The college I attend held a Hunger Symposium last month. It created awareness of the problems of hunger in our communities. We live in a world that produces enough food for everybody and in a country that wastes food. In my opinion, hunger should not be a problem. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, […]
Open Hands is considering a savings group program in the African country of Ethiopia. We have had some conversations with a possible partner organization in Ethiopia. Help Self Help Samaritan Development Association is an organization that works with the Mennonite churches in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a country with great needs and a lack of organizations […]
Earlier this year Lyndon Swarey and Darin Hershberger conducted a feasibility study for a savings group program in El Salvador. There was a good response from the church leaders and church members in El Salvador for a savings group program there. We have received board approval and will be moving ahead with hiring a national […]
Often in mission newsletters and the media, Haitians are portrayed as hungry, hurting, and helpless. This perception of the people of a nation has led to multi-generational dependence on outside aid. This has led to despair and a feeling that without outside aid things cannot change. However, nothing could be further from the truth! Haiti […]
Definition of Conflict: Disagreement, contradiction, variance, opposition Part of the leadership training we do with savings group leaders is how to deal with conflicts in savings groups. It can be difficult for groups to work together because they have not developed conflict resolution skills. When there is a problem between group members they may want […]
In July 2015, I was in Kenya for a staff training. This training was for our new staff as well as a refresher training for the staff that had been with Open Hands for several years. As part of the training, I covered the four key relationships (man with God, others, himself, and creation). As […]
Though I have never been a savings group member, perhaps I will be able to describe what life is like from a member’s perspective in Kenya. Imagine that you would have a low, erratic income and with this income you would struggle to feed, clothe and educate your family. Also throughout your lifetime you would […]
Anabaptist Financial’s two-fold mission is to provide faith-based financial services and stewardship teaching. Prior to the formation of Open Hands, Anabaptist Financial exercised its twofold mission solely among conservative Anabaptist people in the United States. Compared to the US, Anabaptists in underdeveloped countries have limited financial services available to them. Anabaptist Financial’s board developed a […]
Open Hands Transitions to an Independent Organization Read More »
Often, when I thought of microfinance whether it was savings groups or microcredit (loans), I would picture someone with a small business and this person using the loan he had received from the group or the MFI to invest in a business. This person would use the loan for something that would hopefully earn them […]
Savings Groups Help To Provide Financial Services Read More »
Kenya, as you may have heard, is a beautiful country full of many contrasts. It has a beautiful tropical coastline, a 17,057 ft. tall mountain, lush farmland, dry wasteland, modern cities and primitive villages. For many years, the rich and poor have lived together in this land. Recently there has been an increase in the […]
