In the beautiful Surkhet Valley of Nepal, the main industry is agriculture, and most people work as field hands earning about 2 dollars a day. This is not a profession one can maintain into old age. So, it is customary for parents to be cared for by their oldest son and his family when they are no longer able to earn a wage. However, when the unthinkable happens and a son dies, there is little help for a family left without their main income provider.

This is the predicament Bhabilal and Tilsari faced. Being too old to do the hard labor of working in the fields, they had already settled into a life of helping around the house and caring for their grandchild when their son died unexpectedly. Their daughter-in-law remarried and moved away, leaving her daughter behind. Bhabilal and Tilsari lacked sufficient means to support their grandchild. All they had to their names was a small plot of land and a mud house.

That’s when Bhabilal and Tilsari applied for a micro loan from the HOPE Fund. They received a herd of four goats. This may not sound like much, but each of those goats can give birth once every six months, and their kids can be sold for $50 to $110 each. This becomes a small business for Bhabilal and Tilsari. If all of the goats give birth, in six months they increase their average daily income by anywhere from 55-120%.

This loan is making a noticeable difference in Bhabilal and Tilsari’s lives. They are now able to provide for their granddaughter and make a reasonable living for themselves. Rather than being controlled by poverty, Bhabilal and Tilsari are empowered to shape their own lives. This is the impact a small investment makes; we want to see it spread as HOPE grows.

To get involved in the work of the HOPE Fund, visit our Donate Page.