July 2023 News – Food rations cease
Knitting for newborns
Savings groups act like a community bank. Refugees put their money in and can then ask for loans for business or the needs of their family. They repay back over time with interest. The groups also are encouraged to be involved in projects together to raise funds which are distributed yearly.
Yevette's Story
Yevette is one of over 2000 Savings Group members that CRESS supports through their delivery partners in the Diocese of Liwolo. Do watch her speak about how the savings groups have changed her life.
Groups work together
Emmanuel Group bought 150 plastic chairs to hire to provide more income to the group. These chairs are always hired by the community during events and other community functions. The group has also acquired a grinder to help the community in grinding paste. The machine will help women in the villages grind their sesame and ground nuts. These two projects will generate more income for the group to plan for other projects.
Regina Ita, pictured, is a member of this group. She bought utensils to hire out. 200 cups and 200 plates, so that she can generate extra income for her family. She also borrowed money for preparing land for agriculture.
LOISE's Story
Loise Bangu is a single parent who lived with 6 dependants, 3 her own and 3 other children of her dead brother whose wife got married to another man. Her husband was away in the army from 2006 to 2012. He returned because of sickness and in 2015 succumbed to the illness. She has been on her own as a single parent since then.
"I joined the savings group with the aim of paying my child in school. I could borrow loan from the group and add to my total savings to pay for my child in school and later pay back the loan with interest. Now I am very happy that my child has completed senior six. With access to borrowing money from the group, I am operating my own pancake business and it’s helping me a lot to raise more money for continuous saving."
