The village of Colama is only accessible by a bumpy gravel road and sits on the edge of the Nicaraguan mountains. In April 2023, a SALT Savings Group began in this village. Members of Colama’s savings group are learning to save and invest money and to look beyond their present circumstances to set and meet goals.
A woman named Azucena is a part of this savings group. Her face lit up when she was asked how SALT helped her. “SALT has helped me save and improve our living conditions,” she shared. Azucena is using loans from the savings group to add two bedrooms to the house where she lives with her husband and four of their children. She added, “More than just the financial teaching, I appreciate the spiritual teaching we receive.”
In the nearby community of Tieso Alto is another SALT Savings Group. Reina is a member of this group. Not long before she joined the savings group in January 2023, Reina’s husband passed away. Reina supports herself from her little store, where she sells eggs, drinks, snacks, and other basic items. With $163 in loans from her group’s collective savings, Reina purchased more supplies to expand the
inventory in her store. She repaid her loans and is using her store’s income to pay back money she still owes for her husband’s funeral expenses. Reina says, “I have been blessed by the help that SALT has been financially, as well as the spiritual teaching we receive.”
The role of SALT facilitators
National facilitators play a vital role in the success of SALT Savings Groups. These Christian men are the direct link between the SALT program and group members. They visit savings groups regularly, provide financial guidance and Biblical teaching, and follow up with members as they put the SALT teaching to practice. Many of these men would rather be a blessing and a witness than make a lot of money.
Carlos, a Nicaraguan facilitator, had the opportunity to accept a higher salary job several times. He expressed some of the reasons he chose to continue working with SALT instead. He meets many people daily and is able to share his passion with them—salvation in Jesus Christ. Watching the Bible change people helps him grow as well. He said, “SALT provides an environment for spiritual and moral development and not just economic development.”
Thank you for your support, which equips both SALT facilitators to help their own people and SALT members to provide for their families.
