Women of Vision/World Vision
9/2009, 4/2011 & 5/2011
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
Do A Little's donation to World Vision helped to fund the following programs.
Teenagers to midwives in Afghanistan:
Women in Afghanistan are changing maternal and infant health for the better. Midwives as young as 16 are being trained in rural Afghanistan to bring new life into the world and curb the staggering infant and maternal mortality rates in the country.
Micro Enterprise Development in Cambodia:
To eradicate the issues of trafficking and child labor, World Vision is working on the root causes of poverty and injustice, combating what creates economic and physical vulnerability through micro enterprise development.
Micro enterprise development in Cambodia allows a poor woman to start a small business. As her income increases, more money will be spent on her family and within the community, stimulating existing businesses and increasing the income of those entrepreneurs. As these businesses grow, more money is spent on their families, more employees will be hired, and family welfare improves and incomes increase throughout the community. As the community resources increase, children will be able to attend school and will not be expected to work locally or in the city to help support their families. By creating jobs and opportunities in rural communities, MED not only enables economic development, but improves the situations of women and children who are forced into compromising situations by the extreme destitution of their families.
Wisdom Microfinance, Ethiopia:
Mestewat, a housewife, was dependent on her husband's monthly income for her family expenses. The income was so little that it was hardly covering their basic needs. Later, she took a small loan from Wisdom microfinance institution and opened a construction equipment rental shop with her brother. Now the income she is earning from rent is helping her and her family to lead a better life.
"I was absolutely dependent on my husband's small monthly income for all of our family expenses. Feeding and clothing my children and sending them to a better school has been a big challenge for me," recalls 34-year-old Mestewat.
Mestewat Terefe is married to Teshome Belayneh and has two children named Kaleab (10) and Yamlak (6). They reside in Addis Ababa at Kolfe sub city. Teshome works at a private organization with a small monthly salary.
"A Wisdom Microfinance client and friend of mine who knows my day to day impoverished life introduced me to Wisdom Microfinance in 2006 so that I could take a loan and run some business and help myself and my family," explains Mestewat, recalling how was introduced to Wisdom Microfinance.
Currently, there is significant construction work underway in Addis Ababa. Construction equipment including panels, mixers, vibraters and compactors are in high demand. Having studied this gab, Mestewat took about a 1,000 USD loan from Wisdom Microfinance Institution. She, together with her brother, opened a construction equipment rental shop. "The business was attractive and I reimbursed the loan in 8 months time," Mestewat recalls.
Encouraged by the first round loan, she took another 1500 USD, 2,000 USD and 2,500 USD in 2007, 2008 and in 2009 respectively. She has already been reimbursed the 2007 and 2008 successfully and made a good profit. She has also reimbursed about 1700 USD from the 2009 loan and will finish the rest in the next three months.
Presently, Mestewat and her brother have 183 panels, two mixers, four vibrators and two compactors for rent. These construction materials are estimated to be worth about 16,000 USD.
"My way of life has been for changed for the better. I no longer ask my husband for money. Whenever I want things of my desire, I will take out money from my own pocket and purchase. I am also able to provide my family with things they want. My children are attending the best school," she gladly explains.
Their business has also created job opportunities for two people. Each of them is paid about 60 USD per month. Endeg Ayale, 24, is one of the company employees. He has been working with her for the last three years. He says, "I am earning a good amount of pay that could help me to lead my life."
"A woman needs not sit idle at home and remain dependent on her husband for everything. She must have her own dream and buy time to the success of her vision," Mestewat remarks. She said that she is always giving advice to women to work hard and develop self confidence.
"The source of my success is Wisdom Microfinance. I would like to say thank you Wisdom Microfinance. I also would like to say the Wisdom staff to keep on encouraging women to be beneficiaries of the Wisdom Microfinance loan. God bless Wisdom Microfinance," she delightedly explains.
www.worldvision.org