At 13, Eric Jeche values going to school with other students in his neighborhood in Zimbabwe. Unlike many of his peers, Eric pays for his own education.

Eric has lived with his grandmother since he lost his parents at a young age. But it’s not easy for his grandmother to pay for his school fees on top of their food, clothing, and other daily expenses, so Eric understands the value of money and work.

For those living on the vulnerable edge of poverty, just one unforeseen health crisis can set back their progress toward financial stability. The security they’ve worked so hard for can vanish in a moment. 

Dumel Fontaine is a husband and father of three living in Les Cayes, Haiti. He’s always been committed to providing for his family—yet as someone without sight, he’s also almost always been barred from doing so. “My situation was … very catastrophic because I didn’t have a job until now,” he says. “There wasn’t enough clothing and food.” Then, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Bosco and his neighbors faced a new wave of challenges. As schools and businesses shut down, he says, “People here in the community had lost hope.” 

Around the same time, a fellow church member invited Bosco to join a savings group and attend an agrifaith program through Sowers of HOPE—HOPE International’s discipleship ministry that equips farmers through savings groups to proclaim the Gospel through agriculture.