1. TSDI Member Mentors Program
US-based professionals, social entrepreneurs, civil society organizations, government officials and policy makers, healthcare providers, educators, political and business leaders are invited to join our diverse and influential network. Through this fee-based program, TSDI builds a pool of mentors and funding for our international partners. We connect these professional, business and nonprofit leaders with a two-person team made up of a US-based peer and an SI4DEV partner abroad. Members will work with their teams, ambassadors and other volunteers to develop or expand new and existing projects. Member mentors will benefit from online training modules, including in-person workshops and seminars.
2. TSDI Peers Program
Leveraging our US location, TSDI will support collaborations between talented college students and young professionals and pair them with our SI4DEV partners abroad. US Peers will work with our member mentors, ambassadors and other business and policy leaders to initiate and complete or expand new and existing projects being implemented by their team partner abroad. Peers will benefit from online training modules, including in-person workshops and seminars.
3. TSDI Leadership Day
This is a one-day business planning session which builds on the TSDI leadership module. It will be driven by volunteer TSDI ambassadors which include high school and college students. They help us identify young people who are interested in international development and in acquiring skills and tools to implement their vision. After preparing their action plans, attendees will present an elevator pitch and top ideas will be selected for improvement or implementation. Selected participants will be supported to join our Peer program, or their ideas integrated with ongoing TSDI projects.
4. TSDI Ventures Fund
This is the flagship program of the Spring Development Initiative to empower outstanding community leaders. The US-based peers and their Nigerian partners while receiving leadership training, are paired with member mentors in their impact area to help develop their ideas for change. At the end of the 6-month volunteering period, up to 5 successful teams and their action plans are supported with donations and grants (between USD $100 – $1,000).
After another 6 months of piloting their idea, TSDI will identify one or two projects (as funding allows) to scale their community-based plans by providing a 1 to 5-year grants or loans (between USD $1,000 – $10,000). Any young leader who successfully completes our leadership and business training modules is eligible to apply with a complete business plan. TSDI matches fund recipients identified through our programs who submit proposals that align with our strategic goals.
Unique Foundation Schools, Asaba is located in a community in Delta State with proven lower income and below average performance in state and national exams. The school provides a top quality curriculum through capably trained and well paid academic and administrative staff to assist pupils in the local village area in reaching their full potential and coming out top among their peers. TSDI works with the school management to provide scholarships to indigent students making it possible for them to continue going to school beyond primary level. The plan also provides funds for development and infrastructure, as well as curriculum improvement to increase interest in coming to school among students.
Loretto Special Science School Adazi-Nnukwu is one of the premier girls-only, all-boarding, senior secondary schools in Nigeria with a focus on STEM subjects for girls. Their curriculum combines hands-on laboratory experiments in the STEM disciplines, tutorials, and field activities in a supportive, enriching and fun environment. Teenage girls are well rounded with extra-curricular activities including traditional dancing, sports, and seminars about local environmental issues, personal health and hygiene. The school was adjudged Best Senior Secondary School in the Federation by the Federal Ministry of Education on the 5th of October, 2015 in the 2014/2015 Presidents Teachers’ and Schools’ Excellence Award. TSDI will work with the school management and the Old Girls Association to provide educational grants to top performing students.