Nov 4, 2024 • 2 min read

Weaving a Path to Success

One local woman took a small loan and turned it into a bright future for her large family.

Mrs. Sadjo, a 43-year-old widow, is a skilled weaver and farmer. In spite of her skills, she did not realize that weaving could be lucrative. In our Transformational Community Development (TCD) lesson in June, we highlighted the use of both personal talent and of available local materials. After the meeting, as shy as she is, she came up for personal assistance. Being a subsistence farmer with a large family, she stated, “I am aware of my talent, but I have seven mouths to take care of on a daily basis. I do not have money to buy raw materials or time to reach far-off bushes to harvest them. I need some assistance to utilize my talent.”

The baskets she makes are locally used by women to transport farm produce on a daily basis. Selling her products could bring money to the community and alleviate poverty. She happily requested a loan of 20,552 XAF ($35), which I personally provided. She set to work, and it was such a wonderful surprise when she repaid the money this month! Mrs. Sadjo explained, “This was the harvest season, and I wove 15 baskets within two months. I sold them for over 34,645 XAF ($59) and bought two essential textbooks for my child along with a stock of raw material for 10 baskets. I preferred to then pay back the loan. Selling the 10 baskets will provide my weaving capital. I am so grateful for this assistance.”

Women in the community are continuously proving reliable in grasping the TCD model. Going forward, more attention will be given to such initiatives.

Transformational Community Development (TCD) Update

TCD© is GHNI’s coaching-based process for helping villages transform themselves and break the cycle of extreme poverty.

Water

Two new communities at the Bankim Cluster, Bandam and Guingklo, have requested assistance in providing two boreholes in the communities. The first assessment for water has been done, and we look forward to more collaboration and determination from the community in the near future. Our work is attracting more and more villages after the successful water projects in Mvouh, Tchim, and Mape City.

Wellness

The Wellness Committee has a sanitation program starting in October with the goal of teaching community members about the need to have toilets and to use them appropriately. We also covered cleanliness around the homes and how to properly clean kitchen utensils. We evaluated the fabrication and use of home-made, reusable sanitary pads as schools resumed. Greater collaboration is also being requested from the hygiene and sanitation technical services of the Bankim council.

Thank you!

Written by Eugene, TCD Partner