When Russia launched its large-scale attack on Ukraine, we knew this was a critical moment to show up for the 1,000+ entrepreneurs and savings group members served there and our 47 staff members in the country. Thanks to supporters’ generous giving to our Ukraine assistance fund, HOPE developed a robust response—one that began on the day of the first attack and will extend beyond the end of the conflict.
HOPE International is launching a new savings group program in Tanzania! And Anna Makundi recently joined us as the country director, with the task of forming a new team and bringing on new church partners. We’re grateful for her pioneering spirit and willingness to set the foundation to serve more people through savings groups.
Born and raised in Tanzania, Anna holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Victoria University of Wellington and has extensive international development experience with several prominent nonprofits. Anna lives with her husband and their three sons in Arusha, a city in northeast Tanzania.
Recently, Anna sat down with us to share her thoughts on why HOPE is launching in Tanzania, her dreams for HOPE’s impact in local communities, and how we can pray for her growing team. Continue Reading…
Vincent Habiyaremye has a knack for taking broken or seemingly worthless pieces that many of us might discard and transforming them into something functional and whole.
Fifteen years ago, he used those skills as a carpenter, going door to door in his community in Rwanda to find odd jobs and provide for his wife and children. But his days were long and the demand for his services was sporadic.
Vincent dreamed of moving beyond the fluctuation of day labor. He dreamed of supporting his children through school so that they could one day pursue their own dreams. He dreamed of using his God-given gifts to build beautiful things in his community—and creating a business that would empower others to do the same.
For years, a group of young people has built a reputation for contributing to violent attacks in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo’s capital. “These young people sow terror in the city,” says Ghislaine Matondo, who lives in the city with her husband, mother, and sister. Yet little has been done to address the danger, she explains: “Juvenile delinquency in our neighborhoods is a sensitive matter [to which] even politicians do not dare give concrete answers.”
In 2020, Ghislaine took out her fifth loan from HOPE Congo to start a new venture: Merci pour la Bénédiction (“grateful for the blessing”), a business manufacturing sofas. But she says that the Lord gave her more than a new business idea; He also gave her a vision to address the challenge of gang violence in her community. Continue Reading…
It’s now been more than four full weeks of war in Ukraine. Despite Russia’s escalating violence against both the Ukrainian military and civilians, and despite multiple rounds of peace talks and negotiations, there has been no clear resolution.
Fighting continues to be concentrated in southern, eastern, and northern regions. There is a great spirit of unity among Ukrainians, but also great concern as Russia’s tactics grow more ruthless. Almost four million people have now evacuated Ukraine as refugees, and millions more are displaced within Ukraine, having relocated to areas farther away from bombing and Russian occupation. UNICEF estimates that half of Ukrainian children are now displaced, living in an unfamiliar place. Please join us in praying for peace!
HOPE continues to focus on four main priorities: Continue Reading…
As HOPE International has walked with entrepreneurs in Ukraine over the last 25 years, we’ve come to cherish the dreams they have for their families and neighborhoods. We’ve seen them use their God-given talents to create incredible businesses that meet the needs of their communities and provide for their families.
Since Russia first invaded Ukraine, the headline images have shown destruction and the anxious faces of men and women who are facing the very real stresses of war. Yet amid the distress and displacement of millions, we remember the names, stories, and dreams of the people we serve. This is personal for us.
Below, we want to honor the entrepreneurship and hard work of the men and women that HOPE Ukraine walks with. As you learn about their businesses and take in their smiles, we invite you to pray for them by name.
