“I believe God’s hand is on my business,” says Leocadie Ntiranyibagira from Kibimba, Burundi. A mother of seven children, ranging in age from 7-32-years-old, Leocadie has accessed seven loans from Turame, HOPE’s partner in Burundi. Leocadie had an existing business when she came to Turame, but today her profits have grown significantly. She says she no longer struggles to provide food, medicine, school fees, or clothing for her family. She has also purchased land, where she cultivates beans, maize, and cassava. Four goats, which she purchased from her business’ proceeds, fertilize her crops. “Before, I did not have enough business. Now, I see a big difference in my life and business.”
![Before Eveness Mulungu joined the Walusungu (“mercy”) savings group through our church partner in Malawi, she faced days where she and her family ate animal feed because they couldn’t afford human food. But that changed when she joined the savings group. Eveness used her first group loan of about $1.70 (U.S.) to start a business selling doughnuts and beans.
“By the end of my first cycle I made $140 (U.S.),” Eveness shared. “My life is no longer the same now; [I] was regarded as no one in the community. ... This was the first time in my life that I ever touched and owned big money like this!”
Pictured: Eveness, with her husband in front of their piggery—a third successful business that she operates.](https://blog.hopeinternational.org/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)