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Two years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Senayda a mother of three young children, living in rural Honduras, near the city of Puerto Cortes.
After driving around for hours and struggling to find her location due to road closures in town we finally reached her and had the opportunity to hear her story:
To be able to start my business, I went to many financial institutions to get a loan. They would take one look at me and would not give me a loan. They would not consider my experience. Just my appearance would make them reject me.
The Fight to End Poverty
Since meeting Senayda, I have thought of her story very often. Financial inclusion is at the crux of what Opportunity International Canada does in our mission to end poverty. There is a reason why 97% of our clients are women. That is, they often lack the experience, the education, and the collateral to secure even a small loan to start or grow their business. They are, in essence, excluded from financial markets.
Yet, in many parts of the world, women are the hard-working leaders of their homes, working with grit and determination to put food on the table for themselves and their children, to keep them in school, and to provide a future for them. But in places like rural Honduras, hard work often is not enough. Without access to finances, training, and support, these women and their families are in a perpetual cycle of poverty, fighting for survival. In such life circumstances, what are their dreams? Their answers are not unlike my own. They hope for joy, health, and a brighter future for their children.
Ending extreme poverty can seem like an insurmountable task. How can I, as an individual, truly make a difference in such a vast issue? With commitment and consistency, it happens one client at a time.
Small Steps, Big Impact
10 years ago, Peter Thorpe, an avid hiker and friend of OIC, decided that rather than hike hundreds of miles for fun, as he normally would, he could set out and raise funds for clients like Senayda. Using his commitment, determination, and consistency, for the benefit of others, he initiated Walking People Out of Poverty. So far, he has helped raise over $500,000 to provide a pathway out of poverty for thousands living in extreme poverty, to leave poverty behind for good.
This year, to honour this legacy, we’re broadening the reach of Walking People Out of Poverty and inviting people like you to walk, bike, hike, and run people out of poverty. Whatever your passion, use it to fuel your own fundraiser, either individually or with a team of friends, family, or coworkers.
This summer, I’m setting out to accomplish my own dream of running my first marathon. And though it takes a lot of hard work, determination, and perseverance, it is commitment and consistency that will help me achieve it. On this journey, I’ll be raising funds from friends and family for the work of Opportunity International Canada. I invite you to do the same.
Senayda is now the proud owner of multiple small businesses. She had a dream and all she needed was a hand-up in the form of financial inclusion. Now, her children are in school and she involves them in the family businesses. They no longer wonder where their next meal will come from. They have a solid roof above their heads, and they’re gaining an education and learning entrepreneurial skills from their mother, so that they too, one day, can build a future for their own children, filled with hope and joy.
Your Role
I invite you to join me, Peter, and many others in this global fight to end poverty. What can you do to help people leave poverty behind with dignity and purpose, for good?
This August, join us by walking, running, hiking, or cycling people out of poverty. Visit walkingpeopleoutofpoverty.com for more information on how to set up your own personal fundraiser and help us provide a brighter future for someone like Senayda and her children.