Sosthene Hubert Roger Lubaki opened his dry cleaning business in Oenze, Republic of Congo, 10 years ago. Through the shop, he provides for his wife and three children, aged 7, 11, and 21, yet his earnings have been limited by his limited inventory. He recently received his first loan from HOPE Congo, enabling him to purchase more dry cleaning materials so that he can clean a wider array of items and increase his earnings.
At 52 years old, Cecilia is honing her entrepreneurial skills, learning good stewardship skills, and feeling proud that she can adequately take care of her seven children, the oldest being 31, and the youngest 17. Having taken out three loans, Cecilia credits HOPE’s partner Esperanza with teaching her responsibility when it comes to money. Not only does she have to invest wisely—which she has done through selling charcoal, ice cream, and soap as well as charging people to use her washing machine—but she also has to pay back her loan in a timely manner. In addition, whenever one of her 11 grandchildren is sick, she proudly takes them to the doctor and purchases the medicine they need. Cecilia believes that God has greatly blessed her through the loans she has received.
While she once spent her days scavenging to help provide for her family of five, Aura Flores has been able to use loans from CCT, HOPE’s partner in the Philippines, to begin a pillow-making business. Now she dreams of one day passing her business on to her children, so that they will never have to live in poverty. Additionally, she and her husband appreciate the Bible study they attend through CCT, as it has helped their marriage grow stronger.
“Turame both gave me access to a loan and helps me run my business,” Mathieu Karenzo says of HOPE’s partner in Burundi. Mathieu cultivates and sells beans, potatoes, cabbage, cassava, and rice from his home and from Gitega’s central market. He has just received his first loan from Turame for $81, but he has high hopes for where he can go. He wants to send two of his sons to vocational training, and he would like to save enough money to buy land and build a home for himself, his wife, and his six children. Only a few months after receiving his first loan, Mathieu says he can already contribute more to his church’s offerings and help those in need at his church.
Juduh’s son was just four years old when her husband became ill and passed away. From that point, she alone was responsible to provide for him. In 2001, she joined a savings group in Rwanda, where she received support, a safe place to accumulate her money, and the opportunity to receive loans from her group. Today she continues to contribute 40 cents a week to her group’s savings. She accessed a loan of $86, which she used to purchase bananas and beans. She can buy a bunch of bananas or a bag of beans for $17, reselling them for a profit. She now earns $11 a week and can afford health insurance and her son’s secondary school fees. Juduh has joined a Bible study and has come to depend on the fellowship she experiences in her group.
Dignora is a first-generation Dominican whose parents came from Haiti in search of a better life for their family. Her own family is quite large, as she has seven children—the oldest of whom is 19—and one on the way, as well as five grandchildren. Dignora has taken out two loans to sell chicken in order to support her large family and send four of her children to school.
