Join The Journey

JOIN THE JOURNEY (JTJ) IS A CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION THAT EMPOWERS WOMEN IN ZAMBIA TO INCREASE THEIR ECONOMIC CAPACITY TO FEED THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING BUSINESS TRAINING AND SMALL LOANS. TO ACHIEVE THIS, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES GRANT FUND TO ITS ZAMBIA IMPLEMENTING PARTNER, SPARK ZAMBIA, WHO THEN ISSUE THOSE FUNDS AS LOANS TO ELIGIBLE BENEFICIARIES AT A NEAR-ZERO INTEREST RATE. BENEFICIARIES SELECTED ARE UNDERSERVED WOMEN WHO WOULD NOT OTHERWISE QUALIFY FOR A TRADITIONAL BANK LOAN. LOAN FUNDS ARE DIRECTED SPECIFICALLY TO HELP INDIVIDUALS EXPAND THEIR BUSINESSES AND IN TURN USE PROFITS TO ENHANCE THEIR LIVELIHOODS, FULFILLING JOIN THE JOURNEY'S CORE MISSION TO ALLEVIATE POVERTY WHILE EXTENDING THE PRINCIPLES OF JESUS CHRIST. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO OVERSEES AND COORDINATES A VIRTUAL COACHING PROGRAM THAT CONNECTS BUSINESS LEADERS FROM AROUND THE GLOBAL WITH WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE PROGRAM BENEFICIARIES IN ZAMBIA.

WOMEN EMPOWERMENT- THE ORGANIZATION EXECUTED ITS FLAGSHIP PROGRAM SPARK BIZ IN ZAMBIA, PROVIDING LOANS AND COACHING TO 84 BENEFICIARIES. OUR IMPLEMENTING PARTNER, SPARK ZAMBIA, WAS ABLE TO USE REPAID LOANS FROM 2021 TO PROVIDE LOAN FUNDING TO THE MAJORITY OF THESE BENEFICIARIES - TO INCLUDE A GRADUATE GROUP OF 10 BENEFICIARIES WHO RECEIVED LOANS EQUITABLE TO $500. THE ORGANIZATION SUPPLEMENTED THIS WITH $6500 GRANT FUNDS TO BE USED FOR LOANS. THE SUCCESS OF THESE WOMEN BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE PROGRAM HELPED BENEFIT ANOTHER 2,500 PEOPLE EITHER DIRECTLY RELATED TO THE BENEFICIARIES OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS THAT HAD GREATER ASSESS TO GOODS AND SERVICES TO SUSTAIN THEIR DAILY LIVES. THIS PROGRAM FEATURES OUR INTENTIONAL COACHING WHERE U.S. BUSINESS LEADERS WERE ABLE TO IMPART WISDOM ON A WEEKLY BASIS THROUGH ZOOM.

FINTECH DEVELOPMENT - JOIN THE JOURNEY PAID OUT A FINAL GRANT TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY SOLUTION (APP-BASED LENDING). IT WAS DECIDED THAT THE DEVELOPMENT WORK AND OTHER ENDS ASSOCIATED WERE BEST ALIGNED TO A FOR-PROFIT AND WERE SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSFERRED AS SUCH TO CONTINUE THE PROJECT FORWARD.

SPARK COACH PROGRAM - AS BOTH A COMPONENT OF BUT ALSO A SEPARATE ACCOMPLISHMENT, THE ORGANIZATION WAS ABLE TO RECRUIT, TRAIN, AND PROVIDE CONNECTIONS FOR MEANINGFUL VOLUNTEER SERVICE FOR 50-PLUS BUSINESS LEADERS. THESE LEADERS WOULD SPEAK TO OUR ENTREPRENEURS IN ZAMBIA VIA ZOOM ON SIX SET TOPICS FOR EACH COHORT: VALUES, VALUE PROPOSITION, SOURCING, PARTNERSHIP, MARKETING, AND FAMILY BALANCE. INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATING FELT A DEEP CONNECTION WITH THE WORK TAKING PLACE IN ZAMBIA, GREW IN THEIR MUTUAL RESPECT FOR LIVES IN ZAMBIA, AND WERE ABLE TO ADD VALUE FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE EXPERTISE. OUR SPARK COACH PROGRAM CONTINUES TO BE A HALLMARK FOR MEANINGFUL SERVICE AND MUTUAL BENEFIT FOR OUR PROGRAM ON THE GROUND.

SPARK CAREER - JOIN THE JOURNEY DEVELOPED A SPECIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE THUNDERBIRD SCHOOL OF GLOBAL MANAGEMENT TO TRAIN AND ASSIST STUDENTS THERE TO DEVELOP THEIR SKILLS IN GLOBAL BUSINESS. THE TRAINING AND OVERSIGHT WERE PROVIDED IN PARALLEL TO JTJ'S EXISTING STAFFING COSTS AND INCURRED NO ADDITIONAL COST TO THE ORGANIZATION TO EXECUTE.