FH celebrates International Women’s Day!
Join the celebration and learn about FH’s work with girls
and women
On March 8, the world will celebrate International Women’s Day, a day dedicated to the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.
What does this day mean to faithful partners like you?
On that day, take a moment to remember that you’re helping develop the God-given potential of poverty-stricken women around the world. Women working with FH are overcoming obstacles through God’s grace and power. From becoming entrepreneurs to overcoming gender-based violence—your support is making a difference in the lives of girls and women.
Mukankusi Anathalia is one such woman. Living in the Bugesera District of Rwanda, Mukankusi lived day-to-day with three adopted, malnourished children. She did not know where their next meal would come from. They lived without any shelter.
FH began a program called, “kitchen gardens,” or backyard gardening. It helped impoverished women feed their families and sell produce for income. A kitchen garden is ideal for dry regions because they are filled with kitchen wastes, like vegetables and other compost materials. They require very little maintenance and remain humid with less watering.
The compost provides an abundance of nutrients. The produces grows vigorously.
Mukankusi successfully started a kitchen garden and began selling her vegetables in the market. With her profits, she applied for a small business loan and bought her own house.
Her three adopted children now have permanent shelter and are no longer malnourished.
With your help, Mukankusi has overcome a dire obstacle and is now an empowered businesswoman with the ability to provide for her family. That calls for a worldwide celebration.
Your purchase and Azizi Life empowers women
Rwandan company empowers women
Have you ever borrowed a cup of sugar from your neighbor? Maybe some milk?
Imagine knocking on your neighbor’s door every day asking for food to feed your family or perhaps, borrowing money to pay your mortgage.
For most women in the countries Food for the Hungry works, this is not an imagined scenario. Many have to ask their neighbors every day for life’s basic needs – shelter, food and water.
God’s love and your partnership, helped these women become thriving businesswomen.
FH partnered with the Rwandan government in 2007 to promote small businesses. Through the partnership, FH trained participants, predominantly impoverished women, how to read, create business plans and apply for bank loans.
Rwandan women combined this new knowledge with their artisanal, handcrafting skills and began selling their hand-made crafts and jewelry. FH continued facilitating business and income growth by connecting them to the global market.
And this was how Azizi Life was born.
Azizi Life is a Rwandan marketing and export company that helps rural artists of Rwanda sell their handmade products to a wider global market. Since its initial creation, Azizi Life has now become an independent business. When you buy Azizi Life products, you’re helping women get paid a fair wage to support their families and contribute to their communities.
Christi Whitekettle, FH staff in Rwanda, works with these craft makers, “It’s really beautiful to see that the women are not only bringing more wholeness to their families, but they have become influential contributors in their communities and are growing in their capacity to show the love of Jesus.”
Women helping women – the FH way
A sponsor shares her experience with supporting Bangladeshi women
What do a Bangladeshi burlap bag maker and a psychotherapist from Northern California have in common?
Both women have come together through FH’s Women of Action program for a single purpose – helping Bangladesh women realize their full potential and experience freedom from poverty.
Women of Action, a program dedicated to helping women through learning and savings groups, is built upon biblical values that teach women about livelihood, savings, stewardship, legal rights, parenting and health.
Lynne Mystzal, long-time supporter and sponsor for FH, began her involvement with Women of Action because of her passion and commitment to positively influence women.
“My direction has been to focus on women because they have such a dramatic influence on the family as a whole,” she says.
After joining Women of Action, Lynne traveled to Bangladesh to meet with women she supports. That’s when she met a woman, who was in a savings group, who touched her heart. She was a widow with three sons. Through her learning and savings group, this woman learned the skill of making burlap bags and the skills needed to open a small business.
“ When visiting her, seeing the glow of accomplishment and strength of her family, both physically and emotionally, was
overwhelming,” Lynne says.
Lynne is a strong supporter of Women of Action and is committed to raise awareness for its efforts. Sharing stories and talking about the successes and the needs of the program have become daily habits for Lynne.
As we celebrate women around the world on International Women’s day, we thank Lynne and people like you who support Women of Action.
Your support transforms women and families
A story of overcoming gender-based violence
When caring partners like you support the efforts of Food for the Hungry, not only are girls and women transformed, but so are the hearts of their families.
In Nueva Jerusalem, Peru, Ethel was an active health promoter in her community. She earned steady income for the family and raised three daughters with her husband.
But unfortunately, Ethel’s life took a turn for the worse. Her husband, Edwin, began drinking excessively and started mistreating the family. Ethel knew her children would learn to accept this treatment as normal. She became depressed and withdrew from her community’s health project initiatives.
Because of your generous support, FH was able to intervene.
Through regular home visits, FH/Peru staff provided specialized intervention and counseled the family for several months. The therapy started with just Ethel, progressed to Ethel and Edwin and then to the family as a whole.
The family was taught various themes such as respecting each other, such as being created under God’s image, love between couples, caring for children, family violence legal issues and the consequences of alcoholism.
Although a slow process, most importantly it created lasting change for Ethel and her family.
They now understand each other and understand their individual family roles. They have accepted and are learning about God’s love.
Ethel has not only resumed her role as a health promoter, but has been chosen as president of the committee handling the community’s new preschool construction project.
Thank you for supporting long-term transformation cases like Ethel’s and her girls. Your faithful prayers and support make stories like this possible.
