Bosco Nsabimana, a father of eight children and the owner of a wholesale crop business in Rwanda, had big dreams.
He dreamed of expanding his business while empowering his community financially, spiritually, and emotionally, but there was a problem. The only microfinance institutions he was familiar with didn’t align with his ambitions.
At HOPE International, we believe that without Christ, none of us can be truly free from poverty. One of our great joys is seeing people come to know Christ and experience the abundant life He offers.
Today, we’re celebrating the stories of Alphonse, Dominga, and Jocelyn, three people served by HOPE who have experienced spiritual transformation and poverty’s grip loosening. From learning how to pray to sharing the joy of salvation with family to finding hope for the future, these stories illustrate how God is at work—and why sharing the love of Jesus remains integral to our approach to alleviating poverty.
Before taking out a loan from Urwego Bank, HOPE’s microfinance institution in Rwanda, Alphonse says he didn’t have the capital he needed to expand his family’s small business of selling cooking oil. Without enough income, he struggled to pay school fees for his children.
When Leonora Calipay’s children finished school and she came home to the Philippines, she knew there was something more to her life than retirement.
Leonora’s neighbor noticed her desire to do meaningful things in her free time, so she taught Leonora to sew rugs. With this new skill, Leonora started her own small rugmaking business. She hoped to empower her neighbors—especially the single mothers in her community—to make a living through the same craft.
Jovelee Maala didn’t know the Payatas Controlled Disposal Facility as the largest open dump site in the Philippines—for her, it was home.
Opening in the 1970s, the site served as a fixture in Jovelee’s hometown, Quezon City. Local families built their homes there, and thousands more traveled to the site to pick through the trash, searching for items to sell—and when she turned 18, Jovelee joined them.
Same mission. Same heart. Same spirit. Same name in two languages. We’ve worked together in mutual partnership for over 17 years, and we are excited that this union is about a Kingdom agenda.
Alex Nuñez, President and CEO, Esperanza International
HOPE International welcomed Esperanza International as its first network partner in 2005. Esperanza has served entrepreneurs in the Dominican Republic (D.R.) since 1995, coming alongside them with financial services, training, and holistic outreach activities such as health services. And we’re excited to now work even more closely with Esperanza through our new leadership agreement!
Over the past 17 years, HOPE and Esperanza have mutually benefited from shared best practices and technical expertise. With the same mission and heart, Esperanza has strengthened the HOPE network, and we look forward to the ways that they will help shape the way we grow and serve in these key areas.
“Your help is actually hurting us.”
This honest feedback from a Ukrainian pastor sparked the mission of HOPE International—and still guides us as we seek to support a country now in the middle of a devastating war. As we help today, how can the lessons we learned 25 years ago inform us?
During the economic crisis following Ukraine’s independence from the Soviet Union, immediate relief aid helped many. But as this short-term solution persisted, it began to undermine Ukrainians’ ability to stand on their own and build their economy. (Learn more about HOPE’s origin story here.) Continue Reading…
