The organization wins notable award in the Grantmaking and Fundraising category

Falls Church, VA, June 14, 2021- Five Talents UK has won the prestigious award in the Grantmaking and Fundraising category at the Charity Awards 2021 put on by the Charities Aid Foundation and Civil Societies Media. Peterson Karanja, Director of Five Talents Kenya, collected the award for Five Talents during the virtual ceremony held on June 10, 2021. This award is offered to the organization doing exceptional and impactful work in the various areas of charitable activity, specifically grantmaking and fundraising.

Celebrating Sustainable Microfinance

Charity Awards judge Paul Streets says, “he liked the sustainability of the project in that it continually recycles money.” Richard Hawkes described the program as “very cost-effective, quite unique, and pretty impactful. The saving-then-microfinance approach seems to be very innovative, even within microfinance.”

This recognition helps solidify the work of Five Talents and the need for literacy, business skill development and financial programs across parts of Africa, Asia and South America.

Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners at the Charity Awards.

Five Talents

info@fivetalents.org

MEET REBECCA

Rebecca is a mother of six and lives in the northwestern part of South Sudan. She is a determined woman, determined to ensure her children are clothed, fed, educated and know what security is, despite the insecurity that surrounds them. Rebecca is a member of a Savings Group supported by Five Talents. Because of her diligence in saving, she was able to borrow a significant loan from her Group, equivalent to $385. She invested this into buying vegetable seeds, farming tools and hiring people to help in her vegetable garden - a garden not just for personal consumption, but one that would generate an income and support her local community.

AN EMPOWERED ENTREPRENEUR

By selling her produce, Rebecca now earns about $35 a week. With this income, she is able to pay her workers, buy more seeds, pay off her loan, continue saving, and perhaps most importantly for her, provide nutritious food for her family and pay for school fees as well as healthcare for her children. With her next loan, Rebecca hopes to buy an ox plough to help her scale-up and increase productivity. Financial Literacy and Business Skills training have taught Rebecca to dare to dream big; her savings enable her to realize those dreams and to continue dreaming big for her family’s future.

Special thanks for Five Talents colleagues in South Sudan and in the United Kingdom who helped to prepare this story.

Five Talents is pleased to announce the appointment of a New Board Member, Dana Wichterman.

Dana brings a wealth of experience in international poverty alleviation and economic development to her service with Five Talents. Dana is the President of Oakton Foundation where she’s worked alongside non-profits, government, and think tanks to bring redemptive solutions to national and global challenges.

For over 15 years Dana helped to manage USAID grants around the world with the Academy for Educational Development. This included writing and winning proposals for over $100 million, managing international teams, overseeing monitoring & evaluation, and making analysis and policy recommendations in economic development, microenterprise, trade, investment, and sustainability.

Dana received her M.A. in International Affairs from Columbia University and a B.A. in Public Policy and Political Science at the University of Denver.

Dana loves to travel and is passionate about impact investing. Dana and her husband are members of Christ Church Vienna. She is also a member of Faith and Law where she helps promote a biblical worldview among congressional staff on policy issues. Dana is delighted to join the Five Talents Board. She said, “I am eager to be a part of Five Talent’s mission of creating dignified pathways to meaningful entrepreneurship for those on the margins.”

February 8, 2021

FAIRFAX, Virginia Five Talents is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Board Member, Donna Ivey.

Donna is a successful entrepreneur of multiple companies and a highly sought-after speaker. She is the founder and CEO of I-CARE Inc. (established in 1993), a licensed home healthcare service provider and one of Virginia’s top home care companies. Donna graduated with honors from Strayer University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Additionally, Donna is the co-owner of In the Nick of Time, Inc : The Elite Mobile Salon & Spa and Live Your Best Years, LLC: Consulting and Assisted Living Placement.

Donna has been featured in the Washington Post, Smart CEO Magazine, The Washington Business Journal, WUSA9, and NOVA Exec Magazine as a top woman in business. She is a recent recipient of the Humanitarian Award with CAB International Outreach Ministries. Donna brings her vast business experience and entrepreneurial insights along with a passion for community health and development to the Five Talents Board. Donna says, “ I am humbled and blessed to be able to use my skills and experience to help and encourage others.”

When she is not diligently engaging in the needs of clients, she spends time volunteering at First Baptist Church of Vienna, Virginia. She has been a member of First Baptist for over 3 decades and has been an active participant in many of its activities like Sunday School teacher, community outreaches such as feeding and clothing the homeless, Missionary Ministry, Church Choir, and served for 3 years as the president of the Deaconess Ministry and is currently a Deacon-In-Training. Donna resides in Leesburg with her college sweetheart, husband and business partner, Tony Ivey Sr. They are blessed with three adult children: Ashley, April & Tony Jr. & three grandchildren: Kennedy, Angela, and Kevin.

Donna's favorite quote:

"I have one life and one chance to make it count for something...My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference"
- Jimmy Carter

It’s a unique time to travel when most people are staying at home. And the restrictions, testing, and quarantining for anyone traveling to Burundi are especially stringent.

Having lived most of my life in East Africa, it was very strange to smile at everyone from behind a mask, to not be able to greet people by hand and to not hold babies in churches. Yet I was able to learn so much during my trip about the wonderful work our partners are doing through literacy and savings groups.

In the span of a week, I had a chance to hear about the needs of church leaders in nine dioceses. We drove across the country, and I slept in a new place each night. I heard the inspirational stories of parents, including many widows who spoke about the transformation they’ve seen in their lives and in their families since joining literacy and savings groups. It was such a blessing to hear this, especially at the beginning of 2021.

Education and opportunity

One man who had not been educated as a child, but who became literate through the program, thanked our partners, thanked me, thanked Five Talents, thanked YOU, saying, “Thank you for thinking of us adults who have not had opportunities in life for education. Thank you for not forgetting about us, and for believing in us so that we have a chance to learn, a chance to change our lives, to provide for our children, and to have a future. Thank you for thinking of us!”

So, I share that gratitude with you, as you are part of his story, and you have helped to make it possible! Thank you!

I can’t wait to share more inspirational stories in the weeks to come!

-Maria Owen is the Program Manager for Five Talents USA.

Church leaders welcomed me into their homes and congregations. I met with savings groups, literacy groups, and new entrepreneurs. Each person testified to the impact of literacy and community savings.

Glorie shared how grateful she was for her savings group…. she spoke with incredible self-confidence and pride about her accomplishments and of “what God had granted her. I have clothes, as you can see!” she beamed!

She had not been to school like most people of her Twa ethnic group, and she couldn’t send her children to school either. She was sad that she didn’t know as much as children in nursery school, and she felt that her story would be repeated in the lives of her children. Her children were strongly stigmatized since they only had one set of clothes, so they never had clean clothes to wear.

The Power of Literacy

One day through a local church, Glorie was invited to join a literacy group. She learned to read and write and then moved on to become part of a savings group. She learned things she never imagined she could.

Glorie was now literate, and once she learned to save some money, her first priority was sending her children to school. Even though her kids were stigmatized as unclean, they at least were learning, and she could even help them with their homework, since she could read! Glorie persevered, selling vegetables and saving money bit by bit. “I learned everything I know from the group lessons: how to cultivate vegetables for selling, how to have good hygiene, how to properly take care of my family.”

Eventually Glorie was able to buy a small plot of land to cultivate more vegetables, and she saved enough to buy her children clothes, food, and other necessities that we often take completely for granted. “We now eat our meals properly at a table and use plates,” she said.

Glorie had a message for others in her community: “Those who skip this opportunity of being part of the literacy and savings group program are very much missing out! Everything I know, I have learned here!”

 Maria Owen is the Program Manager for Five Talents USA.

I pray this encourages you today. Thank you for your continued prayer and support of this important ministry that is helping turn hardship to hope for so many women and men all over the world.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon
Church Engagement

P.S. Thanks to the generous support of friends, from now until December 31st, your gift to Five Talents can be matched! That means your gift can reach more families and can have even more impact.

Partnering with Local Churches

Community is just one of Five Talents savings groups’ impacts. And this is only possible through our partnership with the local church. Churches are known and trusted. This relationship gives Five Talents instant credibility on the ground as we equip and empower church leaders to meaningfully minister and be the hands and feet of Christ to the communities where they serve.

This week, be encouraged as we see this partnership in action in one of our Kenya programs.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

Literacy and Empowerment

We use the word ‘empowerment’ a lot when talking about our work because it’s such an important impact of Five Talents programs. When skills like reading, writing and counting click, women like Rose are even more motivated to continue working hard so they can save money, start small businesses and provide opportunities for their kids that they never dreamed possible. I hope her story inspires you.

With joy,

Sarah Robarge Herndon
Church Engagement

Five Talents’ mission is grounded in our faith. It’s why biblical principles are woven throughout program materials and Savings Group meetings. We want these women and men to not only learn business skills, but we also want to help them experience the transformation that occurs when they devote their businesses, and their lives, to the Lord. Today, we are meeting South Sudan Program Coordinator, John Chol. Be encouraged as he shares how the Gospel is introduced and the change that happens.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

I look forward to when you may have the opportunity to meet Bishop Seth in person the next time he can visit our offices stateside. For now, here is a 60-second video in which he shares how these programs have given his diocese hope and dignity.

I hope this encourages you and please feel free to forward this to someone you think would be inspired by Bishop Seth's hopeful message.

What is one way we can be praying for you and your church?

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

Worship During the Covid-19 Era

I sing and play the drum in my church worship band. Correction: I sing and attempt to play the drum in my church worship band:) Helping lead worship Sunday mornings is something I have missed so much since Coronavirus required services to go virtual. But earlier this week, we held our first outdoor, socially-distanced worship service. Folks may suggest I stay six feet apart from the drum in the future but boy, what a joy it was to be in the physical presence of this church community I’ve missed so much.

Biblical Values and Business Training

The local church is an invaluable partner to Five Talents and the biblical values our organization is built on are woven into the business training program participants receive. It’s part of our goal of transformational development. Hear from one of our partners about what this means and why it is such an integral part of our programs’ impact throughout families and communities:

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

My sister-in-law sent me some back-to-school photos of my niece and nephew today. New backpacks, lunch boxes AND masks as they are heading to their classrooms in-person. On the flip side, my neighbor has transformed her formal dining room into a classroom so her kids are ready for full-time virtual learning come September.

While the back-to-school prep may look differently depending on where you live, the common thread that seems to connect parents all over the world is a desire to always try and do what’s best for their children. In this week’s video, we hear from a mother from Burundi who joined a Five Talents savings group. Her primary goal? Something I’m guessing parents in your congregation can relate to.

I hope this is an encouragement as we all navigate the upcoming school year.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

P.S. Read more about Back-to-School with Five Talents and what it means for families in need.

Let these moms encourage you

Who is an inspirational woman in your life? I feel so privileged to work for an organization that fosters the talents and passions of men and women. We hear so many stories from the field about mothers, grandmas, sisters, daughters who have overcome immense challenges to give their families a better life. I encourage you to watch this 3:00 video from our program in South Sudan. Be encouraged by these moms who are finding ways to build brighter futures for themselves and the communities around them.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon
Church Engagement

We learn to walk before we run. We learn our ABC’s before we read. We learn to scramble eggs before we cook an omelette. I’ll be honest, I’m still trying to master cracking an egg without getting shell into my breakfast but you get the idea - we have to be confident in the basics before we move on to the next step.

Steps to Development

It’s the same with a Five Talents savings group. Through our programs, an entrepreneur learns business skills so they can develop and grow a business. But that’s not where they start. Often, when they first come to a savings group meeting, these women and men learn how to read and write. They learn how to count, add and subtract so they can make change at the market. They start with the basics.

This week, I wanted to take you to a savings group in Burundi. Watch how your support is helping provide these basic skills that build confidence - enabling these entrepreneurs to transform the lives of their families:

Empowering Entrepreneurs through Community Savings

I hope this encourages you.

With joy,
Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

What brings you joy? This question is one my colleague asked the Five Talents staff during a recent devotion.

• Hearing my children laugh.

• Sitting around a fire pit.

• Cooking for my family.

An Invitation to Smile

Just typing a few of our responses is making me smile! My answer: travel. I was struck by this devotion topic, particularly now when it’s been easy to focus on the fact that we've had to postpone or at least think twice about many of the activities that bring us joy - vacations, large gatherings, eating inside our favorite restaurant, hugging our best friend. And yet, it was a good reminder of all we can still be joyful for. And that we serve a loving, joyful God who invites us to mirror His joy - something we can do every day being in relationship with Him.

So in the spirit of my answer, join me on a virtual trip to our program in Myanmar. This 90-second video shows the impact of Five Talents programs there. And while they’re operating differently right now, I hope you are still encouraged knowing your prayers and support continue to bring joy to these communities.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

In the areas Five Talents serves, many women have turned their sewing skills into successful seamstress businesses. In other places, we have seen entrepreneurs earn income from making and selling hand soap. Of course the global pandemic has drastically changed things. Some savings groups haven’t been able to meet for months and the markets where they normally sell their products are closed due to health restrictions. And yet, we continue to hear stories from the field of how these program participants are finding ways to use their talents and resources to provide for their families and help their neighbors. These pictures from our partners in Myanmar show just that - skilled seamstresses sewing face masks and others using their soap making skills to mix bottles of hand sanitizer for their neighbors.

This week's 90-second video is from a leader of the global Anglican church that is still very timely right now. Archbishop Justin Welby shares how this ministry YOU are making possible creates community and enables participants to make an impact far beyond the doors of their own home. I hope this encourages you.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon
Church Engagement

I took this masked photo a few days ago at our socially-distanced Five Talents staff picnic. Even from several feet away, we were all so happy to sit together for the first time in months. Later, I looked at the picture again and found myself overwhelmed with gratitude to not only work with this team, but to also be a part of this important mission - a mission YOU are making possible.

I wanted to share a short but sweet message from our Program Director in Bolivia. Her name is Sarah Mamani and I had the joy of meeting her last summer when she came to visit the states. Sarah shares how she is seeing God work in her community and what gets her excited every day.

I pray this encourages you and makes you smile knowing your prayers and support are having such a deep impact in communities around the world.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement

A Creative Entrepreneur

My husband and I visited recently with some family friends. Their seven-year-old son has a vivid imagination and his ability to pull the four adults into his own little world of Star Wars, super heroes and whatever game he came up with on the spot had us in stitches most of the trip. At one point, he invited us to his ice cream shop – serving any flavor combination you wanted for a fraction of what he assumed was the going rate of ice cream cones these days. I said to his mom that his outgoing personality and creativity would certainly take him far in whatever career path he chose.

Empowering Parents to Create a Brighter Future

In spending time with my friends’ kids and my seven nieces and nephews, I can only imagine the joy it brings each of these parents to see their kiddos learning and growing. Yes, it’s summer break for many of us but this week’s one minute video highlights school. Be encouraged today hearing from a mom from our Burundi program who is also able to help her kids learn and grow and giving them opportunities she always wanted them to have.

With joy,

Sarah Herndon,
Church Engagement