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Vincent Habiyaremye has a knack for taking broken or seemingly worthless pieces that many of us might discard and transforming them into something functional and whole.

Fifteen years ago, he used those skills as a carpenter, going door to door in his community in Rwanda to find odd jobs and provide for his wife and children. But his days were long and the demand for his services was sporadic.

Vincent dreamed of moving beyond the fluctuation of day labor. He dreamed of supporting his children through school so that they could one day pursue their own dreams. He dreamed of using his God-given gifts to build beautiful things in his community—and creating a business that would empower others to do the same.

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Elizabeth Mutosa says that her neighborhood, Section 10, in Roan, Zambia, has gained a reputation for being a challenging place to live. “Section 10 has been characterized by … activities, like drinking beer, early marriages for young girls, and other activities that rob the peace of every child,” she shares. “There are vulnerable people that need to be helped.”

Despite these challenges, the sound of children singing praises to God can be heard filling the neighborhood. These children attend Elizabeth’s preschool, which she established in her own home.

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For years, a group of young people has built a reputation for contributing to violent attacks in Brazzaville, the Republic of Congo’s capital. “These young people sow terror in the city,” says Ghislaine Matondo, who lives in the city with her husband, mother, and sister. Yet little has been done to address the danger, she explains: “Juvenile delinquency in our neighborhoods is a sensitive matter [to which] even politicians do not dare give concrete answers.”

In 2020, Ghislaine took out her fifth loan from HOPE Congo to start a new venture: Merci pour la Bénédiction (“grateful for the blessing”), a business manufacturing sofas. But she says that the Lord gave her more than a new business idea; He also gave her a vision to address the challenge of gang violence in her community. Continue Reading…

Clarisa Huamani’s dream is for her three children to have the opportunities she didn’t. At a young age, she was adopted by a family in Lima, Peru. Her adoptive parents often forced her to stay home, and she was never really accepted as part of the family. She longed for belonging and the chance to work and make her own way.

Investing in family

At a low point in her life, Clarisa discovered the business idea that could help supplement her husband’s income. After she lost her father to COVID-19 in June 2020, a neighbor gifted her a pair of guinea pigs and a chicken to help her focus on something else. Once Clarisa realized the animals could be a source of income for her family, she found new purpose. She began to breed and sell guinea pigs, ducks, and chickens, finding new clients through word of mouth.

My first priority is my children–for their health, that they would have a profession and be able to provide for themselves.

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Jean Claude Kubwayo knew that goats would be a wise investment.

In rural Burundian communities like Jean Claude’s, goats and other livestock can provide a regular supply of meat, milk, and manure for crops. Animal products add nutritional and caloric value to a family’s diet, so simply owning livestock can improve a family’s overall health. Continue Reading…

Marcel & Jeanne

Not every small business owner aspires to build a small business empire, but Marcel Sinayobye and his wife, Jeanne Nyirangendahimana, are entrepreneurial to the core. While raising eight children, they have built more than 10 businesses throughout their community of Rusizi, Rwanda, and beyond.

And while we know this transformation won’t happen to every man or woman who receives a $48 loan, we marvel when it does.


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