethnic group and tragically many villagers were killed and their homes destroyed. However, in the midst of the destruction, the village bank was spared because both groups had money in the bank. The local church and other leaders intervened and within one year, the savings groups were reconciled and the village bank became a focal point of community building. In 2009, the bank was dedicated as the Amat Wuot Community Bank, which in Dinka, the local language, means, “a union of communities.” Now, several different ethnic groups have members on the governing board.
The burned-out huts have been rebuilt, the marketplace has been revitalized, and the village leaders are proud of what they have accomplished. This is not just a story of individual transformation but one of an entire community that has been transformed and empowered.
“I was amazed by what has happened,” Jim remarked upon this most recent visit.
The Blacksmiths
I have one final story that I want to share with you. We met a group of blacksmiths, who were part of a savings group in Wau. As they were talking about their work, they told us they acquired their metal from burned out planes and tanks that were used in the most recent 22-year civil war. From these machines of war, they were making farm implements – literally taking swords and turning them into plowshares!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Nearing Our Departure
Saturday, June 5
Heathrow Airport, London
Jim Oakes and I are in Heathrow Airport a day earlier then expected. We had planned to leave Saturday night arriving on Sunday but because of the British Airways strike, we were to be diverted to Philadelphia and take the train to D.C. Instead, we were able to book a flight Friday evening that will get us in to Dulles at about 6 p.m. EST.
Yesterday, at this time, we were in Wau having final meetings with our partners before heading off to the airport. Since then, we have taken three planes, stopped in four cities and seemed to have cleared some sort of security or immigration a dozen times. In Wau, the airport has one room to check-in and then another room to sit to wait. The landing strip is packed dirt and is used primarily by small prop planes. We first flew to Aweil to pick up passengers and then flew to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, arriving around 3:15 p.m. We met Erin Bricker from World Concern, who gave us a briefing on how to go through customs, which was helpful. It isn’t a complicated process but one needs to know that the guy stamping passports is also collecting the exit tax and then you have to go the person who makes copies of all your documents for 10 Sudanese pounds.
At 4:30, we left for Nairobi. We arrived about 6:30 p.m. cleared customs on a transit visa…checked in very early for the 11:50 p.m. flight to London and had dinner before once again going through security at our gate. I happened to sit on the plane with a man from St. James in Richmond, who had been with a team near Rumbek. Small world.
Overall the trip has been amazing and inspirational, and we clearly see that the Sudanese have a desire to make a better life for themselves. They don’t seem to have the same type of entitlement mentality we sometimes see in our type of work. They understand the need for training and they are eager to learn so there is this hopeful optimism for the future that definitely surfaces when engaged in conversation with the leaders in the church and the communities.
Yet, it is a complicated society that is still literally shell-shocked from the war, and the learning curve is steep in a country that has few roads and with illiteracy rates in some places are 85 to 90 percent. There is a tension underneath the surface in which violence might erupt without warning. The clan-fighting over cattle and property continues to plague the smaller towns and villages and keeps life unsettled and slows progress.
There is a need for people to go over and train in business planning, leadership development and especially in managing accounts. The church is in desperate need of help in training their staff in accounting, basic management and organization not to mention building the theological foundations of the clergy and congregations.
Craig Cole
Heathrow Airport, London
Jim Oakes and I are in Heathrow Airport a day earlier then expected. We had planned to leave Saturday night arriving on Sunday but because of the British Airways strike, we were to be diverted to Philadelphia and take the train to D.C. Instead, we were able to book a flight Friday evening that will get us in to Dulles at about 6 p.m. EST.
Yesterday, at this time, we were in Wau having final meetings with our partners before heading off to the airport. Since then, we have taken three planes, stopped in four cities and seemed to have cleared some sort of security or immigration a dozen times. In Wau, the airport has one room to check-in and then another room to sit to wait. The landing strip is packed dirt and is used primarily by small prop planes. We first flew to Aweil to pick up passengers and then flew to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, arriving around 3:15 p.m. We met Erin Bricker from World Concern, who gave us a briefing on how to go through customs, which was helpful. It isn’t a complicated process but one needs to know that the guy stamping passports is also collecting the exit tax and then you have to go the person who makes copies of all your documents for 10 Sudanese pounds.
At 4:30, we left for Nairobi. We arrived about 6:30 p.m. cleared customs on a transit visa…checked in very early for the 11:50 p.m. flight to London and had dinner before once again going through security at our gate. I happened to sit on the plane with a man from St. James in Richmond, who had been with a team near Rumbek. Small world.
Overall the trip has been amazing and inspirational, and we clearly see that the Sudanese have a desire to make a better life for themselves. They don’t seem to have the same type of entitlement mentality we sometimes see in our type of work. They understand the need for training and they are eager to learn so there is this hopeful optimism for the future that definitely surfaces when engaged in conversation with the leaders in the church and the communities.Yet, it is a complicated society that is still literally shell-shocked from the war, and the learning curve is steep in a country that has few roads and with illiteracy rates in some places are 85 to 90 percent. There is a tension underneath the surface in which violence might erupt without warning. The clan-fighting over cattle and property continues to plague the smaller towns and villages and keeps life unsettled and slows progress.
There is a need for people to go over and train in business planning, leadership development and especially in managing accounts. The church is in desperate need of help in training their staff in accounting, basic management and organization not to mention building the theological foundations of the clergy and congregations.
Craig Cole
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Empowering the Young and Old
Wednesday, June 2
Wau, Sudan
We are currently in Wau having finished the training! One of the key findings during the leadership training was the idea of having the leader train a small group first. We used Jesus as an example. He taught his 12 disciples and spent a lot of time with them so they in turn could train others, etc. The local priest was really inspired by that idea and sees Wau becoming a training hub for the diocese. We take these ideas for granted but not here, not after so many years of war.
Also, we we able to visit a first grade class at the church school with Rev. Thomas Anei. During Thomas' visit to the U.S., he vistied my daughter's first grade class. During his visit, the class read these wonderful prayers for Thomas and for Sudan. So, at the class we visited in Wau, we had the children and the teacher read the same prayers in their class. We also gave them soccer balls that were donated. This was really memorable.
The closing ceremony of our training was also memorable as the 40 or so participants each received a certificate and many of them gave a yell and held it up above their heads as they took it from our hands. At the end, two of the leaders in the church said a prayer for us and gave us a small gift. Jim’s words from earlier in the week, “Never Give Up” were our rallying cry!
We are now at lunch and in a few minutes we will be leaving for two other villages and back Thursday night. Then, on Friday, off to Juba to Nairobi. Saturday night we will head home.
Craig Cole
Wau, Sudan
We are currently in Wau having finished the training! One of the key findings during the leadership training was the idea of having the leader train a small group first. We used Jesus as an example. He taught his 12 disciples and spent a lot of time with them so they in turn could train others, etc. The local priest was really inspired by that idea and sees Wau becoming a training hub for the diocese. We take these ideas for granted but not here, not after so many years of war.
Also, we we able to visit a first grade class at the church school with Rev. Thomas Anei. During Thomas' visit to the U.S., he vistied my daughter's first grade class. During his visit, the class read these wonderful prayers for Thomas and for Sudan. So, at the class we visited in Wau, we had the children and the teacher read the same prayers in their class. We also gave them soccer balls that were donated. This was really memorable.
The closing ceremony of our training was also memorable as the 40 or so participants each received a certificate and many of them gave a yell and held it up above their heads as they took it from our hands. At the end, two of the leaders in the church said a prayer for us and gave us a small gift. Jim’s words from earlier in the week, “Never Give Up” were our rallying cry!We are now at lunch and in a few minutes we will be leaving for two other villages and back Thursday night. Then, on Friday, off to Juba to Nairobi. Saturday night we will head home.
Craig Cole
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Men, Women Gaining Business and Leadership Skills in Wau, Sudan
Tuesday, June 1
Wau, Sudan
We have spent the last two days teaching basic business planning alternating with leadership skills training. The group of 40 men and women who meeting in the church are comprised of women leaders in the local savings groups in Wau and also the church leaders. So, we were asked to do some leadership training as well.
The idea behind the business planning is to have them come up with an actual business plan that covers choosing a business, marketing and record-keeping using biblical values. We split them into groups of six, and tomorrow they will present the finished plan.
As far as leadership skills, we have talked about the traits of a good leader and again had them come up with leaders within the country of Sudan and the world they think met those characteristics. Today, we talked about how leaders mobilize followers. We used the example of Jesus spending most of his time preparing the 12 disciples to be leaders who in turn would train more leaders.
Everytime we do these trainings, I’m always struck by the intelligent questions and how committed the people are to learning. I shouldn’t be so surprised but that is the bias we carry with us into developing countries that people can’t do things on their own. But, time and again, we are proven wrong.
Pray for safe travel tomorrow as we leave in the afternoon to visit Kuadjok and Lietnhom returning Thursday night and then taking a plane to Juba then to Nairobi on Friday before leaving on Saturday for home. Thanks for the prayers!
Craig Cole
Wau, Sudan
We have spent the last two days teaching basic business planning alternating with leadership skills training. The group of 40 men and women who meeting in the church are comprised of women leaders in the local savings groups in Wau and also the church leaders. So, we were asked to do some leadership training as well.The idea behind the business planning is to have them come up with an actual business plan that covers choosing a business, marketing and record-keeping using biblical values. We split them into groups of six, and tomorrow they will present the finished plan.
As far as leadership skills, we have talked about the traits of a good leader and again had them come up with leaders within the country of Sudan and the world they think met those characteristics. Today, we talked about how leaders mobilize followers. We used the example of Jesus spending most of his time preparing the 12 disciples to be leaders who in turn would train more leaders.
Everytime we do these trainings, I’m always struck by the intelligent questions and how committed the people are to learning. I shouldn’t be so surprised but that is the bias we carry with us into developing countries that people can’t do things on their own. But, time and again, we are proven wrong.
Pray for safe travel tomorrow as we leave in the afternoon to visit Kuadjok and Lietnhom returning Thursday night and then taking a plane to Juba then to Nairobi on Friday before leaving on Saturday for home. Thanks for the prayers!
Craig Cole
Sunday, May 30, 2010
President and CEO travels to Sudan
Five Talents President and CEO Craig Cole, along with Board Member Jim Oakes, are visiting the Five Talents program in Sudan from May 29 to June 5. While there is limited internet accesss, I'll (Kelli) be posting updates from Craig as they are available.
Sunday, May 30
Wau, Sudan
Jim and I just finished two services. A Morning Prayer service in English that started at 8 and ended a little after 9 a.m. At about 10 a.m., the Dinka service started. It was Holy Communion.
Jim preached about leadership at the English service using Joshua and the battle of Jericho as his example. He also used Winston Churchill and his speech about never giving up as his ending.
I preached about the story of the Five Talents at the Dinka service. The Rev. Thomas Anei, who visited with us in the U.S. last November, was my interpreter.
One of the highlights from the Dinka service was the children’s choir. Beautiful smiles combined with beautiful voices made for a wonderful interlude between the readings and the sermon. An interlude that lasted 20 minutes or more with drums keeping it lively as well. What was fascinating was that several of the people in the congregation pulled out their digital cameras and their cell phones to take photos of their children singing. One person even recorded the entire performance using a camera installed on his laptop. It was as if I had never left home! There is a dichotomy here that is now happening all over the world. Technology is helping countries develop. However, at the same time, cell phones and internet access (as there is in this hotel) is becoming more integrated into society, there are still people driving donkey-driven carts and people living in mud huts with straw roofs. In fact, we saw one woman in Juba, who had a business that had a simple piece of wood with about 16 holes in it that had electric outlets. The outlets were then connected to a car battery. Half of the electric outlets were occupied by cell phone batteries being charged! This was her business!
I do have to admit that as I reflect on the smiles of the children, I wonder are their smiles a sign of normality returning to a war-torn land? Is it a sign of hope that their lives will be better than the horror their parents went through?
The future of South Sudan is still uncertain and there is a referendum in November in which the country can vote to become separate: two Sudans: One in the North and One in the South. There are rumors of war coming if the South votes to separate. But, for now, at this very moment, the conflict and uneasiness that is a shadow across this land, is forgotten. The children are dancing and smiling!
Tomorrow we will start our business planning class in the morning and leadership class in the afternoon.
Craig Cole
Sunday, May 30
Wau, Sudan
Jim and I just finished two services. A Morning Prayer service in English that started at 8 and ended a little after 9 a.m. At about 10 a.m., the Dinka service started. It was Holy Communion.
Jim preached about leadership at the English service using Joshua and the battle of Jericho as his example. He also used Winston Churchill and his speech about never giving up as his ending.
I preached about the story of the Five Talents at the Dinka service. The Rev. Thomas Anei, who visited with us in the U.S. last November, was my interpreter.
One of the highlights from the Dinka service was the children’s choir. Beautiful smiles combined with beautiful voices made for a wonderful interlude between the readings and the sermon. An interlude that lasted 20 minutes or more with drums keeping it lively as well. What was fascinating was that several of the people in the congregation pulled out their digital cameras and their cell phones to take photos of their children singing. One person even recorded the entire performance using a camera installed on his laptop. It was as if I had never left home! There is a dichotomy here that is now happening all over the world. Technology is helping countries develop. However, at the same time, cell phones and internet access (as there is in this hotel) is becoming more integrated into society, there are still people driving donkey-driven carts and people living in mud huts with straw roofs. In fact, we saw one woman in Juba, who had a business that had a simple piece of wood with about 16 holes in it that had electric outlets. The outlets were then connected to a car battery. Half of the electric outlets were occupied by cell phone batteries being charged! This was her business!I do have to admit that as I reflect on the smiles of the children, I wonder are their smiles a sign of normality returning to a war-torn land? Is it a sign of hope that their lives will be better than the horror their parents went through?
The future of South Sudan is still uncertain and there is a referendum in November in which the country can vote to become separate: two Sudans: One in the North and One in the South. There are rumors of war coming if the South votes to separate. But, for now, at this very moment, the conflict and uneasiness that is a shadow across this land, is forgotten. The children are dancing and smiling!
Tomorrow we will start our business planning class in the morning and leadership class in the afternoon.
Craig Cole
Monday, May 24, 2010
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Five Talents Program Launched in Burundi to Impact 10,000 People
Five Talents is now working in the small Central African country of Burundi, in partnership with the Mothers' Union UK and Mothers' Union Burundi. And, within three years, 10,000 people will be beneficiaries of this project!
Since 2000, the Mothers' Union Literacy and Development Program has been successfully training Burundians in literacy and numeracy. Five Talents is now partnering with the Mothers' Union in order to provide business skills training as well as savings and microcredit group formation to the literacy program participants.
At the end of February, 16 Mothers' Union trainers from six different dioceses in Burundi gathered in the capital city of Bujumbura to receive this savings group and business skills training from Five Talents. These trainers will now share their knowledge through the Mothers' Union network in Burundi.
During the project's first year, the trainers will train 110 facilitators, who will help start savings groups throughout Burundi. Over a three-year period, 340 savings groups will be started and 10,000 people will be beneficiaries of this project, which will focus on the most vulnerable communities and at least 70 percent of participants will be women.
Since 2000, the Mothers' Union Literacy and Development Program has been successfully training Burundians in literacy and numeracy. Five Talents is now partnering with the Mothers' Union in order to provide business skills training as well as savings and microcredit group formation to the literacy program participants.
At the end of February, 16 Mothers' Union trainers from six different dioceses in Burundi gathered in the capital city of Bujumbura to receive this savings group and business skills training from Five Talents. These trainers will now share their knowledge through the Mothers' Union network in Burundi.
During the project's first year, the trainers will train 110 facilitators, who will help start savings groups throughout Burundi. Over a three-year period, 340 savings groups will be started and 10,000 people will be beneficiaries of this project, which will focus on the most vulnerable communities and at least 70 percent of participants will be women.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Hope for Sudan To Be Shared Through The Eyes Of Rev. Thomas Anei
LIETNHOM, SUDAN — As the sun beats down on the dusty Lietnhom market, men and women wonder when the rainy season will begin. It’s late this year. As talk of rains, friendly chatter and music from a nearby boom box fill the air of the bustling market, Rev. Thomas Anei strolls by the shops greeting those he knows from the business and discipleship classes he leads each week. 
Five Talents is working in Lietnhom with a consortium of partners, including the Episcopal Church of Sudan, to establish a village bank and provide business skills training to beginning entrepreneurs. Thomas is a project officer, and through the trainings he leads, entrepreneurs are learning how to save and use money and how to start and manage a small business. On Nov. 7, he’ll be sharing this story at the Five Talents 10th Anniversary Celebration Dinner in Arlington, Va.
In May of this year, Five Talents joined the celebration held in the village of Lietnhom to dedicate the Amat Wuot Community Bank, the first village bank in southern Sudan. “Amat wuot” literally means “a union of communities” in Dinka, the local language.
“My hope for southern Sudan is to see sustainable development and lasting peace,” said Thomas. “I have a heart for the people of southern Sudan. I want them to be really transformed, to come out of poverty. We have been in war for all these years, and this is our chance to rebuild our own lives.”
Due to decades of war, entire generations did not have the opportunity to attend school. It is estimated that 80 percent of south Sudanese cannot read or write. Therefore, this multi-layered program has introduced literacy, business planning, savings and credit training and small business development into the Lietnhom community.
“The local church is working in a practical way to help its people and its communities come out of a desperate situation,” Cole said. “The church is carrying out its mission of reconciliation in a profound way.”
Thomas, who is leading these entrepreneurs, can fully relate to the struggles they have survived. He has experienced – first-hand and on more than one occasion – the ravages of war and conflict in his home country.
His Early Life
Thomas and one of his brothers fled their home and walked across Sudan to Ethiopia as a part of a group that became known as “The Lost Boys of Sudan.” In the height of Sudan’s 21-year civil war, more than 27,000 boys were separated from their families as they escaped a deliberate campaign of annihilation and ethnic cleansing by successive regimes in Khartoum, which, if successful would prevent these young boys from growing up and joining the SPLA. Boys as young as 5 trekked across the Sudan’s vast tropical and desert lands to Ethiopia in order to find safety and basic survival in a refugee camp. During the trek, children were forced to swim across a branch of the Nile River, and each night they faced attacks by lions, hyenas and other wild animals. Thomas was one of these boys.
“I believe in this world some people pass through water and some people pass through fire. Me, I grew up in a very tough place,” Thomas said.
Tragically, Thomas’ brother died in Ethiopia, and when Thomas eventually made it back to Aweil, he found that his parents as well as an older brother had been killed in the civil war. This war, which lasted from 1983 until 2005, ultimately claimed the lives of 1.9 million civilians and displaced another 4 million.
With the hope of revenge for the killing of family members, Thomas joined the SPLA as a soldier. But, God had different plans for him. In 1989, Thomas began reading the Bible.
“It really changed my life,” he said. “In Matthew 5:44-45 Jesus says, ‘Love your enemies! And pray for those who persecute you that you will be acting as true children of your father in heaven.’” It was through this study that he says, “Jesus showed me a different way.”
Arriving in Kenya
During his time at the Kakuma Refugee Camp, Thomas came across four more children who were from his home area, but who were without their parents. “I found myself in the middle of nowhere with them, and I said just come and stay with me, whatever I have to eat we will eat together.” And, with that, Thomas took these children in as his own.
He eventually moved to Nakuru, Kenya, where he gained formalized Bible training and began working with Bishop Henry Riak who was stationed in Nakuru because of the insecurity of his home area – the Diocese of Wau. In 2001, Thomas was ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Church of Sudan by Bishop Riak, and in 2006, he was ordained as a priest. Over these years, Thomas has had the opportunity to return to Aweil to open churches in Aweil West County.
Returning to Sudan
This journey to once again return to his home country and to help his people began in May 2007. It was then that Thomas was selected by Bishop Riak to represent the Diocese of Wau at a Christian Economic Development Institute in Nakuru, Kenya – a 10-day training course organized and sponsored by Five Talents.
“I said what can I do to make sure we implement this program in Sudan?” Thomas asked after attending the training.
In December 2007, the Bishop asked Thomas to travel with Five Talents to Lietnhom, which is in the same region as his home area of Aweil. His visit to the program was a turning point for Five Talents and Thomas. The keen understanding of the community and communication skills that Thomas displayed during this trip earned him an invitation to begin a fellowship with Five Talents.
In early 2008, Thomas began working alongside a project manager to develop his skills in project management, development and training.
“I believe that God has given everyone talents,” Thomas said. “I encourage the groups, and we share the word of God together.”
In the spring of 2008, conflict once again broke out in Lietnhom when rival clans clashed violently over disputes about cattle. However, members of both clans had accounts at the village bank, a concrete structure with a safe that held $4,000 of members’ savings. The bank was untouched. Resilient residents returned and were able to rebuild businesses with loans from the village bank.
“The idea that a bank could bring together a community is a compelling story,” said Craig Cole, Five Talents President and CEO. “To think that economic development is happening in an isolated village is awe inspiring.”
Now, there are more than 460 members and savings of $12,000 in the village bank. Thomas is witnessing how this village bank is bringing hope and opportunity to Lietnhom, a village now rising from the ashes of regional conflicts that occurred just 18 months ago.
“We are making disciples along with microcredit,” Thomas said.
In early 2009, Thomas took over the Lietnhom project area as a project officer, where he provides business and discipleship training for the village savings and loans project.
“I have a great hope for the Lietnhom people,” he said. “They are talking of concrete buildings. They want to change the system. Many people are now asking to borrow these ideas,” he said. In an area that suffered the uncertainty of civil war for 20 years, this type of thinking and hope is a big change.
And the five small children that Thomas cared for in Kakuma? They are still his children, and he is their single father. They are now teenagers and live in Nakuru, Kenya, where they can attend a secondary school. During his absences, they are cared for by the wife of a cousin. With the income Thomas earns, he pays for their school fees and visits whenever he has leave from his work in Sudan.
“There has been a long time of suffering, but what can we do now to change?” he asks. “We need to be transformed; we need to move to next level. There is a big, bright future for tomorrow and for the generations coming. We are now in peace and with Five Talents, together, we are trying to create a better world.” “I believe with God all things are possible,” Thomas said.
Established in 1999, Five Talents provides funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to nine other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women. Five Talents is based in Vienna, Va., with an office in London, England. For more information, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.
Lietnhom is a small village situated on the River Jur in southern Sudan that is made up of members of the Dinka tribe. Just 18 months ago, the village was filled with the charred remains of market stalls rather than market goods after a clash between clans devastated the town and displaced residents.
Five Talents is working in Lietnhom with a consortium of partners, including the Episcopal Church of Sudan, to establish a village bank and provide business skills training to beginning entrepreneurs. Thomas is a project officer, and through the trainings he leads, entrepreneurs are learning how to save and use money and how to start and manage a small business. On Nov. 7, he’ll be sharing this story at the Five Talents 10th Anniversary Celebration Dinner in Arlington, Va.
In May of this year, Five Talents joined the celebration held in the village of Lietnhom to dedicate the Amat Wuot Community Bank, the first village bank in southern Sudan. “Amat wuot” literally means “a union of communities” in Dinka, the local language.
“My hope for southern Sudan is to see sustainable development and lasting peace,” said Thomas. “I have a heart for the people of southern Sudan. I want them to be really transformed, to come out of poverty. We have been in war for all these years, and this is our chance to rebuild our own lives.”
Due to decades of war, entire generations did not have the opportunity to attend school. It is estimated that 80 percent of south Sudanese cannot read or write. Therefore, this multi-layered program has introduced literacy, business planning, savings and credit training and small business development into the Lietnhom community.
“The local church is working in a practical way to help its people and its communities come out of a desperate situation,” Cole said. “The church is carrying out its mission of reconciliation in a profound way.”
Thomas, who is leading these entrepreneurs, can fully relate to the struggles they have survived. He has experienced – first-hand and on more than one occasion – the ravages of war and conflict in his home country.
His Early Life
Thomas was born in 1980 in Aweil, Sudan, and is the fourth born of nine brothers and sisters. In 1983, Sudan’s president, Gaafar Muhammad Nimeiri, declared that Sudan would become a Muslim state and that sharia law would be the law of the land. In response John Garang, a Dinka from Southern Sudan, formed the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) to resist the government. In 1986, when Thomas was 6, this conflict reached his village.
Thomas and one of his brothers fled their home and walked across Sudan to Ethiopia as a part of a group that became known as “The Lost Boys of Sudan.” In the height of Sudan’s 21-year civil war, more than 27,000 boys were separated from their families as they escaped a deliberate campaign of annihilation and ethnic cleansing by successive regimes in Khartoum, which, if successful would prevent these young boys from growing up and joining the SPLA. Boys as young as 5 trekked across the Sudan’s vast tropical and desert lands to Ethiopia in order to find safety and basic survival in a refugee camp. During the trek, children were forced to swim across a branch of the Nile River, and each night they faced attacks by lions, hyenas and other wild animals. Thomas was one of these boys.
“I believe in this world some people pass through water and some people pass through fire. Me, I grew up in a very tough place,” Thomas said.
Tragically, Thomas’ brother died in Ethiopia, and when Thomas eventually made it back to Aweil, he found that his parents as well as an older brother had been killed in the civil war. This war, which lasted from 1983 until 2005, ultimately claimed the lives of 1.9 million civilians and displaced another 4 million.
With the hope of revenge for the killing of family members, Thomas joined the SPLA as a soldier. But, God had different plans for him. In 1989, Thomas began reading the Bible.
“It really changed my life,” he said. “In Matthew 5:44-45 Jesus says, ‘Love your enemies! And pray for those who persecute you that you will be acting as true children of your father in heaven.’” It was through this study that he says, “Jesus showed me a different way.”
Arriving in Kenya
In 1994, Thomas was able to leave the army. He then traveled with an orphan he brought from Aweil to the Kakuma Refugee Camp in northwestern Kenya. He attended school while in Kakuma and was part of a church opening in 1997. (Kakuma is the Swahili word for nowhere, epitomizing the seclusion of the area.)
During his time at the Kakuma Refugee Camp, Thomas came across four more children who were from his home area, but who were without their parents. “I found myself in the middle of nowhere with them, and I said just come and stay with me, whatever I have to eat we will eat together.” And, with that, Thomas took these children in as his own.
He eventually moved to Nakuru, Kenya, where he gained formalized Bible training and began working with Bishop Henry Riak who was stationed in Nakuru because of the insecurity of his home area – the Diocese of Wau. In 2001, Thomas was ordained as a deacon in the Episcopal Church of Sudan by Bishop Riak, and in 2006, he was ordained as a priest. Over these years, Thomas has had the opportunity to return to Aweil to open churches in Aweil West County.
It was January 2005 when the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between north and south Sudan marked the end of the Second Sudanese Civil War, which had lasted more than 20 years. An estimated two million people were killed and four million displaced during this civil war. In comparison, an estimated 300,000 people have been killed in Darfur and another 2.7 million forced from their homes since violence erupted in 2003, according to the United Nations.
With the renewed hope for peace in his country, he recalls thinking, “What can I do in Kenya if I can’t help my people in southern Sudan? I am doing nothing.”
Returning to Sudan
This journey to once again return to his home country and to help his people began in May 2007. It was then that Thomas was selected by Bishop Riak to represent the Diocese of Wau at a Christian Economic Development Institute in Nakuru, Kenya – a 10-day training course organized and sponsored by Five Talents.
“I said what can I do to make sure we implement this program in Sudan?” Thomas asked after attending the training.
In December 2007, the Bishop asked Thomas to travel with Five Talents to Lietnhom, which is in the same region as his home area of Aweil. His visit to the program was a turning point for Five Talents and Thomas. The keen understanding of the community and communication skills that Thomas displayed during this trip earned him an invitation to begin a fellowship with Five Talents.
In early 2008, Thomas began working alongside a project manager to develop his skills in project management, development and training.
“I believe that God has given everyone talents,” Thomas said. “I encourage the groups, and we share the word of God together.”
In the spring of 2008, conflict once again broke out in Lietnhom when rival clans clashed violently over disputes about cattle. However, members of both clans had accounts at the village bank, a concrete structure with a safe that held $4,000 of members’ savings. The bank was untouched. Resilient residents returned and were able to rebuild businesses with loans from the village bank.
“The idea that a bank could bring together a community is a compelling story,” said Craig Cole, Five Talents President and CEO. “To think that economic development is happening in an isolated village is awe inspiring.”
Now, there are more than 460 members and savings of $12,000 in the village bank. Thomas is witnessing how this village bank is bringing hope and opportunity to Lietnhom, a village now rising from the ashes of regional conflicts that occurred just 18 months ago.
“We are making disciples along with microcredit,” Thomas said.
In early 2009, Thomas took over the Lietnhom project area as a project officer, where he provides business and discipleship training for the village savings and loans project.
“I have a great hope for the Lietnhom people,” he said. “They are talking of concrete buildings. They want to change the system. Many people are now asking to borrow these ideas,” he said. In an area that suffered the uncertainty of civil war for 20 years, this type of thinking and hope is a big change.
And the five small children that Thomas cared for in Kakuma? They are still his children, and he is their single father. They are now teenagers and live in Nakuru, Kenya, where they can attend a secondary school. During his absences, they are cared for by the wife of a cousin. With the income Thomas earns, he pays for their school fees and visits whenever he has leave from his work in Sudan.
“There has been a long time of suffering, but what can we do now to change?” he asks. “We need to be transformed; we need to move to next level. There is a big, bright future for tomorrow and for the generations coming. We are now in peace and with Five Talents, together, we are trying to create a better world.” “I believe with God all things are possible,” Thomas said.
Established in 1999, Five Talents provides funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to nine other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women. Five Talents is based in Vienna, Va., with an office in London, England. For more information, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Sudanese Priest to Share Story of Transformation in Southern Sudan
Smaller, riskier, poorer. For 10 years, Five Talents International has been working in regions around the world that could be described by these three words. On Saturday, Nov. 7, Five Talents will commemorate a decade of fighting poverty, creating jobs and transforming lives with a Uniting Communities: 10th Anniversary Celebration Dinner at the Westin Arlington Gateway in Arlington, Va. The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails, followed by dinner and a keynote presentation by Rev. Thomas Anei, who currently works as a project officer for Five Talents in Lietnhom, Sudan.No place is riskier or poorer than southern Sudan where Five Talents is supporting a village bank in Lietnhom named “Amat Wuot,” which literally means “a union of communities” in Dinka, the local language. Rev. Anei, who took over this program in 2009 as a project officer, will share about his work providing business and discipleship training for the village savings and loans project and his hopes for his country.
One year ago, the village of Lietnhom was filled with the charred remains of market stalls rather than market goods after a clash between clans devastated the town and displaced residents. However, the village bank, a concrete structure that held a safe and $4,000 of members’ savings, was untouched. Resilient residents returned and were still able to get a small loan from the village bank.
“The idea that a bank could bring together a community is a compelling story,” said Craig Cole, Five Talents President and CEO. “To think that economic development is happening in an isolated village is awe inspiring.”
There are now more than 460 members and savings of $12,000 in the village bank. Rev. Anei is witnessing how this village bank is bringing hope and opportunity to Lietnhom, a village now rising from the ashes of regional conflicts that occurred just 18 months ago.
“My hope for southern Sudan is to see sustainable development and lasting peace,” said Rev. Anei. “I have a heart for the people of southern Sudan. I want them to be really transformed, to come out of poverty. We have been in war for all these years, and this is our chance to rebuild our own lives.”
Tickets are $125 per person. Table sponsorships start at $1,500. To purchase tickets, call (703) 242-6016, email FiveTalentsEvents@FiveTalents.org or visit http://www.fivetalents.org/. The Westin Arlington Gateway is located at 801 N. Glebe Rd., Arlington, Va.
Related events will be:
Tuesday, Nov. 10: Westin Richmond in Richmond, Va., Noon. Cost: $25
Friday, Nov. 13: Highland Park Country Club in Highland Park, Illinois, 7:30 p.m. Cost: $25
Friday, Nov. 20: Lakeway Inn - Mt. Baker Room, Bellingham, Washington, 6:30 p.m. Cost: $25
Established in 1999, Five Talents provides funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to nine other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women. Five Talents is based in Vienna, Va., with an office in London, England. For more information, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.
Established in 1999, Five Talents provides funding for business training and thousands of loans, ranging from $50 to $300, across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Each loan finances a microbusiness that, in turn, supports up to nine other people. A majority of the loan recipients are women. Five Talents is based in Vienna, Va., with an office in London, England. For more information, visit http://www.fivetalents.org/.
Friday, June 12, 2009
How To Join the Five Talents Family
It's a sunny Friday afternoon here in Vienna, Va. And, as I sit at my desk and chip away at my "to do" list, which somehow expanded while I was traveling, I felt compelled to invite you into what we call the "Five Talents Family."
When playing back the video that I took while in Sudan, I was reminded of the requests our partners made, and I want to pass along that message. I asked Thomas Anei, Harun Matuma and Peter Macharia what they would like me to share with our friends in the U.S. While their responses were varied, they each mentioned two things: prayer and financial resources.
1. Prayer
Thomas and Harun work in incredibly extreme conditions, as I've mentioned in earlier posts. I'd ask that you pray for their safety, health, the work the Lord has called them to and for the details of life.
South Sudan is entering into its rainy season, meaning transportation will become even more difficult.
For lasting peace in Sudan.
For growth of the village bank in Lietnhom and growth of savings groups in Wau. For the literacy and business-skills training that is taking place and for the discipleship classes and spiritual growth of those living in this region.
If you are interested in being a Five Talents prayer partner, please email Sue Blood at sueblood@fivetalents.org.
2. Financial Resources
This consortium that Five Talents is a part of is receiving many requests from across South Sudan ... requests for literacy training, business-skills training ... But in order to expand the program in Wau and into other areas, financial resources are needed. Without this, we will not be able to assist those who are asking for training. If you are interested in supporting the work of Five Talents in this or other parts of the world, please click here.
I'll add one more way you can be involved. Five Talents sends out a monthly e-newsletter, which provides updates on our programs, stories from entrepreneurs as well as upcoming event information. If you would like to receive this, please click here to sign up.
We'd love for you to join "our family" and for you to be abel to share your gifts and talents with others. If you have any questions about the work of Five Talents or other ways you like to be involved, please don't hestitate to ask!
Enjoy your weekend!
Kelli
P.S. If you scroll to the bottom of this letter, you'll see where Harun mentions the Five Talents family. :)
Email: kelliross@fivetalents.org
Web site: http://www.fivetalents.org/
When playing back the video that I took while in Sudan, I was reminded of the requests our partners made, and I want to pass along that message. I asked Thomas Anei, Harun Matuma and Peter Macharia what they would like me to share with our friends in the U.S. While their responses were varied, they each mentioned two things: prayer and financial resources.
1. Prayer
Thomas and Harun work in incredibly extreme conditions, as I've mentioned in earlier posts. I'd ask that you pray for their safety, health, the work the Lord has called them to and for the details of life.
South Sudan is entering into its rainy season, meaning transportation will become even more difficult.
For lasting peace in Sudan.
For growth of the village bank in Lietnhom and growth of savings groups in Wau. For the literacy and business-skills training that is taking place and for the discipleship classes and spiritual growth of those living in this region.
If you are interested in being a Five Talents prayer partner, please email Sue Blood at sueblood@fivetalents.org.
2. Financial Resources
This consortium that Five Talents is a part of is receiving many requests from across South Sudan ... requests for literacy training, business-skills training ... But in order to expand the program in Wau and into other areas, financial resources are needed. Without this, we will not be able to assist those who are asking for training. If you are interested in supporting the work of Five Talents in this or other parts of the world, please click here.
I'll add one more way you can be involved. Five Talents sends out a monthly e-newsletter, which provides updates on our programs, stories from entrepreneurs as well as upcoming event information. If you would like to receive this, please click here to sign up.
We'd love for you to join "our family" and for you to be abel to share your gifts and talents with others. If you have any questions about the work of Five Talents or other ways you like to be involved, please don't hestitate to ask!
Enjoy your weekend!
Kelli
P.S. If you scroll to the bottom of this letter, you'll see where Harun mentions the Five Talents family. :)
Email: kelliross@fivetalents.org
Web site: http://www.fivetalents.org/
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
An Arm Full of Books
I've just returned from a walk to the library. I received notification this morning that the books I put on hold Thursday afternoon were ready for pick-up.
As I continue to reflect upon my time in Sudan, I just keep adding to the list of questions in my head ... So, I've decided to give myself some homework, i.e. reading assignments.
Here's my current list:
- Emma's War (Book on CD. I'll be listening to this on my commute.)
- Short History of Sudan
- Alek
- They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky: The True Story of Three Lost Boys from Sudan
- War Child: A Child Soldier's Story
I'm also currently reading Bombs, Ruins and Honey: Journeys of the Spirit with Sudanese Christians, which I bought in Nairobi.
My hope is that as I learn more about this region of the world, the culture of its people and its history that I will be able to better tell the story. The stories of the entrepreneurs I met, the story of Ahok, who is chairlady of the village bank in Lietnohm, the stories of our partners who are working in the field. I want to be able to share well-rounded, contextualized stories. To describe how and why lives are being transformed in South Sudan.
So, if you have any suggestions/additions to my reading list (or know of other resources I should check out), please post a comment. I'd love the input!
Now... off to do some reading!
Kelli
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