“…my health was weakening every now and then yet I had to take care of the large number of dependants. I had no sure source of income apart from casual labour, digging for people. This main source of income was hampered by my ill health. My grandchildren resorted to doing odd jobs in the trading centres in order to meet our basic needs. Young as they were, they actually took over my role and became the ‘breadwinners.’ Little did I know that the children were copying street habits and to the extent of sleeping in film halls in the trading center! My grandchildren later dropped out of school.” Mary recalls
She joined and started saving with Ganana SHG in 2016 and to date she counts to a tune of the Ushs 280,000 on her savings.
Mary accessed her first loan of Ushs 50,000 to start a retail shop and after paying back, she took another of Ushs 70,000 to pay school fees for her grandchildren. Her next loan was Ushs 50,000 which she used to re-invest in her business.
“I can now get a profit of 12,000 shillings as profit a day from this business,” she asserts.
Mary says, “I have benefitted a lot from Ganana SHG. My health has greatly improved. I am now able to pay my medical bills. There is a lot of improvement in the nutrition aspect of my family, from no sure meal or one meal a day to at least two sure meals a day. My grandchildren were able to resume school. Colleagues in the SHG support me a lot during the low and stressful moments and they are such a great pillar in my life. I hope to buy a plot of land and construct structures for rental. I know with God coupled with commitment to work hard all things are possible.”
“May God bless CRO for empowering us socially and economically, I can see a bright future, a ray of hope in my family. God has lifted me and my family from shame to fame; mockery to victory and from zero to a heroine. Long live our funders for supporting CRO to do such a tremendous job in helping the poorest of the poor in our community. May God provide for you and protect your lives abundantly.” Mary elatedly concludes.