Putting the "self" back in reliance

Here at home most of us can afford to be hopeful, even in difficult times.

The same, however, cannot be said of impoverished families living in the poorest communities of Ethiopia, Cambodia, and Bangladesh.

Poverty has robbed these families of their health, their hope, and in many cases, their loved ones.

Imagine if poverty snatched your child from your arms. Now try to imagine how incredibly hard it would be to remain hopeful when you know that your child perished because you lacked the modest resources needed to prevent or treat the sickness.

These families are without hope because they are without help. They are stuck in a life of suffering and dependence because no one has given them the “hand up” they need in order to become self-reliant.

They have done all that they can to overcome the poverty that holds them captive and destroys their lives, but it simply is not enough given the size of the challenges they face.

It’s our turn to do everything we can to prevent poverty from claiming more lives.

In Bangladesh, we can provide life skills training and health education that will enable parents to improve and protect their family’s health. We can also provide vocational skills training that will give parents the knowledge and skills they need in order to generate sustainable sources of income that will meet their needs and allow them to save for the future.

In Cambodia, we can establish community-based Self Help Groups that give families access to health education, clean water, agricultural training that increases food production, vocational skills training that generates sustainable income, and low interest loans that enable families to start up their own small businesses.

In Ethiopia, we can provide the education, training, and business start-up funds a mother needs in order to create a sustainable source of income that will provide for all of her family’s needs, both today and into the future.

Learn how you can help these families by visiting www.hope-international.com today.