God Uses a Former Teacher to Change a Community
Facing challenges due to poor crop yields and a changing climate, Kakule’s leadership now empowers communities
Kakule journey from struggling to save money to becoming a Village Savings and Loans leader
Kakule Kitshembe struggled to save money – often putting his family in difficult situations. Although he knew the importance of saving money, poor crop yields and lack of income made this virtually impossible.
Years ago, the area was fertile and lush, creating a great source of income and food for the community. Still, due to a changing climate and antiquated farming techniques, much of the land became barren, resulting in the highest levels of acute food insecurity.
Kakule, a former teacher, has transferred his teaching skills to become a Village Savings and Loans leader through Tearfund’s local partner in the Democratic Republic of Congo. After participating in 3 training sessions, he started to train the other villagers. Today, he travels from village to village training others.
Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSL) are small groups that help community members save small amounts of money throughout the year. Participants also have the opportunity to take out small loans which they can use to buy farm supplies, expand their land, start businesses, or use in times of crisis. Thanks to your support, these groups are being formed in rural communities without access to financial institutions.
Kakule, with your support of Tearfund and its program, is making a difference in his family’s lives and in the community. He teaches people how to grow food. Kakule shares, “we show them that plants can bring in a lot of money in a short time.”
Before the groups began, Kakule says, “It was difficult for us to borrow money from each other because no one trusted anyone, but now, when people come to start the program, they come with courage; they are motivated because they see that it is almost like a bank, in which they keep their own money.”
The VSL group is positively impacting the lives of so many. Kakule has seen countless examples of transformation through the VSL group, like people buying products to fix their homes, farmers buying new seeds and crops for their fields and others able to purchase much-needed transportation and food for their families.
Your support allows people like Kakule to inspire change in the DRC.
God is moving through the local church to create flourishing and resilient communities by reminding the most vulnerable people of their God-given potential and equipping them with the skills to transform their communities.
