This week God has revealed to us why AWHI’s work is so important.

Today did not disappoint!

AWHI does more than fund microloans, we are relational. Today, we visited Kimironko Child Hope Center. The Center serves 232 kids from ages 3-9. We reunited with many children we have seen over the years. We visited 6 classrooms and each classroom shared what they have been learning.

We then met with 40 women who are ready to receive microloans. 20 of the 40 microloans were provided by One Church.

Microloans are given once a woman has an understanding of the importance of managing money, saving money and working together as a group. They will receive their microloans after they have completed the business skills training. AWHI cannot wait to hear their success stories next year.

After sharing a meal with the AHI team, we met to share ideas around sustainability of the microloan program managed by AHI from the perspective of an individual woman and the cooperative as a whole. AWHI’s role was to facilitate discussion and share ideas. We are not in a position to mandate rules or create a structure. How could we? What we know is that we work with a trusted partner and year after year we hear and see success stories.

By the end of the meeting, the AHI team landed on a 5 year plan that will 1) allow a woman to be self sufficient and no longer need microloans and 2) the cooperative will begin to provide their own microloans to new women that are ready to receive a microloan.

Bishop reminded us that “loving people more than yourself” is most important and love is shown by actions.

I reminded the teams that I am a simple woman from NH with no riches, doing the work that God has asked me to do. AWHI is HIS ministry, we are simply the voice, hands and feet.

Our day ended with a visit to Kimisagara to meet with the AWHI team’s Mission Life sponsor children. These visits are always special. It gives the sponsor child, their mom and the sponsor an opportunity to visit in person and hear what has been going on in their lives. Many have grown in just a year.

AWHI is headed to Uganda tomorrow. Please pray for the safety of the team. We cannot wait to see what God has in store for us in Uganda.

Heidi (Mutesi)