“I was one of the first women in my village to join a savings group. At the time, I couldn’t have imagined the full benefit.”
With her husband and 4 children, Wubitu lives on a 1-acre farm in Zala, Ethiopia. On it, they grew kidney beans, lentils, sweet potatoes and maize. But recurring drought, soil erosion, and poor storage options meant they could never grow enough. Her family would suffer from hunger for five to six months each year.
Thanks to support from people like you, we, along with the local church, were able to start a new project in Wubitu’s village. Along with 19 other women, Wubitu signed up to be part of the village’s first savings group. “We agreed to save 10 birr (24 cents) per week. The church frequently visited us, providing training on saving, taking loans, and starting businesses.”
After 6 months of saving, Wubitu was able to take a 1,000 birr ($24) loan to buy two cocks, two hens and some spices. She made a good profit on the spices and paid back the loan. Then things really took off. “After 3 months the chickens grew and I sold them for 2,000 birr ($48). I used the proceeds to buy one female goat. Now I own four goats worth more than 13,000 Birr ($311)!” From 24 cents to $311! A return of 1,295x!
But it’s not just the economic benefits that Wubitu appreciates. “The group not only provided me with economic benefits but also supported me during difficult times. The women showed me a kind of love I cannot put a price on.”
