While attending his church in Rusizi, Rwanda, Bahati Jean Felix noticed two men deep in prayer and he felt compelled to learn more about them. When he discovered they worked for Urwego Finance, HOPE International’s microfinance institution in Rwanda, it struck a chord.
“I was surprised to learn that Urwego was actually a financial institution built on Christian values,” Felix recalls. “Knowing that I shared the same faith and beliefs, I felt a strong conviction to join.”
At the time, Felix was running a small restaurant, but the business was barely surviving. Profits were thin, and his ability to support his wife, children, and other family members felt increasingly difficult.