When Linda owned a variety store, she often worried about her four children’s future. She and her husband could barely afford to feed the children, let alone plan for their future. Loans from CCT, HOPE’s partner in the Philippines, enabled Linda to open a restaurant. As the restaurant’s success grew, Linda was able to open additional restaurants – four in total. Linda and her husband now employ 19 others. They dream of sending all four of their children to college.
Mizidi makes and sells beautiful dresses in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. He is currently repaying his eighth loan—of $350—from HOPE DRC. He credits his loans with helping him grow his business and better provide for his wife and three children, ages 5, 8, and 11. Mizidi strives to glorify the Lord as he uses his talents in his business.
Alberto worked from midnight to 6 p.m. each day in the sugarcane fields, trying to make ends meet for his family of six. After 18 hours’ work, he returned home with $7 or less. His first loan from Esperanza, HOPE’s partner in the Dominican Republic, enabled him to open a small store, but because he sold things on credit, his customers were inconsistent in their payments, and he struggled to earn enough. As he faithfully repaid his loans and accessed larger sums, Alberto was able to buy a motorcycle to use for deliveries. “Before the loans, life was very hard, and now with the loans, it’s not as difficult. Life is better since HOPE has come,” he says. Alberto’s four children are now in school.
Carol Szasz used to purchase enough wood to make furniture for one month. A loan from ROMCOM, HOPE’s partner in Romania, enabled him to purchase a year’s supply of wood, cutting his transportation costs and qualifying him for lower prices from wholesalers. The loan has increased his profit margin, enabling him to provide for his wife and two children and continue expanding his business. In the future, Carol would like to purchase a wood dryer, which would help him cut costs and could also enable him to provide this new service to other local manufacturers.
“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.”
Iabanji Ilie has received just one loan from Invest-Credit, HOPE’s partner in Moldova, but already he has been able to build 49 additional bee houses. His honey sales support his wife and two children, a nine-year-old son and seven-year-old daughter.
