Late last night I received this digital postcard from Penny, Annie and Tanya, AKA the Team Honk bloggers.
They are currently out in Tanzania with Sports Relief meeting women and visiting projects that have received funding from Sports Relief in the last few years. The aim of the trip is to show them how the money that we (Jo average in the UK) give is making a difference in the worlds poorest countries (as well here in the UK, there are lots of home projects too) and creating #lastingchange.
I know that many people are sceptical and they believe that money given abroad goes down the drain but from what I observed when I was in Ethiopia, this is not the case when the money goes to a country with a stable government and one interested in equipping and empowering its people. I believe Tanzania is similar to Ethiopia in it's desire to change history and to break the pattern of poverty.
As today is International Women's Day I am so pleased to feature Joyce here on my blog. There are so many women in Africa who are entrepreneurial and are creating sustainable and effective businesses.and we need to celebrate them. These women did not have the best starts in life but they have chosen to work hard and to believe they can make a difference. What a great example they set to the younger generation.
So what is Joyce's story?
Through mentoring and training funded by Sport Relief and provided by the Gatsby Trust Joyce expanded her poultry business from just a few chicks to now having 300. She has also recently built an extension to house another 400 which should be arriving next week. The training that Joyce has received has enabled her to make her own feed, thereby saving her money, and also to ensure the feed is healthy.
She has also been educated to recognise the signs of disease in her chicks to such an extent that she now has a completely healthy clutch. Other poultry keepers in her area phone Joyce for advice and training as she has established herself as a successful poultry keeper. She is also part of a network of women and this means she is in a much more powerful position to broker deals to sell to supermarkets as they can promise supply, this Joyce couldn't do on her own.
Joyce is proud to be able to support her family and pay for her son to attend a boarding school, therefore breaking the cycle of poverty and poor education and giving him the best chance for a successful future for himself.
Take another look at that photo and see the joy in Joyce's face. She is working hard and it is probably not the most attractive job in the world but with it comes respect, change and a feeling of worth.
Joyce, you are an inspiration to us, thank you.
Do you want to join in and help Team Honk raise awareness and funds for Sports relief and the projects it helps?
- Please RT, share and support any updates you see with the #lastingchange hashtag.
- DONATE You can help create #lastingchange by sponsoring #teamhonkrelay for Sport Relief
- GET INVOLVED Join up for your local Sport Relief event here.
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