The Seed Sowers Ministries (SSM) was founded in 2003 by the late Dick Braithwaite. The mission and purpose of Seed Sowers Ministries is to provide livelihood and education loans as well as medical assistance to the poor in the central Philippines, through its partnering agency, the Philippine Self Help Foundation (PSHF). In the 14 years since Dick first announced the founding of this ministry, 78 individuals, all connected with Sioux Falls First Presbyterian Church, have made donations amounting to $117,019. Mindy Braithwaite has been the liaison with the PSHF since 2007.
The generosity of SSM supporters and offerings from other church members have enabled 824 projects to be funded. These have comprised:
Breakdown of loans
January 2003 to August 2017 (15 years)
Livelihood Loans Fully repaid Ongoing Bal. waived
Number: 701 505 120 76
(72%) (17%) (11%)
Education Loans Fully repaid Ongoing Bal. waived
Number: 49 36 12 1
(73%) (25%) (2%)
The recipients of SSM assistance are all in the 30% of the Philippine population, deemed to be living in poverty. Most of the families we are helping are living on monthly incomes of $160 or less. The vast majority of our loan recipients do well with their loans and see their incomes rise. 90% of loans are eventually repaid and credited back to the account of the donor. These same funds can then be used to help another family.
There is a wide range of livelihoods for which the PSHF provides loan assistance: farming, fishing, shop-keeping, sewing, vegetable vending, land redemption and many more.
Richard Foster
PSHF founder
November 2017