Financial hardship plagued 25-year-old Geline* from Haiti. The little income she made from her roadside cosmetics stand seemed to slip through her fingers. She struggled to keep enough money on hand to buy the supplies she needed to keep her little store stocked. In addition to cash flow for her business, Geline needed money to help support her growing little family. What could she do to help make ends meet?
SALT in Haiti
One day she heard that a program called SALT was coming to their area. As many Haitians do, she likely wondered what benefits she could get from SALT. Maybe they would give her food or perhaps hand out cash for her business. At the first meeting where the SALT program was introduced, she learned the program would not be giving handouts. Instead, she would learn how to save and manage money. She also would learn the importance of applying the principles of God’s Word in everyday life. Hope rose within her. Perhaps this was the answer to the challenge of trying to make a living. In December 2011 Geline joined the new SALT Savings Group.
Eleven years later…
Eleven years later Geline looks back. God has been good. From the collective savings of her savings group, she took out a $150 loan to start a business selling fresh goat meat. ”With SALT I was able to launch this business,” said Geline. “Before SALT, I struggled to find capital to operate even a small business in cosmetics.”
When asked about the SALT teaching at the savings group meetings, she replied, ”I like the lessons because they are so practical. The facilitators take time to explain them well.”
Gangs and violence make life difficult in Haiti. It is dangerous to travel for fear of being robbed. Gas costs $15 to $20 a gallon. This is driving up the prices of food and other necessities. Because of these challenges, many missions were forced to leave Haiti. Thankfully the SALT program has been able to continue under the guidance of Haitian facilitators and managers. Many like Geline express their thankfulness to God for the opportunity and hope SALT has brought to their communities.
*Name is changed to protect identity.
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