Letter Quotes: Nigeria and Rwanda

“Thank you very much for being my sponsor sister in the program Women for Women. I am full of joy for the support and encouragement you gave me. My condition before was full up ups and downs, things were very hard. I hope my life will change with your support; thank you for sending sponsorship funds to us. …I have a sister with me here, you have proved to be another one, you are my sister indeed. I will put my effort to see that I learn what thy have to teach us.” –Eucharia from Nigeria

“By now you may be wondering what is happening in our clan (Women for Women). This is to tell you about the positive impact in my life. I learnt many things but to start with is political power, that we women have equal power in government. In fact that we can contest for any political post even presidency or any political appointment and have the right to vote and be voted for during election.” –Beatrice from Nigeria

“Thank you very much for your sponsorship which I am very much pleased with my family is also very much happy. I have finished to shelter our house and I have bought a cow from the profit I made from this sponsorship. Actually have been doing well in my small business I have been making a good profit. I’m hoping to open an account from the bank where I will be saving some little money. I wish I could meet you and hug you with my both arms. I have got a new baby boy he is one month old. God has answered our prayers.” –Silvine from Rwanda

“I am a single mother, my husband left me with one child. I told her about our friendship and she was very happy so every time I write she tells me to send greetings to you. She knows that all I managed to achieve was because of your sponsorship.” –Floride from Rwanda

“Thank you very much for sponsoring me from poverty which I was in and I am infected with the HIV/AIDS I am on the medicine which reduces the power and strength of HIV/AIDS and this medicine needs to be taken when you have taken something or eaten so I was very stressed. …I was almost giving up with my life because of this disease but now I am doing well because of your sponsorship which I am using to produce profit and this profit is helping to feed my five children with my parent. …Thank you from your sister who loves you.” –Odette from Rwanda

Letter Quotes: Nigeria, Rwanda, DRC, Kosova, and Bosnia

“The cool breeze of the wet night sang across my window, singing in my heart, looking for you. A joyful spoonful of smile, the multiplication of joy and addition of above that I have decided to write you this today. But before I will proceed, I must ask of your health, your daughter’s health (Marie) and your son (Brian) with an optimistic that you are all majestically swimming in the oceans of life if so praise to God.” –Cecilia from Nigeria

“I am married. I have a husband and we have five children all are boys. I am the one caring for the children alone their father does not care for them. Before your sponsorship I was always in worried thinking of how to raise my children and I could not get the answer but now I have no problem. I go to the market buy a full sack of beans and sell them for profit which is helping me to buy my needs. Thank you very much.” –Marie Joseé from Rwanda

“When my husband chased me, he told me that I’ll become a street woman but when I was admitted in the Women for Women program, my life began to improve. Through the financial help you are giving me, I paid the school fees for my two studying children and had my house built, till now I no longer get wet when it rains. I also learned much from the instructions and was comforted. I’m sure that even after graduation I will go on selling local beer and get money. I’m saving money, when I will get a considerable amount, I will bring it to the cooperative bank. My children will go on studying and that man will be confused. I was illiterate but now I know to read and write my name.” –Emerciane from the DRC

“The letter I received from you I liked it very much and made me feel very good form the fact that this letter came from a country which gave a big contribution for the freedom of my country which we and our families enjoy today in Kosova. Even though the war had brought us many human losses and material losses our people of Kosova have made it and are challenging this high economic crisis. The program of Women for Women is a very good program that enables many women to take part and learn things about the daily life. Also for me the chance was given to me to participate in this program and learn many things. I am currently learning about “Business Administration” which I dreamed for so many years…. The learning of business administration is a learning that I truly love because I want to be able to administrate a business. This learning will maybe enable me or other women to find a job and support our children.” –Imrane from Kosova

“Dear sister, you asked do I have traumas from the war. Of course I have. I was in a refugee camp. Organization “Women for Women” is good cure for that. Dear sister, I’m writing you and I’m crying. Even if you’re far from me, I feel like I know all my life. I wish that no one ever feel the war on the skin. I hope your new president Barack Obama will bring peace to the world and that no one will cry.” –Zekira from Bosnia

Letter Quotes: Nigeria, Iraq, Rwanda, and DRC

“I was very happy to be a member of this wonderful organization Women for Women for its great impact in my life. For long ago we had been deprived our right in community as women, but glory be to God who put his idea of introducing Women for Women program…. The program is contributing immensely in development of my community such as social amenities like good road, electricity and good water, peace and justice etc.” –Evelyn from Nigeria

“I would like to congratulate you for the new job and for the publishing of your book. I really wish to be like you but here in Iraq we do not have complete freedom in terms of work and cultural activities. …I am happy for you because you are achieving what you want, and I agree with you that lessons are important to open our minds. I attend many lectures.” –Awatif from Iraq

“Sending my greetings to my sponsor sister, I am from future generation who will raise this country that suffer from destruction but with God will the sun rise again in my country and the flowers will blossom because I love flowers. All my thanks and appreciation for your financial support to the Iraqi woman in this circumstance; I did a lot of things with this amount.” –Abeer from Iraq

“I thank you very much for your support. I have been able to start up a small business dealing in selling tomatoes and nuts. This has enabled me to support my family. You have helped me to realize my dreams.” –Julienne from Rwanda

“As for the training, I like it so much and I am very happy with the topic about women’s rights and DRC constitution. Thanks to this topic, I am now aware of the fact that a woman has also the right to inherit her father’s properties, but in the past I knew nothing of all that.” –Baderhekuguma from DRC

“I am very happy with the training I am getting at Women for Women International. Thanks to it, I am now aware of my rights as a woman. Also, I am very pleased with the topics about basic business and marketing skills and how to live harmoniously with my husband. In the past, I know nothing about the selling activity but today I am informed of how to buy goods at wholesale, and how to sell successfully. I am selling soaps.” –Yvette from  DRC

“The topic which has already interested me much so far is job opportunities for women. Before I joined this program, I did not know that a woman can survive thanks to her connection with other women of her community, but today I am informed of all that. I am really very happy with the changes that my life is undergoing thanks to Women for Women International.” –Furaha from DRC

Nigerian Vendor

Kaneng displays containers of kerosene she sells

Nigeria: “The teachings are very helpful to me”

Dear Sister,

…Since Women for Women International came into existence here, my experiences so far have helped me a lot. I use Monday to Wednesday to do my farming activities, while Thursday of every week is whole dedicated to Women for Women activities and also, Friday and Saturday are used for my farm, while Sunday is my rest day. Moreover, Women for Women activities have certainly shaped my way of doing things. For instance, the way they teach us how to take care of our families properly and combine it with our farming activities has actually helped me to manage my home effectively.

Furthermore, I would like to beg that this program be sustained here because the teachings are very helpful to me….