Dear Friend,

Last week, Five Talents was privileged to welcome Irene Nyambura, our Program Advisor for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to share about her experience working with Savings Groups in the DRC’s Aru region. 

The work that Irene and her team are doing in the DRC is critical and they need your help. An estimated 81% of the country’s population lives on less than $3 per person per day, which is the World Bank’s international threshold for extreme poverty. Illiteracy rates are also significantly high. The team reports that the Aru region has faced staggering challenges this year:

“In February, food was scarce and prices high. In April, heavy rains made many roads impassable. In May, intense heat destroyed agricultural produce, compounded by widespread anxiety about Ebola. The population was terrified. 

The security situation was also worrying at the beginning of the year. Crime increased, and traders were targeted. The border [with Uganda] was closed due to Ebola. The influx of South Sudanese refugees continues. Rebel troops continue to devastate the crops of the local population and sometimes block passage for people.”

Despite these extraordinary circumstances, Savings Groups in the DRC are thriving as they advance literacy, empower women leaders, foster peaceful collaboration, and launch sustainable businesses. With your support, Five Talents was able to start 60 literacy groups this year, where women like Rose begin their journey to becoming entrepreneurs. At our event last week, Irene shared Rose’s story:

“Two years ago, Rose’s husband became seriously ill, leaving her to care for him while also providing for their family. She faced an uncertain future. Without any education or training, she did not know where to turn. 

But she heard about some women being part of a Five Talents group and decided to try it. She learned to read and write. Through business skills training, she learned to farm not just for subsistence, but to grow produce specifically for the market. She learned how to calculate her inputs, price her goods, and keep simple records. Training also taught her about loans, building small capital, and reinvesting her profits.

Rose also mastered the intricate art of coffee trading and roasting. She purchased a few sacks of green coffee beans with a small loan from her savings group, roasted them at home, and sold them for a small profit, which she reinvested in her business. Over time, her business grew, and she used the earnings to build two rooms for rental income. 

Today, she is not just her husband’s caregiver; she is a provider, a farmer, a businesswoman, and a member of a supportive community of women. She is the pillar of her family.”

The program team and participants in Aru have shown tremendous courage, determination, and dedication. When asked how working with communities facing such challenges has transformed her, Irene offered a moving insight. She said that it is humbling to discover that even in the most challenging places, God is there. He is already at work. Our role is to bring our hearts, minds, and resources to collaborate with God’s project of transformation for those living in poverty. 

We simply cannot do this work without friends like you. We ask for your prayers and support at this critical time in the DRC. Please consider making a gift to help hope take root.

Thank you for equipping people — especially those living in fragile and conflict-affected regions — with tools, training, and a community that empowers them to build sustainable businesses and flourishing lives!