An exciting NEW venture called DFI – Developing Financial Independence – has landed in the Southern Africa Territory.
Soon we will be celebrating 140 years of the Salvation Army in South Africa, and our prayer is that our organization may continue to grow for another 100 years. For this to be a success, various resources and initiatives will be required for our sustainability, among them is financial strength.
The Salvation Army territories around the world must pursue financial sustainability and independence. Historical systems of processing support from donor territories via IHQ to implementing territories are weakening due to changing trends in western fundraising. Global crises like Covid-19 have further exposed the financial vulnerability of this system. It is imperative that all TSA territories are empowered, from corps level to the divisions to the territory, with the training and resources to identify their own new opportunities for local income generation. That is where the DFI comes in.
The goal of this initiative is to empower Officers with the necessary training and funding to develop local income-generation initiatives at their own appointments. We are happy to have partnered with SAWSO (The Salvation Army World Service Office) and to be the 3rd territory to take on this initiative to grow our financial strength and independence.
The week 4 – 8 September 2023, saw our territory hold the first DFI workshop with 20 officers in attendance representing all 8 divisions.
The desired outcome of the training is for TSA Officers to have the capacity to identify, evaluate, test and implement local initiatives that will generate new financial resources for their appointments.
The workshop participants were equipped to submit business plans and apply for loan funding from THQ to try their initiatives in their appointments.
We believe this initiative could be a game changer for growing our territory.
Love it !