Author Archive

This young widow has a new sewing machine, paid for by a microcredit loan. She sews school uniforms and other clothes and makes a good income. Her husband was killed during the tsunami and she lost her house and all its contents including her old machine. She had no source of income and struggled to feed herself and her children. Today the family is doing well, the children are back at school and there is enough money to go around.

By making a donation of $50 you can help a young family like this one get back on its feet.

This grand-mother borrowed $50 from the microcredit program to buy the equipment and supplies to make string-hopper noodles, which are a favorite Sri Lankan dish. She sells them to the people in her village and makes a small profit. Every week, she put money aside to buy new ingredients and to pay back a small part of her loan. She has now repaid her loan in full and is enjoying her profits.

This young man is a trained jeweler, who lost his workshop and home in the tsunami. He lived with his family in a single room in one of the camps, getting occasional work as a laborer. He borrowed $150 from the microcredit program to buy new scales and tools to start up his business again. Today he has moved his family out of the camp and is rebuilding their house.

This very young widow has used her microcredit loan to begin a simple bakery in the second room of her home.  She makes wonderful fresh loaves from a wood burning oven and sells them to her neighbours.  The additional income she generates has enabled her to begin saving a small amount each month, which she is putting aside for her  son’s education.

This young mother was widowed in the 2005 tsunami and lost her home and all her possessions.  She has 2 young children and lives in one of the transition camps. She obtained a microcredit loan and opened a camp store. She has already repaid her first loan and borrowed a second larger amount. The store is a great asset to the camp. Before this store the residents had to walk a long way for basic provisions.