We Are No Longer Orphans
At age 18 I was raped, and after giving birth, I was forced to leave school.
Then my mother became very ill and I had to beg in order to feed her. Eventually, a doctor told me she would never be cured and a few days later she died in my arms.
After my mother's death, our father came back and told us he would not repair our house, that was falling down, until we died ... or left.
So I went to the community for assistance. When the leader heard how serious my situation was, he gave me a few trees and 24 metal sheets, and my neighbors helped me make a roof. But I had no door.
In April 2014, I heard about a CARE Burundi project called POWER Africa—Promoting Opportunities for Women's Economic Empowerment in Rural Africa.
I joined the Twitezimbere village savings and loan association (VSLA), and soon was elected president of the group.
I participated in CARE training on various topics that strengthened my leadership. I was committed, because I had a pressing need—a door for my house. We started with an individual weekly saving goal of 100 Burundian francs—only 6 cents in U.S. money—but it grew rapidly.
A few months later, I took out a loan of 20,000 BIF ($13) and bought two avocado trees. After the sale of the crops, I had 85,000 BIF ($55 and was able to buy two doors). With the remaining money, I bought a pig and a goat and continued selling avocadoes and bananas. My small business evolved rapidly, so that in September 2014, I had about 100,000 BIF ($65).
Our schooling continued
I have two brothers and two sisters who had been forced to drop out of school when my mother got sick. Now, my savings were enough to allow my brothers and sisters—and me—to go back to school.
With my small business, I manage to cover my family's basic needs and pay school fees for the five of us. I tend to my business during the day and my studies at night. At the end of the school year, I succeeded in passing as did three of my four brothers and sisters.
CARE has given me a spirit of leadership that has inspired me to help guide my family. POWER Africa has helped fill the gap my mother left, and my siblings and I are no longer orphans. I am confident that I will successfully lead my family to a better life. |
