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HOPE Intl

Mar 27 2024

HOPE Intl

 Microfinance Spiritual Integration Stories we love
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What does faith have to do with poverty? These three stories tell us.

Jocelyn breaking out of poverty in Philippines

How deepening a relationship with Jesus empowers families to break out of poverty

At HOPE International, we believe that without Christ, none of us can be truly free from poverty. One of our great joys is seeing people come to know Christ and experience the abundant life He offers.

Today, we’re celebrating the stories of Alphonse, Dominga, and Jocelyn, three people served by HOPE who have experienced spiritual transformation and poverty’s grip loosening. From learning how to pray to sharing the joy of salvation with family to finding hope for the future, these stories illustrate how God is at work—and why sharing the love of Jesus remains integral to our approach to alleviating poverty.

Alphonse Nsengumuremyi: learning to pray

Before taking out a loan from Urwego Bank, HOPE’s microfinance institution in Rwanda, Alphonse says he didn’t have the capital he needed to expand his family’s small business of selling cooking oil. Without enough income, he struggled to pay school fees for his children.

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HOPE Intl

Dec 6 2023

HOPE Intl

 News
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How training farmers in agriculture is fighting poverty

HOPE International charity fights poverty through training farmers

Coupled with Christ-centered financial services and community, underserved men and women experience restored dignity and spiritual, personal, social, and material transformation   

Did you know that farming is one of the most effective jobs for fighting poverty? According to The World Bank, growth in agriculture is two to four times more effective in raising the incomes of families living in poverty, compared to other sectors.

At HOPE International, we believe that equipping farmers in underserved areas around the world is an integral part of the solution to many of the world’s most pressing needs surrounding poverty:

  • Hunger—800 million people go to bed hungry every night*
  • Malnutrition—45% of deaths in children under 5 are related to malnutrition*
  • Financial services—1.7 billion people don’t have access to financial services that could help them invest in their businesses, save for the future, and provide for their families.
  • Unemployment—Farming creates jobs and means of productive income for millions of families.

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HOPE Intl

Dec 5 2023

HOPE Intl

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Economic empowerment keeps children out of orphanages

HOPE International alleviates poverty through economic development

By Elli Oswald, Executive Director, Faith to Action Initiative

For Neema, life was a struggle in rural Tanzania. She and her husband were grateful to have just had their first child and found it difficult to even put food on the table.

Like millions of others living in poverty around the world, Neema’s family was especially vulnerable to being separated from one another. This is because poverty is the most common underlying reason children end up in orphanages.

Surprisingly, 80% of children in orphanages and children’s homes have at least one living parent, and almost all have other family members. The reason most children end up in orphanages is not because they do not have family, but because their families are struggling to care for them. Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Sep 20 2023

HOPE Intl

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An emergency that almost led to a lifetime of debt

Pictured above: Divya (on right) with other members of her savings group

Divya’s* son, Rakesh, had been sick for years. His coughing, fevers, and colds were nonstop and left him feeling weak. Eventually, he couldn’t walk even a short distance. She’d taken him to hospitals and doctors in their community in South Asia* but never received a clear diagnosis for his worsening symptoms.

Then she received startling news: “One day, the doctor said that my son had a hole in his heart, and he [needed] to undergo the operation,” Divya recalls. “I was shocked.”

But a second blow was soon to come: how to pay for the procedure without falling into a lifetime of debt.
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HOPE Intl

Sep 20 2023

HOPE Intl

 News Stories we love
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One year later: the impact we’re seeing in Tanzania

When launching HOPE Tanzania last year, Peter Greer, HOPE’s president and CEO, emphasized, “The reason behind every expansion at HOPE is to invest in the dreams of even more families.” 

One year later, we’re praising God for opening the doors to do just that. Check out these stories of how savings groups are already impacting Tanzanian families and communities—there’s so much to celebrate!  Continue Reading…

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HOPE Intl

Sep 20 2023

HOPE Intl

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Understanding poverty’s place in God’s Kingdom

Material poverty is a complicated reality, with many causes and perhaps just as many proposed solutions. With this in mind, understanding poverty isn’t always easy and requires a comprehensive approach.

According to the World Bank, 574 million people—nearly seven percent of the world’s population—will still be living on less than $2.15 a day in 2030.  

What the Bible says about poverty 

Men and women living in material poverty face many challenges: lack of basic resources like food, shelter, and money; corrupt social systems; poor education; and limited access to health care. 

But those who haven’t experienced poverty often overlook one of its most profound impacts: hopelessness and shame. Material poverty can compound the brokenness that exists in our relationships with each other, with God, with ourselves, and with the rest of creation. Material poverty says to those in its grasp: You are not worthy.   Continue Reading…

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