Most families living in extreme poverty have very little opportunity to grow economically. Even if the will and grit to persue entrepeneurship is there, the start-up funds are not. Micro-lending is an increasingly integral part of international community development. Individuals wanting to start a small business are able to borrow the start up costs and pay them back with low-interest. Instead of building dependence on outside help , micro-loans create financial independence for families desiring to better their own future.
Fortunately Forward Edge has been blessed to be able to provide small business owners in Nicaragua with micro-loans to help them grow their businesses. It’s amazing to see what the gift of a small loan with little interest can do.
Jelin, Belkis, Cristhian, and Martiza live in Managua, Nicaragua. They are all mothers seeking to improve the lives of their families, and have begun the journey of starting their own small businesses. They are dedicated hard workers with amazing perseverance.
A Tiny Grocery Store
Jelin, a mother of two, joined our Entrepreneurship Development Training Program and learned how to create a business plan. She learned about basic business principles and accounting, and used her loan to start a tiny grocery store! She sells staples like rice, eggs, soap and vegetables. She described to us the impact the micro-loan program has made on her family, “This loan has allowed me to generate income from my own home. Now I can take care of my housework and my young children, without having to leave them to go to work. Thank you so much for this opportunity!” Jelin used to work cleaning and folding laundry to support herself and her children. This almost replaces the money she earned working outside the home, and she now gets to stay home and take care of her children every day.
Clothes, Medicine and Rugs for Sale
Belkis lives with her husband and two little children in a small, sheet-metal home. She and her husband sell over the counter medicine, rugs, and other items. She received a $100 loan to help her increase her inventory and therefore grow her sales and income. Belkis also received business training and help creating a business plan. She is grateful for this support and hopes it will help fulfill her dream of providing more nutritious meals to her children and improving their housing conditions.
Cristhian is also a young married woman with two small children. She has begun a business selling new and used clothing. She shares that she is very thankful because before receiving this loan, her income was going solely to the exorbitant interest of a loan she had received elsewhere. Her dream is to see her children grow healthy and educated.
A Produce Market and Cell Phone Repair
Martiza, a mother of five, joined our Entrepreneurship Development Training Program and was taught how to conduct an analysis of her neighborhood, create a business plan, and start a small produce market. Her bestsellers are watermelon, pineapples, bananas, onions, peppers, chayotes, potatoes and carrots. Her son is skilled at cell phone repair, and with a second loan Martiza also added a cell phone accessory and repair business. Her income has increased from $2.38 each day to $16.28 each day! She shared, “These loans have helped me a lot. You supported me when I needed it most.”
We’re thankful for these stories and the many more to come. When we equip people with the resources they need to succeed, the sky truly is the limit!
In Cuba, where basic food staples are often scarce, the power of prayer and small acts of kindness have brought hope to families in need. From a miraculous provision of rice to a life-changing gift of fresh produce for Walter and his children, we’ve witnessed God’s love in action. Discover how a simple head of lettuce became a sign of divine provision, and how faith continues to transform lives in our Cuba program.
Relationships are everything. And it’s not just those in the U.S. reaching out to other countries; it’s the entire Global Church engaging with and learning from each other. As an organization, we seek to foster and steward those vital relationships. Recently, the director of our Uganda children’s program, Bonny Lugayizi,
Villa Esperanza, Managua, Nicaragua My name is Medardo Sánchez. I am 19 years old and I am currently in the 4th year of high school. I want to tell you that before I met Village of Hope, I was thirteen years old and studying third grade of primary school. If
In his book, “Empowering Children”, former Forward Edge board member, Dr. Ravi Jayakaran, shares the importance of involving children in the process of their own development. When a community invests its resources in its children, it invests in its own future. Just as Forward Edge values all children and believes
14 yrs. old
Entered the Program: February 2025
Fernanda Michel (who goes by Michel) lives with her grandmother, great-grandmother and two single aunts in a two-room adobe house with a tin roof and concrete and dirt floors. They all share one bedroom and use the other room as a kitchen. They cook with wood and have access to water from a hose on their property. The bathroom is outdoors. The home has suffered some damage due to earthquakes.
Michel’s mother was a single parent and she made the decision to leave Michel under her mother’s care in order to find a better life in Mexico City. She left in 2019 and Michel has seen her only twice since.
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