There was once a time when Eric’s family was trapped in a cycle of poverty. 

His family shared their house with their livestock and had no water for sanitation or washing dishes. Farming was their lifeline, but outdated farming methods led to poor harvests. Without money to feed their family, they suffered from hunger, chronic sickness, isolation, and despair.

Eric and his siblings struggled in school and were on the same path as the other boys in their community: dropping out of school at 14-years-old to earn money at the local mines. 

This reality is all he knew from a young age as a child in Burundi. That is, until they invited FH to walk alongside their family. 

It all began with a Cascade savings group which introduced Eric’s family to basic practices for staying healthy. They learned to build latrines, use compost, start a kitchen garden, use mosquito nets, boil drinking water, and wash their hands.  

With time, their confidence grew. Self-empowerment broke the cycle of poverty in more ways than one.

“My personal life has changed tremendously because now I have a clear direction for my family's development,” Eric’s father shared. “Physically, all family members are healthy thanks to the behavioural changes we've adopted through FH. Emotionally, we are balanced because we now live with hope of producing and developing, whereas before, we were in despair. Spiritually, we have made God the centre."

“My personal life has changed tremendously because now I have a clear direction for my family's development,” Eric’s father shared.

Today, Eric dreams of reaching a high level of education and starting a good job. He takes initiative in his education and spreads the impact to his classmates by organizing study sessions.

But the change didn't stop there. Eric’s community also received resources like clean water, better education, and improved local leadership. Today, they’re thriving and eager to walk alongside other families, just as they themselves were helped.

Eric (left) is a diligent student and enjoys going to school.

“We had expected to receive everything from FH,” Eric’s father said, “But I eventually realized that FH helped us become self-sufficient through training and by providing basic support, such as animals, seeds, and infrastructure.”

It’s transformation like this that is made possible by the steady, reliable support of Journey Partners. With the support of a community of monthly donors in Canada, Eric’s community could walk the long road out of poverty. They knew the support they needed was there every step along the way.

As a Journey Partner, your monthly commitment gives Eric’s family, and other families like his, the confidence to make the journey from poverty to possibility.

Join the Journey