HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year!! What a great start to the year we had. Although new years day in NZ was rainy, I received a wonderful update from Joshua about more women on the microfinance programme, who have seen such a huge benefit to their lives in the last few months of 2015. Nothing is better than seeing people empowered to support themselves and their families. This is our aim at Kids First: to value others as Christ does, thus empowering them to make the most of the opportunities we can offer to help benefit themselves, their family, and their community. 

So without further ado, let me introduce you to another amazing woman, mother, and grandmother, who is starting 2016 with a brand new outlook and a positive attitude. Let's hope we can all be so enthusiastic this January, and carry it through to the end of the year. And remember, if you haven't yet decided to support or sponsor through us or any other organisation, I strongly encourage you to do so this year. A small amount may change a life, and even a family (our microfinance loans are about NZD45/USD30, and yet families are reaping huge rewards from the boost they give).
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Microfinance Success Story 5: 

NAME: Elizabeth Nanyunja

Age:     56 years
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Elizabeth is a widow with seven children and eight grandchildren.

Elizabeth is one of the leaders in Kids First. She has been with us since the start of the organisation.

Below is what she had to say about the microfinance project. 


“Becoming a widow at a very young age with a young family, I was so desperate to find help from a number of organisations so that I could keep my children in school and get them food to eat.

Unfortunately most of the help I was getting was handouts so ended up going back and forth for help. I was so pleased when I joined Kids First because from the start it was helping us to lead self-sustainable lives.

Through craft we can make money that can help us meet our needs and when the micro-finance came in it just empowered us all the more. I lost one of my daughters to HIV/AIDS, leaving behind four orphans that I had to take care of. Three of these children are on medication which is free but it requires proper feeding [people with HIV are prone to nutritional problems and need greater attention on a balanced diet]  which is so costly especially if you have a big family to take of.

I am happy that with the microfinance I have enlarged my income base and feeding my sick grandchildren is no longer a challenge. I cannot stop smiling because I am now so sure that with proper feeding I will be able to see them live for a longer time. Thanks a lot Kids First for not giving us fish but for helping us fish for ourselves.”
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