Stories from the field

Patricia

One of the families participating in the Protravel FXB-Village is led by Patricia, a woman in her late 40s who has physical handicaps resulting from meningitis. Patricia has two daughters, aged 20 and 18, and two young grandchildren in her home. Because of Patricia’s health problems and the poor yields of their small land plot, the family has often gone hungry. With no other options of supporting themselves, Patricia’s daughters have occasionally had to work as prostitutes. As a result, both daughters were pregnant by age 16, and FXB is concerned that they have been exposed to HIV or other diseases.

Thanks to Protravel, Patricia’s daughters will never again be forced to sell themselves. FXB has already given Patricia a month’s supply of food and spoken with her daughters about HIV prevention and family planning options. The entire family will receive medical care, including HIV testing, and FXB will work with Patricia and her daughters over the next few months to help them develop a small business plan. Patricia has heard about FXB’s work in the wider community, so she is sure that a brighter future is around the corner for her family.
 

Marguerite

After her parents passed away six years ago, Marguerite, who is now 21 years old, became the sole caregiver for her four younger siblings, in addition to her own seven-year-old daughter. Marguerite worked hard to make ends meet by digging holes in neighbors’ gardens for planting.  However, the small amount of money she made was not nearly enough to cover her family's expenses, and each day it was often a struggle to find even a single meal. Because the funds were so small, she was not able to afford school tuition or uniforms for any of her siblings, and nobody in her family had access to proper medical care.

When the Protravel FXB-Village in Cyeza began, FXB responded immediately with nutritional support and medical care to help the family regain their strength and health. All school-aged children were enrolled in school and were provided with uniforms and supplies. For her Income Generating Activity (IGA), Marguerite received plants, seeds, and a pig. Over the course of a few short months, she has been able to expand her garden (she is currently harvesting pineapples and coffee), and is looking forward to breeding her pig and selling the piglets for profit. Recently, FXB has helped the family build a latrine, and Marguerite is also building a second living structure on her property to make more space for her family. Although she has only been enrolled in the FXB-Village for a few months, Marguerite says she is “very happy with the support” she has received so far, is looking forward to continuing with the program over the coming years to build her small business, open a savings account, and better meet the daily needs of her siblings and daughter.


*In some cases names and/or photos have been changed to protect the beneficiaries.