Mercy, now an upcoming business lady, lost her parents when she and her brother were very young. Their grandparents took them in but as in many cases in developing countries, the grandparents were unable to provide for the children, even the basic things. Mercy, now 26 years old remembers how far God has brought her: “ I remember I used to go to school barefooted because there was no money to buy shoes. Having one meal a day, either breakfast or lunch, was a problem. Life became very difficult, and our grandparents could not sustain us in school.” The two children were then introduced to Tumaini by a board member. Mercy was sponsored by Mary   J., and she went on to complete elementary, high school and college, graduating with a Diploma in business management from Kenya College of Accountancy (KCA). Today, Mercy is a proud owner of a pharmaceutical shop. After graduating college, Mercy worked in the formal sector, but she had her eyes set on starting her own business. From her employment she managed to save 80% of the capital that she needed to launch the business. For the remaining 20% she applied for and got $200 through the Tumaini microfinance program. Mercy’s business has been a success. She earns an average of $20 daily, a modest income considering that most of the people in the developing world live on $1.90 a day according to the world poverty line.

Mercy has not forgotten how she got where she is today: “I thank Tumaini for trusting in my abilities, I also thank my sponsor Mary J. for believing in me and making me who I am today….”
Thank you, Mary J, for giving Mercy a hand-up to the point where she is self-sustaining. One thing we learn from Mercy’s success story is that it does not take a lot of money to give an empowering hand-up to a vulnerable girl and boy. It costs just $38 a month to sponsor a child and make it possible for them to have a meal, education, and opportunities for a career. If you would like to sponsor a child TODAY, please follow the link and pick a vulnerable child to sponsor. 
Or if you want to give a one-time donation to our socio-economic programs, we will be able to provide microfinances to other equally deserving youths who have aged out from our program and are looking for opportunities to set up small businesses.

I am eternally grateful for your partnership in empowering vulnerable children.

With Gratitude,

Stanley Mutunga
President & CEO