b'Vestine said of joining together with othersavings and income, they are more likely thanTOP LEFTImmacule women. Working in a group is importantmen to invest in education, health care andtending to her because you are able to borrow from the group,nutritious food for their families. animals at home. With access to which is very important compared to working asThrough the Abihuje group, Vestine receivedloans, she and an individual.training on good agricultural practices andthe other women have purchased Collaborating and saving as a group allows thefinancial literacy, including how to budget, savecows and land women to build trust and harness their collectiveand track expenses. With this knowledge and theto expand their potential, each womans contribution beingassurance of the group behind her, she took farms.multiplied by 30. With a group-powered savings- and repaidthe loans that enabled her toTOP RIGHTand-loan fund to draw from, the women cantransform her life, purchasing a cow to provideThe women work together in worry less about meeting their childrens basicmilk, supplies to grow more crops for income andtheir pyrethrum needs and pursue new income-generatingbuilding materials to construct a new house forfield on a misty opportunities in a way they couldnt do alone.herself and her four children. For the women, thismorning in Bugeshi.Joining the group has helped women in theis just the beginning: Five of the members have group gain self-confidence, Vestine explained.now opened bank accounts to formally save and A core component of Heifers work around theborrow on behalf of the group, giving each of the world is helping women form farmerswomen more purchasing power to buy what they cooperatives and self-help groups, like Vestines,need to build strong futures.through which they can participate in training,The situation [from] before joining the group partner in business and establish savings-and- has changed, Vestine said. My children are able loan agreements to support one anothersto get clothes, school materials and we eat well at ambitions. The impact of this is long-lasting, far- home without difficulty. It feels good. nreaching and global: When women have access to Coming together as women, saving together and borrowing to expand our economic activities or solve other problems was the basis for a transformational journey. VESTINE ICYIMANIZANYEHEIFER.ORG |19'