Help bring Financial Stability to Uganda

When loving wife and mother Sara found herself widowed and alone with no way to support her five children, she feared for the family’s future. Despite her grief over the sudden loss of her husband, she knew she must lift herself up to ensure her children were fed. With no business experience and no capital to get started, she collected wood to sell outside the family home. The days were tough, and Sara recalls many sleepless nights after tucking her kids into bed with nothing more than a bit of tea in their tummies.

As the years past, Sara recognized a new strength within herself. She grew her small table with a few pieces of wood to a larger operation. Still, as her children grew, the costs to support them increased. Despite the challenges of raising five kids on her own, she held fast to the dream she and her husband formed together, to educate the children against all odds.

When a neighbor invited Sara to join an Opportunity Uganda Trust Group, she recalls it took her about 10 seconds to jump at the chance. She underwent extensive business training, met new friends with whom she could seek and give support. She also enjoyed the mentoring and continued business and life skills training she received from her Opportunity loan officer.

Today, Sara is on her 20^th loan cycle. She not only has one of the largest wood supplies in her village, but she has added handicrafts to her inventory, attracting new customers. Daily sales are great and three of her children have made it through the high school level with two still at the junior level.  According to Sara, “I have my very own savings account and I make deposits aggressively because it keeps my dream alive. I know that each of my children will have the education they need to break free from the cycle of poverty that has surrounded me since my own childhood. I want more than anything for it to stop with me.”

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• Where We Work: Uganda

Despite the poverty surrounding her in Kampala’s slums, RoLeta Zinzinga refused to be drawn into hopelessness and despair. Known for her positive can-do attitude and business savvy, RoLeta was never one to sit back and wait for an opportunity to come alone. She was always on the lookout for a way to generate income and improve her circumstances.

With a knack for sewing picked up from her mother, RoLeta supported herself by taking on sewing jobs as she perfected her seamstress skills. At times, even her positive attitude was tested when basic sewing handwork jobs were scarce.

RoLeta never gave up and when a friend told her about Opportunity International, she quickly agreed to join a Trust Group. Armed with new knowledge about running a sustainable business, she invested her first loan to purchase a sewing machine and supplies. RoLeta used her most recent loan to set up shop in a small kiosk, and is overjoyed each time customers line up to drop off work. Sales are soaring and RoLeta has finally turned her fashion sense into an income-generating, profitable enterprise

Not long ago, RoLeta had never seen the inside of a bank nor had she accessed financial services. Today, she is an empowered businesswoman who is recognized in her community as an inspiration for other young woman. There is no question that she will achieve her dreams for herself, her business, and her family.

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• Where We Work: Uganda