A new business for a better future
In the vibrant community of Narang, where Elianie, 28, lives, making a living is not easy. “The conditions of living in my community are harsh,” recognizes this courageous woman who has the mission to give food and educate five children alone. As a single mother, she cries every night and day because her husband does not care about the children. “My children are dying of hunger because I have nothing to take care of them,” she says with tears. It was painful to see her screaming only after remembering that she lives alone and has this huge charge to give food on her children’s plates.
Ysenailove is one of her children. The twelve-year-old girl suffers a lot from seeing her mother crying. “I don’t like to see her crying,” she tells us in a short visit we pay to the family. As a sponsored child, she would like to see a better day, and a better future for herself and for her entire family. “When I am hungry, I cry and am not happy, she explains. “A hungry child is an angry child,” as she described herself. Those challenging circumstances affect the mind of the child a lot.
Despite everything, Elianie stands in front of a little business every morning: she sells candies to the kids. “But it is not enough to take care of five children,” she says. How can I rent a house of 15,000 gourdes?” It’s impossible. But nevertheless, she continues to keep her business alive with hope and determination. “I don’t want my children to stay starving.”
A new horizon for Ysenailove
After discovering the situation of the poorest families in Narang, World Vision has set up a new Area program in 2023 to serve more than 1831 vulnerable families. The Christian organization has seen the potential of every child and work to transform their lives step by step in various Narang communities. “One of the World Vision intervention was to select the most vulnerable people that have the potential to do a little business,” added Ernande Augustin, a World Vision Sponsorship officer.
Sitting in a little chair in front of her small business, Elianie remembers her first meetings with the World Vision staff. “It was during one of our toughest times that World Vision came into our lives. They saw how much we have suffered and understood how we have struggled day after day”, says the courageous woman. "World Vision has provided my family a small business to take care of my children. This small business enables me to build on what I had and combat inflation and the soaring cost of basic necessities”, admits Elianie. “I have to hand over a portion to continue the program to other hunger-stricken communities after six months,” she highlights.
Today, Elianie has no words to describe the support, hope and faith the organization brings to her community. “Without World Vision's support, my small business would be dead," she says. And I wouldn't be able to restart my business. The business came at a good time," she says. “This activity helps my small business to resist the high cost of living and inflation, which is almost 50 percent," she says. This way, I can feed the children, and take care of my little girl, Ysenailove, " she continues.
Today, Ysenailove is really happy to go to school. She likes to read and draw. She declares: “Thanks to the business, my mother buy food for me.” By these words, her mother expresses what is from her heart: “I have no words to express my gratitude to World Vision”. “As they start well, I hope they will continue to do great work in my community”. “Even though my husband does not care for the children, I cherish the hopes of a better day for Ysenailove,” she concludes.