Hope empowers, inspires, and transforms—lighting the way through life’s challenges. But without it, the future seems dim, dreary and overwhelming.
Bugiri, Uganda – Uthman constantly struggled to pay school fees for his fifteen children. As a Muslim, he feared even being seen associating with Christians, and the tension in his home felt palpable. His family members viewed him as lazy and incapable of providing for the family. Despite his best efforts to grow beans and peanuts, the erratic weather made it an uphill battle. Sometimes, the rain would stop for weeks. Then, when rain returned, it would often flood his garden, destroying the crops his family depended on.
After years of turmoil, Uthman decided to put aside his fears. He reached out to a pastor in Bugiri and was welcomed into the Fathers’ Club at the church. Soon after, Uthman joined the Savings for Life group. Through the Fathers’ Club, Uthman learned the importance of saving, and he was encouraged to always set aside a little money for an emergency. This simple shift in mindset began to transform his life.
A Shift in Mindset = A Brighter Future
He shared: “The fathers encouraged me to find an alternative income. They helped me to realize what was around me. I began buying soft drinks and supplying them to people in our community that had any celebrations.”
Uthman recognized the lack of drink vendors in Bukaye Village, about 9 miles from Bugiri, where wholesale traders rarely go. Seeing an opportunity to fill this gap, he decided to step in and provide a solution.
Uthman recalled: “I have benefited from the knowledge I received through the Fathers’ Club and Savings for Life Club. After a year of saving, I was able to raise enough money to buy materials to build the building that holds my business. I had the plot before but no money to build it. But when I kept saving, the men trusted me enough and gave me loans several times to complete the structure. After that, I got another loan and topped up to bring my first consignment of drinks.”
Uthman has fully paid off all his loans and now runs a successful and thriving business.
He concluded: “I am proud that I have an alternative income that supports my family and engages my free time. I used to be redundant after work in the garden, but now my shop keeps me busy. I am primarily a farmer, but at midday every day, I come here to run the shop. My family is happy because we can meet our needs as they arise, and at times of emergencies such as an illness, I can go to the Club to get money to meet the emergency. I have never met Bright Hope directly, but your impact is helping my family, so we are grateful as a community.”
Plant Hope Today
God works in mysterious ways, penetrating even the hardest hearts. As we love our neighbors with our words and actions, we plant gospel seeds that God can grow into enduring faith. Please join us as we pray for Uthman and his family. We hope to one day welcome his entire family into God’s eternal family.
As you pray, please consider partnering with Bright Hope to expand programs like Father’s Clubs and Savings for Life Clubs in impoverished communities. Your generous year-end gift can empower churches and families around the world to break the cycle of extreme poverty!
Join us by December 31st and equip poor families to leave extreme poverty behind: brighthope.org/give.
