Seedfund Update 1: First Fruits
A big vision for hope
In 2020 we launched a Christmas Appeal to raise a seed fund that would help launch businesses across the globe. Whereas previous appeals focused on a specific project or beneficiary, this time we partnered with Business Link and Pathways from Poverty to ask individuals and churches to invest in a much broader vision: to ‘bring hope to broken communities’.
Despite the incredible financial pressures that COVID had caused worldwide, both the timing and the idea were God’s. To our surprise and joy, our initial target of £40,000 was surpassed by an incredible demonstration of faith and generosity from our family of churches, and we were able to raise a grand total of over £100,000 (110,000€)!
Connections in Serbia
Since the appeal a number of small business initiatives have been developed, with several more in the pipeline. Most recently, Relational Mission has been in contact with a number of Roma churches, primarily in the south of Serbia.
The whole region suffers from high unemployment rates especially amongst the Roma communities. Many of them are forced to work abroad as seasonal labourers, having to leave their families behind, and unable to be a part of their local church communities. This often includes elders and other key leaders, who are away for extended periods of time working abroad.
the first seeds of business
PA Rental at the Leskovac church, South Serbia
Roma community celebrations such as birthdays are big events, and are accompanied with loud music. They often rent professional PA systems, and the idea was born to purchase a system and rent it out as a business, creating employment opportunities, generating an additional income stream for the church as well as serving local communities.
Curtain Sewing Business in Prokuplje, South Serbia
Curtains are in high demand in Roma houses and Slavica Stankovic, wife of pastor Marjan Stankovic, had the idea of a business making curtains. The seed fund provided the necessary capital to buy two industrial sewing machines, and the business will create income for two people as well as revenue for the church. This is a new initiative that they are hoping to be able to expand to other locations as well.
Fire Woodcutting in Pirot, South Serbia
Many households in Roma communities use wood for heating and cooking, which is typically delivered as metre-long timber that needs to be cut and split into smaller pieces. An elder in a Roma church in Pirot wanted to start a woodcutting business, not only to provide income but enable him to work more closely to his home, as he has had to be away from for extended periods pursuing seasonal work. With the help of the seed fund he was able to purchase the equipment required to cut wood to size, and expects this to create income for two people during the autumn season.
The first seeds of hope
Creating local business opportunities would help to break the cycle of dependence on job migration, keeping families together and helping strengthen local church communities. Join us in praying that the initiatives that have begun will signal the start of something bigger that blesses whole communities.