whole communities. You can see this in the story of Antoinette( page 30), a sponsored student in Burkina Faso now in her third year of secondary school through Education is Power. Her stepmother, Suzanne, cultivates a plot on our Community Farm, and across the greater community, two Sonder Project wells now provide clean water for roughly 1,000 people. This is interconnected impact: education, clean water, and sustainable agriculture, all working together to fill gaps, create opportunity, and help families lift themselves out of poverty.
Our first independent Impact Evaluation Report, completed in 2025, affirmed stories like Antoinette’ s on a much larger scale. In Malawi, students reported stronger academic performance, attendance, and family support, while families in well communities reported improved health and quality of life due to spending minutes instead of hours collecting water. These findings confirm what we have seen firsthand: our programs are working. I encourage you to read more on page 10.
This year also brought significant changes across the international development sector. Reductions in institutional funding, including cuts to USAID, forced many organizations to scale back or close their doors. Communities lost valued partners and critical services. Yet because of the generosity of our supporters, The Sonder Project continued without interruption, remaining a steady and committed presence in the communities we serve.
We were also honored to receive our first multiyear grant from the Swiss Addax & Oryx Foundation, which is supporting 50 new students in Malawi through their full secondary school journey. Meanwhile, our Education is Power students achieved a 90 % pass rate, and we more than doubled our total number of graduates, from 12 to 31. These milestones reflect the determination of the students we serve, the
Chad shakes hands with a community leader after signing a well project agreement.
strength of our program, and the opportunity ahead as we expand into higher education programs.
The need remains great. So does the opportunity.
Because of your support, we are here. We are growing. And we are ready for the next decade, committed to going deeper, reaching further, and continuing to build a future defined by resilience, dignity, and opportunity.
Thank you for making this possible. With gratitude,
Chad Zibelman CEO, The Sonder Project
chad @ thesonderproject. org
2025 ANNUAL REPORT 5