BURUNDI – According to the UNHCR (the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees), 99% of the 85,200 refugees and asylum seekers living in Burundi come from the neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo (UNHCR, 2024). This was the story for Saidi Sango living in the Kavumu camp in Burundi. Life was difficult as a refugee, and resources were often scarce.

SOUTH ASIA – For Akash and Anika, the road to a safe home and healthy family has not been easy. They experienced shame and were mocked for their poor living conditions. Living in a small hut, all they had for a roof was a tarp that left them exposed to winds and heavy rains. They had to build fires to prepare meals for their family, and often could only find wet wood for cooking. “We used to live [in] a very filthy hut surrounded by rats and snakes for the past 12 years. We faced many struggles.” Grateful to find work laboring in a rock quarry in South Asia, this couple knows how hard life can be. 

RWANDA – Having once struggled to feed his family on an inconsistent income, Faustin is now flourishing. As a welder, he took work as it came but dreamed of expanding his business. His family was known as a poor family in their community when he was introduced to Urwego (HOPE’s microfinance institution in Rwanda) in 2012.