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.

Cherida George belongs to one of HOPE’s first savings groups in Haiti, “Let Us Get Together.” The wife of a local pastor, Cherida helps support their family of ten by selling rice and corn. Joining a savings group and saving $2.52 each week enabled Cherida to purchase more rice and corn when market prices were lower, enabling her to resell larger quantities when prices were higher.  Cherida looks forward to her group’s upcoming second savings cycle. “I am very happy to be a part of the group because the group taught us how to come together and save and support each other,” she says. “When we put our money together, people could have enough to start a business.”

Svetlana Andros sells affordable women’s clothing in a Ukrainian market to provide for herself and her 25-year-old son. Loans from HOPE Ukraine have enabled her to expand into a new location and provide a job for a salesman. “There are no words to express my delight!” she says about her experience with HOPE.