“…not to upset the priest…”

Teguada(33), who is a dweller of Shumsheh kebele and a mother of two - a son and a daughter. Since May 2008, she has become a member of the Village Saving and Loan Group. Explaining how she joined the group, Teguada explains: "when we were trained and organized, we didn't expect to gain any benefit; rather we did it not to upset our advisor (the priest)." By using skills gained from the training, she has continued to be involved in saving and loan activities, and now does six savings in two groups by saving 68 Birr monthly; she raises 60 birr for Ikub as well.

Before Securing 500 Birr from saving dividend to engage in informal trading activities, she was taking part in Safety Net Program contributing in labor along with her husband. She recalls the bitter experience she had due to landlessness and the ups and downs that her husband and she went through to be self sufficient. Their ambition to change their situation through hard work has motivated them to strive more. With the initial capital of 500 Birr, she has run small business in various rural small markets. After resolving his financial problem to buy and secure seed, her husband harvested garlic, onion, pepper and other marketable products by joining hands with those who own irrigable land. As a result of this, they have liberated themselves from worrying too much as to how to raise their children, as Teguada remarks.

Teguada is doing her best to make good use of the loan she took. Last year, she gained more than 1700 Birr by cultivating lentils from a 200 Birr loan. Teguada has produced onion and garlic guesstimated around 3500.00 Birr. While she is selling the onion, she has stored the garlic anticipating better prices. In addition, she has purchased and stored different crops worth 4000 Birr to make money selling them in the future at a better price.

Currently, Teguada has saved 2000 Birr from all sources. She has also built her own house in Shumsheh ceasing to live in a rental house. She has raised her capital to 1700 Birr by buying a donkey to transport her goods to various market places. Collaborating with her husband and generating income from small businesses and irrigation activity, she has also owned an ox, two cows and a donkey with its colt.

Explaining about the support of her husband, she says: "he is diligent, positive and honest; he is quite happy with my financial management. He is the one to manage transporting goods bought for profit from distant places." Teguada plans to open a shop in the near future by increasing her working capital.

Community Village Saving and Loan which was initiated in March 2008 has been scaled up in other areas of the region. Lasta Lalibela ORDA/Plan Village Saving and Loan Project is the one that scaled earlier best practices gained in Lay Gayint. Currently, about 1267 Village Saving and Loan Groups comprised of 21775 members have been established and are functional. Excluding their dividends, the groups have accumulated 2,442,724 Birr and enabled 20158 borrowers/10507 are women/ to loan. This paved the way for members to have access to loan to engage in various income generating activities and improve their livelihood. Among the Village Saving and Loan Groups' members who could bring about better change, Teguada Chanie is one.

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