From struggle to self-reliance: Edith's inspiring journey

Help came from the Tearfund Transforming Communities savings and loans group run by the local Methodist church in Abbebroukoi. Transforming Communities is the key way that Tearfund works to release whole communities from the grip of poverty.

It’s a Bible-based guided training approach that equips people to identify the resources they already have. The programme offers training in how to set up and manage a small business and provides other income-boosting ideas and inspiration.

‘Joining this group was a major turning point in my life and the lives of my family,’ she says.

The well of God’s provision

The members chose the name Rehoboth for the savings group, a Hebrew word which means ‘broad spaces’. It’s a significant name in the Bible, given by Isaac to a well that signifies God's provision and symbolises prosperity.

‘In our group, we focus on helping each other and ourselves grow. Every member puts in 11,000 CFA francs [£14.50] each month.’

Tearfund-supported savings groups are made up of around 20 people who meet regularly to save money together. They then use these savings to make small loans to individual members that are repaid over an agreed time period. The loans can be used to set up or advance a small business or enterprise. This method of saving money proved inspirational to Edith. So she went the extra mile…

‘I realised this was a great opportunity for personal improvement and financial stability,’ she says. ‘So I decided to double the amount I saved each month, putting in 22,000 CFA francs [£29 ]monthly to save faster.

This was a smart choice that worked incredibly well. After just one year, my efforts paid off, and I was able to save a large sum of 200,000 CFA francs [£264].’

Smart saving proves fruitful

This extra saving enabled Edith to start a business that has become the main way her family makes a living. With the extra savings, she bought 500 plates and 500 glasses, which she hires out for parties and events. Her business has not only given Edith a steady income but has also brought a feeling of purpose and respect for her work.

‘Since I became a member of the Rehoboth group, I have felt a deep sense of freedom and satisfaction. The days of depending on other people for basic things are over, and for that, I am truly thankful for the help that the savings group has given me.

‘Besides the financial benefits, the Transforming Communities programme has greatly changed how I see life and my place in it. This powerful process made me think deeply and understand that God made us not to rely on the kindness of others, but to work hard with our own hands.

Inspiring others that God will provide

‘Transforming Communities has taught us to think about the natural resources and purposes God has given us. Through examining myself, I had a powerful realisation: I was not born to simply wait for help.

‘Instead, I am called to actively create my own future through effort and being self-reliant. This means I must ultimately depend on myself, not on another person, because God created us to be able to support ourselves.

‘This is a message I now want to share with all women: we must learn to rely on ourselves and take charge of our own lives. We must believe in what we can do and work hard to be independent, not dependent on others.’

From a daily struggle to provide for her extended family, Edith now draws deeply from the well of God’s provision. But her story of transformation doesn’t stop there; Edith has now become an inspiration to many more in her community.

The power of transformed communities

Transforming Communities is a powerful testament to the lasting change that is possible when local churches and communities work together. It doesn't just offer temporary support, it encourages people to take control of their own journey out of poverty, leading to sustainable and far-reaching transformation.

The programme multiplies generosity, turning every £1 invested into up to £154 of social value by significantly boosting wellbeing, life satisfaction, and hope in over 50 of the world's poorest countries.

As communities are equipped with new skills, faith is strengthened. People realise their potential and the programme creates a ripple effect, inspiring 92 per cent of people to feel capable of creating positive change in their own lives.