Twenty years of experience tells us that crisis—like the coronavirus pandemic—disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to a radically loving response. Our message to the men and women we serve is “We are with you in this.”
Sign up to pray for families as they rebuild.
Twenty years of experience tells us that crisis—like the coronavirus pandemic—disproportionately impacts the most vulnerable.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to a radically loving response. Our message to the men and women we serve is “We are with you in this.”
People living in poverty are resilient, but this year, they face a choice: hold onto dreams of progress for their families and communities—or let the panic of survival snuff their dreams out.
We’re committed to showing up to stand with these men and women—to share the joy of the Gospel, celebrate their God-given dignity and potential, and help them rebuild their dreams.
Nearly complete
Though we’ve never directly supported relief efforts before, this moment presented uniquely dire challenges for those we serve.
We worked with local churches, partners, and local leaders to distribute food, face masks, and soap to vulnerable families affected by sudden unemployment, market shutdowns, and travel restrictions.
In progress
Especially while economies are hampered by full or partial lockdowns, we’re offering a “stimulus package” to the business owners we serve through microfinance institutions—including loan rescheduling, grace periods, and flexibility—so they can withstand the first major wave of challenges.
In progress and upcoming
As global communities open back up, business owners will need more capital to rebuild what has been lost. Rather than close their doors, as so many will around the world, the business owners we serve will have tools to stabilize their finances and move forward.
We’re also working to understand the needs of the church-centered savings groups in our network. We want to support them in working and saving together to both meet immediate needs and rebuild toward their dreams.
$460 is the average loan size for a microfinance entrepreneur in the HOPE network. As businesses reopen, we’ll be there, providing capital and support for entrepreneurs as they face challenges and seize new opportunities.
Many men and women we serve have become powerful agents of change and generosity in their communities. Let’s invest in them so they can meet pressing needs in their neighborhoods.
Eckness spent years building up her daycare business in Malawi—and funds from her church-centered savings group were a big help. The pandemic forced her to close her business for months. Her landlord still required regular rent payments, but she had no income to make them.
For years before the pandemic, Eckness had been cherishing a dream: to expand her daycare into a primary school. Weeks into lockdown, she said,
“My dreams are still the same. What is holding me back is my financial status, but I am hoping on God that one day this dream will come true.”
At HOPE International, as we consider events, our primary concern is the health and safety of our attendees. We will continue to monitor and adhere to federal and state guidelines for all in-person events. Please contact our experience team if you have any questions or concerns before registering for an in-person event. Learn more about HOPE's global COVID-19 response here.
The HOPE Poverty Simulation is temporarily paused due to COVID-19. We look forward to running simulations as quickly as it is safe to do so. If you have questions, or would like to inquire about how and when you might bring the simulation to your area, please email Kelly at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Learn more about HOPE's global COVID-19 response here.
As we plan HOPE Trips, our primary concern is the safety of trip participants and the men and women we serve. We’re currently planning 2021 HOPE Trips to the Dominican Republic and are working closely with HOPE’s COVID-19 response team to monitor CDC and local guidelines and ensure an experience that’s as safe and meaningful as possible. Our HOPE Trips team will continue to follow the developing situation and update this page regularly.
“I initially thought that by the time the indefinite lockdown would come to end, there would be very little of the savings group ministry left,” says Tom Rakabopa at HOPE Zimbabwe. Watch his update on how savings groups are persevering.
In 2020, business survival is all about the “pivot.” Through coronavirus lockdowns and shifting customer needs, many of the entrepreneurs we serve are mastering the business pivot to provide for their families and communities.
We asked several leaders from around the HOPE network—Rwanda, the Dominican Republic, and Paraguay—to share how they are coming alongside the men and women we serve as they recover losses related to COVID-19 lockdowns and re-open their businesses.
We lament the pain we see around the world, but we do not lose hope. As you watch this three-minute video, pray with us for the families we serve, the HOPE network, and the Church as together we face this global pandemic.
Each month, we send out a list of prayer requests from around the world to a group of dedicated supporters who partner with us through faithful prayer. Will you join us?
At HOPE International, we invest in the dreams of families in the world’s underserved communities as we proclaim and live the Gospel.
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