This update we meet two amazing ladies who have recently received their first micro-loans through Bridge of Hope, Action Against Poverty's partner in Manado, giving them the opportunity to turn their lives around.

Hana is the name of a new loan group, consisting of 9 ladies who all run small family businesses in a poor area of Manado.

Mrs. Deity was expecting her 2nd child, when 3 years ago her house, where she also ran a beauty salon and kiosk, was burnt down because of a short circuit. Tragically the fire also consumed her 3-year-old niece. Slowly, with her husband's irregular income as a construction labourer, the family started all over again and worked on rebuilding their home.

Mrs. Deity is using her first A$45 loan to help rebuild her beauty salon business so that she can contribute to the family's income to improve their life and better care for her now 3 and 6 year old children.
 
Mrs. Yuliana is the eldest member of the Hana loan group. This energetic 64-year-old grandma still keeps herself up-to-date with current affairs for she never misses reading the local daily newspaper. Having been a widow for 26 years, she now lives with her eldest son.

In the past, she used to be a teacher but the government closed down where she worked. In order to survive, she started to sell vegetables, and for the past 40 years, she has been a vegetable vendor, working laboriously from 5am to 2pm each day. She is optimistic that her first micro-loan of A$45 will enable her to stock up with a greater variety of produce, giving her the opportunity to help pay for her grandchildren's education.

These ladies are just 2 examples of the now 469 family businesses that you, the community of Manly, are supporting by providing an opportunity for them to help themselves out of poverty and gain self-respect and dignity.

What a privilege it is, for us to provide a future of hope to such amazing people through our partnership.