Zewiditu

Chiri, Ethiopia was once the end of the road. Actually the road didn’t even reach Chiri when Lalmba first came here. Now thirteen years later Chiri is developing into a small town. Lalmba has had a hand in increasing the health of the population, encouraging the community to value its children—especially orphans who have no one else, and developing the economy through being the largest employer. This year Lalmba is encouraging economic development in a new and exciting way.

We’ve started a community micro loan program with a rock bottom interest rate. Our goal is to provide a way out of the trap of poverty for those who don’t normally have access to credit. These loans are intended for people who are motivated entrepreneurs, but the banks deem “too risky” because they don’t have collateral or simply because they are a single mother. Zewiditu is one such person. She has never been married and never had children of her own, although she has acted as a volunteer guardian helping students who live too far away from town to attend school. She had chronic pain in her leg which Lalmba treated for free. When she first came to us, she was one of the patients that our Ethiopian social committee decided needed extra support. She slowly worked and saved enough money to buy a small piece of land to build on. This is a BIG deal. This month she took the first loan of her life. She has a business plan to buy and sell cardamom (a sweet smelling spice) as well as to sell bread and tea from her small home.

When asked if she had anything to add to her story before sharing it with all of you, she said that she is praying for Lalmba to succeed in its mission. She understands that if she can succeed, she can help others in the future just like her. THAT, after all, is Lalmba’s mission- to empower someone who has no means to be able to have enough means to help others out of their poverty. Zewiditu and other women who have been helped by the loan program will one day be a part of helping others who faced the same challenges they now face. And that is real success.