By Lauren Thorn | Online Community Manager
Opportunity DR Congo is achieving a profound impact on the lives of hard-working entrepreneurs by building a financially inclusive DR Congo with access to economic opportunity for all. In the first half of 2015, banks more than doubled the number of clients with a savings account to 7,669, up from 3,534 at the close of 2014. All four Opportunity DRC branches are led by women and the bank currently disburses 55% of its loans to women; women like Brigite.
Brigite’s warm smile greets shoppers, stopping them in their tracks as they scurry from stall to stall in Kinshasa’s bustling marketplace. Proudly showing off her wares, Brigite has the tools she needs to face the daily challenges associated with supporting a large family amidst the difficult economic climate of the DR Congo. Until recently, she struggled to make ends meet selling salted fish, a seasonal income source, barely earning enough to put food on the table. A natural entrepreneur, she realized she had to find a steadier revenue stream. Ever resourceful, Brigite jumped at the chance to join an Opportunity International Trust Group, and she has never looked back.
Brigite strategically invested her loans to diversify her inventory, adding fufu, a local food staple, and maize alongside the salted fish at her market stall. In no time at all, Brigite’s daily profits rose by a remarkable 63%. Today, Brigite earns enough to feed and clothe her family and send her kids to school. By leaning on the wisdom of the women in her Trust Group and gaining knowledge from financial literacy training provided by her loan officer, Brigite’s confidence is soaring. She has learned to save to expand her business and increase her income.
“I am grateful for the positive impact of Opportunity International, not only on my family but on my whole community,” Brigite said. She is empowered to ensure a bright future for herself and for her family. She is focused on expanding her business and, for the first time ever, she allows herself to dream about sending her children to university, breaking the chains of generational poverty once and for all.
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