From poverty to self-sufficiency
In Sinoko village there is a group of 15 widows who care for over 100 grandchildren. They were desperately poor and extremely vulnerable. A local teacher asked W.O.R.K. to meet with them and try and provide help. They are an amazing group of women!
W.O.R.K. ploughed their small piece of land and provided seeds and training for the first year. The crop did well and the group sold it for a profit. W.O.R.K. then gave the group a ‘Table Bank’ and this small amount of money enabled the group to plan and develop, enabling their standard of living to grow substantially.
W.O.R.K. then gave a cow to the eldest widow and, gradually, with female calves being given to the ‘next’ widow and W.O.R.K. supporting other widows they each have one cow. The Sinoko widows are now fully independent and sustaining their families. They have started small businesses, paid school fees, re-built their homes and generally developed their whole village.
Shailla and her mother were desperate when her father died. They had no home and were living from hand to mouth begging and reliant on anyone who would help. W.O.R.K. helped her to build a house and start farming to feed her family. She is now able to look after herself and her children, who are all in school. A relatively small amount of help has resulted in her being self-sufficient, able to look after herself and her family. The family now has dignity and a quality of life.