Your compassion in helping mothers
Charity with her friend and work partner, Mai Ngoni
I am so happy to be sharing this update from Viv Kernohan of the ROKPA Network in Harare, part of the Buddhist charity that helps some of Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable people. One of the ROKPA’s programs you help support is micro-financing - providing small, start-up loans to people to help them develop businesses. What follows is Viv’s report.
In a world filled with uncertainties, this mother’s determination and resilience shine through. Charity Dunya is a 47-year-old mother of three who faces the daily struggles of raising her son, Tinashe who has cerebral palsy, while also providing for her family.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, her vending project suffered a significant blow, leaving her family very vulnerable. However, with the support of just a USD100 start-up loan from ROKPA Support Network, Charity embarked on a mission to revive her business.
Charity’s son, Tinashe
Her resourcefulness and adaptability were apparent in her careful selection of socks, woollen hats and warm slippers to meet the demands of winter and then, as the season shifted to summer, swiftly replaced these with sun hats and children's pants.
Charity's entrepreneurial spirit led her to identify a high-traffic area where buses to South Africa pick up passengers for her business; this proved to be a game-changer, attracting more customers and boosting her sales. She also expanded her offerings to include toiletries, dry snacks and airtime, capitalizing on the diverse needs of her customers.
Charity at one of her food stalls
Facing the challenge of caring for Tinashe, while she was working, Charity teamed up with Mai Ngoni, who also has a child with a disability. The two women support each other to operate their stalls when one has to attend to her child; this has strengthened both their businesses and fostered a sense of support and solidarity.
Nevertheless, there have been setbacks. The construction of a new highway forced Charity to relocate her business back home, resulting in reduced sales. Engaging in door-to-door sales brought its own challenges, as some customers requested credit leading to difficult repayment situations. But Charity is determined to persevere and adapt her business strategy as needed to overcome these obstacles.
To meet her customers’ changing demands, she has shifted her focus to essential food items, such as relish and corn snacks, which are particularly popular with children. By targeting these staple products, Charity aims to regain momentum and increase her sales.
Charity and Mai Ngoni source whatever goods their customers will buy
Her spirit remains steadfast and she draws strength from Mai Ngoni’s support – and from Tinashe – who helps by selling stock from home when she is out.
Hi, it’s David again.
If you’re at all moved by the story of Charity, Mai Ngoni and the children with disability who count on their support, and you’re not already a paying subscriber, please consider doing so. ROKPA and the other charities we support do so much with so very little.
Where would US$100 go in our cities? In Zimbabwe, it is enough to help a well-intentioned and hard working woman buy enough stock to start a sustainable trading business.
There is no social security in Zimbabwe. No pension, free healthcare or disability support. Many men desert their wives rather than accept a lifetime’s responsibility for a disabled child. Which is why the help that women get from Rokpa really is a lifeline, not only for them, but for their children too.
I recently met a high-flier in the world of developing country not-for-profits who told me that she is passionate about helping mothers. “Everyone wants to help children,” she said, “but if we help mothers, they will take care of their whole families.”
So true.
My heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you for your support. Thank you for being part of our small, global community motivated by compassion. Thank you for transforming others’ experience of reality in the most positive and extraordinary way.
May all beings have happiness and the causes of happiness!
May all beings be free from suffering and the causes of suffering!
Thank you David. Always with a heart lifting story. So good that they can obtain z as micro loan. I am reading a book now about Mohamed Yunus who started the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh. As an economic Professor he wanted to assist the women of a village next to the University he was at.
This bank is the biggest micro lender in the world. The book is called Banker To The Poor. It’s an uplifting read. This Muhammad Yunus is the same Nobel Laureate who has been placed as the new interim President of Bangladesh. It happened a couple of weeks ago.
Thank you so much for sharing this story.
Thank you so much for sharing these heartwarming stories! When we donate, we trust it is doing good, but don't always know in what way. It is so ni e to see how our donations are helping! Makes one want to give more! Thank you 🙏
May all beings have happiness and the causes for happines ❤🙏