Lena is a married mother of seven, and finds it hard to afford to keep her children in school. Before joining her literacy programme, she struggled with the basics. “I would pick papers from the floor without being able to read what was written on them.” Yet last year, she completed her literacy training and passed her exam with 64%.. “I like literacy very much, because now I know how to count large sums of cash, where I always had difficulty knowing the total of my money.” Lena also joined a savings group. With her weekly savings, she was able to take her first loan of $30, and from that, she grew her business selling roasted peanuts and “mbilibo” (a dish of maize and beans) at the market. She is able to record her savings thanks to her new ability to read and write.
The impact on her and her family has been life changing. Before, she struggled to pay medical bills and school fees, and her children were sometimes turned away from school. She has also been able to buy a solar panel for her home, supported her 21-year-old son to graduate from high school, and continues to invest in her other children’s studies. Lena and her husband are now planning to build a permanent home. They have already purchased 35 iron sheets and will begin making bricks soon. Looking ahead to the group’s end of year share out, she is excited to continue working toward this family vision. Through her newfound confidence, she has been able to turn reading and writing into providing a better future for her and her family.