MICRO BUSINESS
For lack of as little as $250 startup capital, families who otherwise could earn a good living subsist in poverty and misery. Living Hope Alliance has provided micro-loans to over 60 families, enabling them to start their own small businesses. Though the family usually ends up running the business together, it is the women to whom we provide this startup capital. This helps empower the women who are often oppressed in the Asian culture. The businesses that have been started include general stores, vegetable or clothing businesses, tailoring or cosmetic shops.
Our favorite success story is Anjali, an AIDS patient with two small children. They live deep in the Himalayan foothills in the village of Bageshwar. Anjali was doing unskilled labor as a house maid and earned only $15/month. Long ago she had learned how to stitch but had no hope of ever buying a sewing machine. In 2008 we provided her the funds to buy a sewing machine (about $100 and some cloth to get started. Now she has her own sewing business and earns $150/month – a decent income by which she is also sending her children to school.
WELLS AND ELECTRICITY
Many village wells go dry before the monsoon comes. Some villagers have to carry water from long distances because no good well exists in their village. Others must do so because of discrimination and class issues. In these circumstances providing a bore well and hand pump revolutionizes lives.
This photo is of a new bore well provided near Varanasi. These children are clearly happy to have their own fresh water! It costs about $800 to put in a bore well.
SEWING CENTERS
Starting in 2004 we
established three Sewing Centers in three remote villages. Since then
several hundred girls have graduated from the sewing schools. This is a
dream-come-true for many who otherwise would have no skill and no way to
earn an income.
-
Nirmala, one of our sewing teachers says, “There are several sewing centers in the city of Varanasi but it was too far for the villagers to go. Moreover they don’t have enough money to be able to travel into the city every day for the training. I thank God for this sewing school for the village women.”
-
Soni, one of the students, says “ I am thankful that this sewing school is here so I can be trained. I belong to a poor family. My parents are not able to pay for my training, but now I was able to receive training.”
-
Urmila Dube says, “I would like to give thanks for the Sewing Center, because it has given a new hope to my life. I was not qualified to get any job, but this training has equipped me so well that now I may earn my livelihood.”
-
Sunita says, “Allahabad is the nearest city to my home village of Champtpur but the city is too far for me to go daily for training. There is not even one sewing school anywhere in my county. Moreover I could never afford the tuition for the city schools. But Living Hope Alliance gave me training within the price I could afford. I have been trained one year. Now I can stitch almost all kinds of dresses. It gives me a new hope and dimension in my life. In future this will be a great source to maintain my family.”
These are only a few of the testimonies. It costs $100 to purchase a sewing machine, and about $75 per month to hire the sewing teacher. As it is important for even the poor to pay something for what they receive so they learn the principles of stewardship. However the fees requested of these students are nominal, hence the need to subsidize ongoing expenses.