At first, Susan Cabanela didn’t want to join the Center for Community Transformation (CCT), HOPE International’s partner in the Philippines. In fact, when her best friend invited her in 2008, Susan refused.

She had been running a small sari-sari (“variety”) store out of her home since 2005—just two basins of goods that she brought out in the morning and carried back inside at night. With all three children in school and her husband’s taxi driving bringing unstable earnings, money was always tight.

Susan was afraid to take a loan. She wondered, what would happen if she couldn’t pay it back?

But her friend persisted in her encouragement, and Susan took the step of faith to take her first loan of $73. Continue Reading…