Origins
Five Talents was “born” at the 1998 Lambeth Conference of Anglican Bishops as a practical means of combating poverty (Resolution V.2.f). The International Office was established in Washington D.C. in 1999 and Archbishop George Carey was the first donor. The International office has since funded 13 micro-credit programmes in 12 countries.
The key founding members were the Bishop of Mpwapwa in Tanzania, Rt. Rev. Simon Chiwanga; an Indian church leader Rev. Dr Vinnay Samuel; and an Australian entrepreneur Mr David Bussau. They recognised the income inequalities across nations in the Anglican communion and they suggested Five Talents as a Christian Micro-Enterprise Development initiative to uplift the economic standards in the poorer countries.
The UK office was launched in October 2005 to support and expand the work. The current Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev. Dr Rowan Williams, is the Patron. You can listen to an interview with Tom Sanderson on Premier Radio, talking Five Talents' work and vision for the future here.
“The ravages of poverty and disease continue to trap and condemn millions of families around the world to a life of hopelessness and despair. Yet, through its work with the Anglican Communion, Five Talents International is restoring hope and giving dignity back to the poor by using innovative savings and credit programmes and teaching Chistian business principles. I am pleased to be the Patron of Five Talents.” Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams
Lord Brian Griffiths
Newsletter
Email a Friend