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Jean Luis Kemdi

Jean Luis Kemdi shares a home with his parents and 10 other family members, and he lives a somewhat typical life for a 12-year-old in Haiti. But he has big dreams for the future. As one of the youngest members of HOPE Haiti’s savings groups, each week he saves 25 cents. When he has saved enough, he hopes to buy a goat to breed. Jean Luis, whose mother is also a savings group member, said he dreams of opening his own business to sell livestock. He also shares the lessons he has learned with others in his family. “I have learned from the group about transparency, trust, leadership, and management,” he says. “I talk with my parents to show them how it’s very important to save money. For example, if you have 50 gourde [approximately $1.24], it’s better to save 25 and use 25.” Jean Luis also places his faith in Jesus Christ. “You can find all you need in Jesus,” he says.

Leonie

Leonie and her husband are able to work together to provide for their three children. He travels to Bujumbura, Burundi, and purchases shoes, which she then sells in the markets of Gitega. Leonie has accessed eight loans from Turame, HOPE’s partner in Burundi. Her most recent loan was for $218. She says that her business has grown and the prayers of her community bank members have also encouraged her. She can now help sick neighbors when they are in need, and she can provide clothing and medicine for her own family. She and her husband were also able to purchase land. She hopes to buy a cow for her family in the future.

Christine Mukaneza

Christine Mukaneza belongs to a HOPE Rwanda savings group. By participating in her group and saving faithfully, Christine was able to save $84: enough to purchase her own sewing machine. She would like to continue growing her business, purchase better sewing machines, furnish her home, and install electricity and water in her home someday. She has already saved an additional $25 toward these goals.

Tata

Tata, a busy mother of three school-age children, has come a long way in just four years. She used to have to travel to the nearest city in order to go to work, but after receiving the first of eight loans from Esperanza, HOPE’s partner in the Dominican Republic, she has gone into business for herself, which allows her the luxury of being able to work out of her home. She sells the necessities her neighbors need – bread and charcoal. She’s currently saving up to be able to buy her own land and home so her family no longer has to rent.

Micademe

Micademe dreams of one day teaching economics, but in the meantime, she is getting practical, firsthand economic experience as an entrepreneur. A student at the Universite Marien Ngouambi de Brazzaville, she wakes early each morning to prepare traditional Congolese dishes to sell to her hungry classmates. Her HOPE Congo loan enabled her to purchase a bag of beans, tomatoes, salt, a box of fish, and a case of oil. She has appreciated HOPE’s trainings on managing cash flow and basic accounting. Her income pays her own university fees and also supports her younger sister.

Olga

Olga’s products range from uniforms to one-of-a-kind dresses, and she and her 11 employees produce all of it in Chisinau, Moldova.  Despite her custom designs, Olga’s clothing is more affordable than other options her clients could find in Turkey or Ukraine. Olga used her loan to purchase additional fabric and materials to supply three boutiques with her designs. One day she hopes to open boutiques in Moscow.