Six weeks prior to the 2nd of September six of our Hope and Soul mothers had been attending daily classes in Microfinance and running a small business. These mothers are all dependent in one way or another on regular support from Hope and Soul that might be with rent, food, medical care, school uniforms and materials for their children or a different specific need. The aim of the six week classes run by a local community development agency - Global Active Minds is to give these mothers the theoretical tools to understand the basics of running a business, each develop a unique business plan and ultimately be given the financial capital to start. Of course I can make it sound incredibly easy when it is anything but, these are women who have faced trauma, abandonment, abuse, chronic health conditions, are raising multiple children independently and some have no experience with running a business. With this in mind when I wrote a funding proposal at the beginning of the year the plan also included weekly counselling sessions to address the psychological barriers to starting a new venture like this and to work on improving confidence. 

The team from Global Active Minds (GAM) worked hard with our nervous and unsure mothers and soon they started to be more involved in classes and relaxed into the idea of a new opportunity. The funding capital that the mothers receive will slowly be paid back over a two year period which means after that time we will have the funding to do this again for a further six new mothers. The business plans have been thoroughly assessed by GAM and a clear proposal written for each individually including a repayment plan. There was a point during the six weeks when I was unsure if all the mothers would finish but we were so incredibly pleased to all join together on the 2nd of September for our graduation lunch. We enjoyed a meal of chicken and chips followed by awarding certificates of course completion. The most incredible part was hearing each mother give a short feedback on the course and her prospective future following the opportunity. One mother who has three children including one little boy with severe disabilities said she was overjoyed to receive a certificate because in her whole life she had never been awarded anything. Another said she was incredibly thankful for the counselling because it had instilled in her a realisation that she was capable of managing a new business.

This is only the start for these six women, this month they are securing venues to rent, monitoring cost of wholesale products and studying their business plans. We will be injecting the funds carefully and the mothers will continue to be supported and monitored by GAM. We have a proposed stationary, local cafe, used clothing sales, grains shop, convenience shop and fish shop! Looking forward to giving you more updates on how we go.

On the 4th of September Jenipha our social worker and I attended a routine home visit for our twins Prince and Princess. They live with their mother who after telling her partner she was pregnant found herself single and without a job surviving from her sisters salary who worked as a cleaner at a local hotel. Ayesha had no idea that she would be having twins until she went into early labour and her very little baby boy and girl were delivered by an International volunteer at a small community hospital. Ayesha had a very rough start and was very sick herself after delivery but due to one of the twins needing continual oxygen all three were transported to the larger government hospital. Sadly and only stating facts the Neo-natal care at this hospital is not known for being very good and the twin were having difficulty with feeding so when I heard the story about the birth I asked Ayesha if we could support her to be transferred to the best Neo-natal unit in the city and that is where we went with her consent. Fast forward just over two years and the impact of our support from birth until now is so evident and it is heartwarming to see two healthy and happy children. 

Another incredible before and now story is our Michael who on the 11th of September came to say goodbye to me at the office before travelling back to boarding school on the 12th. Michael was part of a group of six young boys living on the street that we provided safe housing for in 2019. He is now only one of two of the original group still under Hope and Soul support because he has chosen to remain resilient and hard working in a path that is often more challenging than opting to return to a life he knew very well on the streets. Michael has a father but his mother sadly passed away when he was very young, he went to the streets in search of money and food due to severe poverty at home. We are so proud of Michael who returned to Primary School and graduated in 2021 with an overall B grade and is now in his third year of Secondary School with results in the top division. He is such an incredibly sweet young man and again the impact of our support in his life is clearly visible. He has a healthy relationship with his father who he visits often but remains in Hope and Soul supported accommodation and is well respected and loved by his brothers in the house. I treasure photos like these and I am so incredibly proud to know and love each one of our children and young people.

On the 12th of September I started my own journey on a flight to the UK. It was a short but very sweet visit and one that will be remembered for a lot of good reasons. People always ask me what I miss the most from the UK (of course after family and friends) and I can very confidently say the current winners are my mums washing powder and roast dinners.