*We've hit our target! At least 15 Changemakers in Kenya with ideas to end poverty will be enabled. Let's bring it home strong! Every extra $1,000 we raise is another local Kenyan Changemaker identified and supported for 3 years by Spark! The more money we raise, the more people we lift up out of poverty!

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Sunrise:Studio 10:

The spirit of entrepreneurship can end poverty. If you're reading this, chances are you're fortunate enough to be in a position to help. 

Let's make it happen.

Proudly Australian and not-for-profit, Spark International aims to lift 1 million people out of extreme poverty by enabling local entrepreneurs in Africa and the Pacific with social business ideas. Rather than throw money at problems and create a cycle of reliance, Spark visits the countries that need help to identify local entrepreneurs with ideas that will employ others in their communities and combat poverty. Spark then mentors, supports and funds these local Changemakers who have local solutions. 


Aussie travel entrepreneur and adventurer, Chris Ball is on a mission to help Spark secure funding for its next round of Changemakers. In August, Chris will visit the global heartland of entrepreneurship – the US west coast. With an inspiring presentation for some of the world’s most innovative organisations, he will share the story of Spark and the local Changemakers it has enabled.

The message is simple: Entrepreneurs and professionals in the West  must urgently step up to help entrepreneurs in developing countries end poverty.

Chris will cover the 2000kms from Seattle to San Francisco on a bicycle with a daily budget of $3 - the amount half the people in the developing world subsist on. His presentations, supported by US and Australian media, have a consistent message: visit www.seattle2sanfran.com and pledge your support to help end poverty.

The crowdfunding campaign must hit its target of at least $15,000 for this project to go live. Every extra $1000 we raise is another Changemaker enabled. Every $1.03 pledged life changed by one a Spark enabled Changemaker (IRIS global investment impact metric).

$15,000 is the minimum required for Spark International to kick off their next intake of 15 Changemakers in Kenya.

That means Spark* will do a national search for Kenya's best new social entrepreneurs (people impacting less than 100 people in poverty with a cool idea). These 15 Changemakers will go through an intensive entrepreneurship course in Nairobi then access three years of amazing support from the Spark* team (free graphic designers, web teams, business strategists, lawyers, and research assistants) and also access quick rounds of $250 grants that help them grow their ventures.

All of this support is designed to help the Changemakers move from impacting tens of people (i.e. 50 people are drinking clean water) to the point where they are impacting hundreds or thousands (i.e. ten villages with 500 people in each village all have access to clean water).

If we can make this intake happen with this $15,000, based on Spark’s track record with past intakes, we will see 14,575 people living in poverty have their lives dramatically changed.

That’s right. For every $1.03 you give, a Spark* Kenya Changemaker will go onto to change a life. We think that’s a pretty amazing bang for a buck!

*Spark International's poverty alleviation impact measured by the internationaly recognised IRIS global investment impact metric
 

From Project Leader, Chris Ball:
The #1 challenge is overcoming people's apathy to poverty and the disconnect between life in the western world and the billions of people suffering in poverty. It’s the difference between being able to afford the latest iPhone and not being able to afford to eat.
The very fact that half the population of the developing world survive on less than $3 is day is shocking. But are we shocked? Does this alarming fact get our attention and command action?
It's the beautiful people I've met while travelling in some of the poorest parts of the world that inspired my action. Beautiful people suffering intolerable hardship - but with the spirit and will to change. 
The apathy and disconnect between us in the west and those in developing countries motivated me to add the "crazy elements" to this project. Rather than just speak to the US west coast's elite, I needed to stand out. Jumping on a bicycle and riding down the west coast on less than $3 a day is one way to get people's attention!
It's going to be super hard. But hopefully, it will stimulate interest in the project - generate awareness, empathy and ultimately, more money to enable more changemakers who can end extreme poverty.