Dear Friend,

“I used to be beaten every day by my husband…”

“I was in an abusive relationship where I worked hard only for my hard-earned money to be taken by my husband. Following up with him only landed me a beating…"

“Before I was a bad husband and didn’t consult my wife about anything and even used to beat her… “ 

“I went to the church, and my husband used to fight against the program. He used to beat me…”

These are painful words to read from the women and men in our programs. While I’m grateful that their stories don’t end with these experiences, it grieves me that domestic violence is still such a common thread woven through the narratives of our entrepreneurs.

According to the UN Women Country Data for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, approximately 50.7% of partnered women (15-49) have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a partner at least once in their lifetime. In Uganda, lifetime prevalence of violence from an intimate partner is 56% (and is reported to be as high as 78% in some regions). Tragically, we can safely assume that all these statistics are an underrepresentation, as violence by someone known to the victim is grossly underreported.

Studies globally confirm that economic hardship is a strong predictor of intimate partner violence. Financial stress significantly increases household conflict, while economic dependence can trap women in abusive relationships. That’s why the work of Five Talents—equipping women and men with skills, savings groups, and small business opportunities—does more than alleviate poverty; it helps prevent violence by restoring dignity, stability, and mutual respect in homes.

As you may know, October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It’s sobering that we need to call attention to this issue, but I am grateful that the work of Five Talents is helping redeem areas of deep brokenness.

Because of your partnership, I can end with an encouraging quote from an entrepreneur from Burundi, Sabine, whose story we highlighted last week:

"Thanks to Five Talents, I went from being poor to being a woman of means. From being despised to being respected. From being hidden to becoming a decision-maker."

Thank you for your support of Five Talents so that Sabine—and many others—have a better story to tell. It has made all the difference.