2023 Annual Report
Vibrant Village Foundation
As we enter into our 14th year, Vibrant Village Foundation has contributed close to $40 million to the wellbeing and resilience of rural communities. We are proud to support and partner with outstanding local organizations who work alongside communities in the areas of sustainable agriculture, rural livelihoods, financial inclusion, education, water sanitation, hygiene and health.
In 2023, we had significant growth in our portfolio and team. Here are a few of the highlights:
Increased Number of Local Grant Partners - As a result of our team’s tremendous outreach in 2022, we added 19 new local organizations to our portfolio in early 2023. With these additions, we are now supporting 41 organizations in 12 countries across East & Southern Africa, West Africa and Central America.
Acquired a New Grant Management System (GMS)- In 2023, we researched and acquired a new GMS which we will roll out with our grant partners in early 2024. This new system will streamline our grant application and reporting process and better serve our partners and our team as our portfolio continues to grow.
Developed a Theory of Change for our Grantmaking - In May, we held a Global Grantmaking Team retreat in Oregon, USA. During the retreat we produced our first-ever Theory of Change that captures the spirit and reasoning behind our grantmaking approach. Our Theory of Change (see snapshot below) is featured in our newest addition of our Guide to Funding & Partnerships.
Leadership Transition & Team Restructure - In July, Marième Daff, VVF’s Director of Programs and Partnerships announced her departure after seven and a half years. Marième stepped into an Executive Director role at Firelight Foundation where she will continue her advocacy work within philanthropy supporting community-based organizations to drive systems change for children and youth in eastern and southern Africa.
In this leadership transition, we decided to restructure our global grantmaking team to better align with the principles in our new theory of change. Rather than re-hire for a role based in the U.S., we created three new Regional Partnerships Director positions to lead our grantmaking and support our grant partners in West Africa, East & Southern Africa and Central & South America. We are thrilled to introduce you to our new Director team - Osman Mohammed based in Ghana, Maimuna Kabatesi based in Kenya and María José Pérez, based in Guatemala. This new team structure is a critical investment in the Foundation’s leadership and an opportunity to strengthen our capacity to support grant partners within each the regional context.
We hope you enjoy reading this annual report and will join us in celebrating the milestones reached in 2023 and the success of our partners around the globe.
Cover Photo: Smallholder farmers working to produce rice, their staple food crop (St. George Foundation, Sierra Leone)
2023 Grantmaking by the Numbers
In 2023, Vibrant Village Foundation distributed $4.2M to 41 grant partners and VVF programs in Ghana and Kenya.
93% of our grant partners were locally-led and 83% received unrestricted funding.
The number of women-led organizations increased to 37% in 2023, from 24% in 2022.
Click here for full page view of our 2023 Dashboard
How flexible funds support communities
In 2023, we saw our grant partners facing both new and familiar challenges related to rising inflation and currency devaluation, socio, political and economic pressures and the ever increasing impact of climate on rural communities. These challenges reinforced our commitment to providing long-term, unrestricted funds to local organizations that allow them to adapt and respond to these external forces.
A powerful example comes from Footsteps Africa, a grant partner in Blantyre, Malawi who re-directed funds quickly to support families following the devastation of Cyclone Freddy in March 2023:
"Cyclone Freddy decimated the very heart of our program in Chikhwawa District through heavy torrent and floods. Our program’s participating families lost their dwellings, stored food, crops in the garden and livestock. We interviewed the affected families at Sekeni and Mazongoza displaced camps who reported that the long-term risk of hunger was their number one fear, apart from the immediate risk of cholera/diarrhea at the camp.
Based on the farmers’ feedback, our organization contributed to building back the food and income security through distribution of maize and vegetable seed. Instead of drilling new boreholes as we had planned in 2023, we focused on rehabilitating 7 boreholes broken by heavy floods and distributed WASH materials for emergency response. "
- Twisi Mwaighogha, Executive Director Footsteps Africa
One week after Cyclone Freddy flooded entire villages near the Sekeni river, destroying crops and houses. (Footsteps Africa, Malawi)
New Partner Spotlight: ADEMI
In September, we welcomed Asociación de Mujeres Ixpiyacoc (ADEMI) as a new grant partner in Guatemala. ADEMI is a grassroots women's organization bringing together 2,335 Maya K'iche and Kaqchikel women from 41 rural communities in the regions of Chimaltenango, Sololá, and Quiché in the Western Highlands. Originally launched as a credit and savings program for local women, the association now also supports issues around food security and nutrition, health, economic development and education, and advocates for women's rights.
Leveraging their network of female promoters, ADEMI provides prenatal and postnatal healthcare and early childhood development education to over 400 women. They also conduct training in diversifying and preparing food with products grown in family gardens. Additionally, they monitor the nutritional health of over 500 children aged 0-6 years. Through their Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) programs, they have also supported the creation of 38 groups with over 354 female participants who are learning financial management skills in their local contexts, while improving their well-being in terms of income, health, and quality of life.
A notable aspect of ADEMI's approach is their cross-cutting educational component to empower indigenous women. This program equips women with the skills to advocate for social and political issues, securing key positions within their families and communities, at the municipal and regional levels.
Health promoters teaching mothers new techniques to stimulate their young babies (ADEMI, Guatemala)
Ghana Partner Forum
Participants at the VVF Ghana Partner Forum 2023 in Tamale, Ghana
The first-ever VVF Ghana Partner Forum, held on June 6th & 7th, 2023, was by all measures, a success. Representatives from seven partners actively engaged throughout the two-day event where they learned about each other's work and provided feedback on VVF’s grantmaking approach. The event solidified the regional network of VVF grant partners and was an opportunity to explore peer learning and joint actions.
A few takeaways:
Unequivocally, unrestricted funding is seen as an effective mechanism of empowering organizations to address the needs of target communities and reach their organizational development priorities.
Grant partners embraced the conversation on mutual accountability and support beyond funding which they see as contributing to their overall performance, visibility and legitimacy locally and internationally.
Grant partners wanted to see VVF improve their communication around the grantmaking process, provide more feedback on the reports they submit, conduct regular site visits to beneficiary communities and consider multi-year grants.
New Grant Partners in 2023
Central America
East & Southern Africa
West Africa
VVF Kenya
In 2023, the VVF team in Western Kenya renamed their program intervention the "Kenya Integrated Program on Wealth Creation, Livelihoods and Literacy" (KIPWELL). This name better reflects the program's full scope and cross-cutting elements of gender inclusion, youth participation, financial literacy and inclusion and broad-based partnerships for rural development.
Click here to see more highlights from VVF Kenya:
36 VSLA groups across the education and agriculture program were supported. By the end of the year, the groups had achieved an overall savings of $24,270.
40 demo plots were set up throughout Kakamega, Vihiga, Siaya and Kisumu County to showcase key program interventions and host farmer field days for 1423 farmers.
1540 pupils in 26 partner primary schools received digital literacy training on coding, MS Word, Excel, internet browsing, computer and society. 60 out-of-school youth also received a 4-week digital literacy clinic.
Digital literacy class at a partnering primary school
“In VVF Kenya, we have embraced community-based initiatives aimed at wealth creation, which is the most effective avenue of poverty alleviation.”
- Anthony Nyongesa Agronomist, VVF Kenya
Training farmers on planting techniques in Central Bunyore Location in Vihiga County, Western Kenya
VVF Ghana
In Upper West Ghana, the VVF team has continued to expand the breadth and depth of their integrated community development program.
"This land has changed. In the past it was just like the lands around it [degraded], but since VVF introduced their new farming practices here, the fertility is coming back.’’ - Ernestina Kuusoyir, female farmer from Chebogo community
Click here to see more highlights from VVF Ghana:
Two new demonstration farms were set-up in the Lambussie district to teach farmers Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs), Agroecology (AE), Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) and Conservation Agriculture (CA).
43% of the 1,021 smallholder farmers who participated in the demo farm activities adopted at least three of the four main technologies promoted by VVF, helping them to increase soil fertility and crop yields.
33 farmers from Sangbaka no. 2 acquired and installed solar-powered mechanized boreholes. These farmers hope their new wells will increase their families' food security during the dry season, bring in additional income and reduce the need to migrate to cities for alternative employment opportunities.
1,603 vulnerable people, mostly women, participated in 74 Village Savings and Loans Associations supported by VVF. With their savings and credit, these women have set-up small enterprises to support the health and educational needs of their children.
A 3-unit classroom block was renovated in partnership with the Buo community (Sissala West District) and the Ghana Education Service. As a result, student enrollment has increased by 53% (from 131 in 2022 to 244 in 2023) and school attendance for both students and teachers has soared.
Priorities for 2024
Expand our grantmaking in Central America. We'll start by building a pipeline of prospective local grant partners in Guatemala with the goal to fund 4-5 new organizations in 2024.
Distribute $4.4 million of funding including $3.4 million to grant partners in 2024.
Launch our new grant management system, release an updated Guide to Funding & Partnerships and publish an online 'Resource Center' for our grant partners, a one-stop-shop for information on our grantmaking process and organizational strengthening support.
Engage with grant partners on support beyond funding initiatives tailored to the unique needs and opportunities in each region.
Deepen our connection with grant partners and peer funders through regional forums, conferences and network events.
Vibrant Village Foundation's Global Grantmaking Team
Left to right: Laura Koch, Xavier Tissier, Osman Mohammed, Ken deLaski, Majo Pérez and Maimuna Kabatesi.