Hello again to you all. We trust the beginning of the year has been a good one for you and we are excited to be able to bring you some news straight from Manado.

Since our Manly-Manado Community Partnership launched last September '05, together as a community we have raised sufficient funds to help support 425 families out of poverty through micro enterprise programs (offering small family business loans, training and development) run by Bridge of Hope in Manado.

The fantastic news is that to date 140 small family business owners are already in the 1st stage of this program in client groups averaging 20 in number. Another 180 are in preliminary sessions, preparing to join the program, which will be instrumental in helping to transform their lives and alleviate their family's poverty.

Sehati (meaning 'One Heart') is one such new client group, formed on 27th January this year. It has 21 lady members whose small businesses include selling clothes, selling home-made bakery products, running a kiosk selling staple foods, running a canteen and selling fresh fish. This group is already a star performer - by its 3rd week Sehati had managed to pool a group saving of IDR869,000 (approx. AUD128). This will be the first savings ever made for many of them and will be managed for the benefit of the group members when they or their businesses are in further need.
 
The Sehati group members talk of the already visible benefits of joining the Bridge of Hope program:
"Many of us are now free from loan sharks"
"The stringent group rules have built our characters in the area of responsibility and honesty"
"We have learnt many new skills" e.g. book keeping, administration and group management
"We are able to make savings"
"We work together as a team in our community"
Over the next few months and years, the Sehati client group will continue to be guided and mentored through stages of transformation, overseen by the committed and dedicated Bridge of Hope Project Officer, Agustina Panjaitan.
 
Mrs. Sarlota Yohanis is a 64-year-old grandmother who makes her living from selling fresh fish. She is a member of the Sehati client group.

Sarlota gets up at 3 a.m. each morning to buy fresh fish from fishermen and then on sells them at her local market until midday. In addition, in the afternoon, she sells ready-to-cook fresh fish at home. This hard-working grandmother earns a net income of only IDR30,000 per day (approx. A$4). As the sole source of income for her family, she supports her husband who is ill and her 2 school aged grandchildren, whose father passed away 12 years ago.

"The available funds enable me to afford more fish and seasonings. Since I have more to sell, I can earn more too. I want to support my grandchildren through school so that they can have better lives," says Sarlota. "I am also able for the first time to save IDR5,000 per week (approx. A$0.70) ."

Over the coming months we will continue to update you with stories of families in Manado who are being helped out of poverty through your partnership with them.

Wishing you all well.