Comfort International has been supporting Africa Hope Initiative solidarity groups, run by Theophile Rubagira. This project aids vulnerable women, particularly those who have ended up in prostitution because of their exceptionally difficult circumstances. It works by providing interest-free loans, providing training on managing finance and starting income-generating activities, and facilitating “solidarity groups” – co-operatives of women working together and supporting each other, so that not only can they pay off the loan but start successful businesses, save money for themselves and their families, and apply for further loans to grow their businesses.
The loan for each individual is guaranteed by the whole group. Theophile finds that giving loans rather than grants creates a greater level of responsibility and also allows the project to keep recycling the finance. It is not just the money which is important but the fellowship and also training which is provided. A professor of rural development trains the women in finance and business skills. The women run a variety of businesses, including selling second hand clothes or shoes, charcoal or beans. One of the women (top left) showed us the mill she had bought for grinding seeds and nuts, which could then be processed or mixed in with other foods to make flavourful meals!
Josée, the president, sells second hand clothes. She says when she started being with the group, “I became younger and younger and younger! When I met Theophile in 2009 I was an old woman. Jesus is good. He is changing my life. I was married during the genocide and had two children – my husband and 1 child died. When I became a widow I went to the place of prostitutes. Some gave me money, some beat me. You get children from that life so now I have 4 children but I do not have the father for those ones as I was a prostitute. I became infected with HIV/AIDS. God bless you Theophile – you rescued my life. We had no medicine but now I have the ARV (anti-retrovirals). They told me to come to the church and work. We are faithful women and we do business. Every week we meet, we pray and we pay the loan. If it is 100,000 Rwf we take 16 weeks to pay it back. We also build up savings so that we can do other things. We need to feed our family, buy our clothes and we are healthy. My prayer is for the donors, we are praying for them that God will bless them. Our goal is to have proper shops and bigger businesses. Another thing is to thank the church as they teach our children the word of God and feed them. I have adopted a child that the project looks after. When I go to bed I sleep well because my life has changed. Thank you for praying for us.”
The project has been incredibly successful at providing a sustainable and better alternative for women who have been caught in a cycle of poverty and difficulty. We hope soon to share with you reports of their businesses and how they are getting on. On the right, you can see a short video from Theophile explaining the work of AHI and thanking all the wonderful supporters for getting involved!