Nothing is Impossible with God 2024

Written by: Heidi Kittredge

Every year it becomes more evident as to why AWHI was created and the team that has come alongside this mission.

14 days, 12 days in country, 17 women cooperatives, 203 microloans, 3 savings bonuses.

This team was pushed again and was also challenged with return travel difficulties, including an overnight stay in Istanbul, a mechanical issues on the plane in NY and lost baggage in Boston. They did it with courage, strength, faith and grace. The dates for next year’s trip are penciled in on the calendar.

Fellowship and relationships is core to what we do. This was the year to reunite with old friends and hear success stories and meet new friends and hear their challenges and God qualifying the call which was done through an ordination ceremony.

We visited 9 cooperatives that received a savings bonus either in 2022 or 2023. The savings bonus expands capital (goods to sell) and increases women’s personal savings and a cooperative’s savings. The cooperatives use  the group’s savings in various ways: community support programs (for example purchasing a mattress for a family in need); contribution towards church needs (a ceiling), extending mircoloans within the group or purchasing health insurance for members of a cooperative that are in need.

We also meet 8 new cooperative groups. We are excited to see what the women will accomplish in a year.

All the women we met displayed faith, strength, courage,  confidence, will, hard work and their trust in God.

The Congolese women have a hard life, yet their love for Jesus allows them to continue to stand strong and confident with a hope for a better life.

As we have done in the past, the team helps meet other needs through our personal funds, this year, we paid 4 teacher salaries for one year (Rweru -3; Runhango -1); 1 day of lost work (Bwiru); 10 bags of rice and 10 bags of cornflour equals 3 months of food for the women that fled Goma while they get started with their business skills training and get their small business up and running, and funds for the women in Musanze to purchase more capital for their businesses.

Thank you to everyone that followed AWHI daily trip blogs. The Team spends long days in the field and then returns to write daily blogs. The blogs are thoughtful and well written as there is so much to process in any given day. Hope the blogs gave you an opportunity to see and experience Rwanda. Thank you to Team!

We would like to thank our Rwandan family and team. God’s work cannot be done without a planner/organizer/leader, interpreters, and driver.

Thank you to all our partners/donors. We can not do what we do without your support.

If your heart directs you to help the women of Africa and partner with Africa Women’s Hope Initiatives, Visit: awhi.org