Lakech's story proves SHGs are a powerful tool to eradicate poverty!

This past Saturday, October 17, the world commemorated the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty with the United Nations declaring the 2020 theme of #EndPoverty Day as “Acting together to achieve social and environmental justice for all”.

Accordingly, today, we emphasize the continued efforts needed to eliminate extreme poverty while celebrating SHGs as an essential tool in lifting rural women and their communities out of poverty. Lakech’s story highlights the role of SHGs in ensuring the equality of women as active  contributors and decision-makers in the social and economic sphere of their communities. 

Lakech was skeptical when she first joined a Self Help Group. She didn’t know what to expect. She already had a group of female friends and didn’t understand the need for getting together with a whole other group of women. However, once Lakech joined her Self Help Group, she was pleasantly surprised that the group was designed for women to seek a better economic future. Her SHG forced her to go outside of her comfort zone as she quickly started learning about business. In her experience, women's groups usually discussed only domestic house related topics. So Lakech was happy to join a group where the women discuss growth and business opportunities as well as practice their saving habits. Today, Lakech is most proud of the fact that she can send her children to school without having any financial trouble. 

We hope you continue supporting women like Lakech as they break the cycle of poverty for their families and their communities! 

Video Credit: Mary Olive Smith
                       Director & Cinematographer
                       Emmy Award-winning Director for Walk to Beautiful 
 

Photo Credit:  Martha Tadesse @marthinolly