Updates

In the beginning of May, the Verlin and Bethany Torkelson family settled into Nakuru, Kenya. Verlin now serves as the regional director for East Africa. The Torkelson’s are from Alberta, Canada. Bethany will assist with the accounting for the Nakuru office. She is also fluent in Hindi, and we expect for her language skills to […]

As of mid-May, one of our facilitators was able to get the first group started in our new Colombia program! The group consists of four ladies. We expect this group to be a big blessing to them and their families. Pray for the Colombia program, that the program could expand and positively impact many.

it is not uncommon for savings group members to ask us for financial funding to help their group. This group was different. They shared with us the things they had been able to do.

The program in Kenya has spread across the border into Tanzania. Open Hands now has so many savings groups in Tanzania that we are planning to hire a Tanzanian field director early in 2017.

Open Hands has been invited by EQUIP Nepal to consider starting a savings group program in the country of Nepal. Merle Burkholder, Darin Hershberger, and Joe Kuepfer will be traveling to Nepal in December to conduct a feasibility study regarding a possible savings group program there. More updates on this potential program will be given

Due to the hurricane in Haiti the participants in Open Hands savings groups have not been able to save as much as they had been saving. However, the funds they have saved will be very helpful to them in buying food and rebuilding damaged houses. Through the assistance funds that many groups have, they have

The Open Hands savings group program that was started in Ethiopia in July has been very successful. There are now 30 savings groups with a total of 450 members. These participants are saving on a weekly basis and are very pleased with what they have been able to accomplish. We are hoping to expand this

Open Hands has hired a facilitator in El Salvador. He is meeting with interested persons and is helping them to begin forming savings groups. We anticipate that early in 2017 we will have groups that are ready to begin saving.

The college I attend held a Hunger Symposium last month. It created awareness of the problems of hunger in our communities. We live in a world that produces enough food for everybody and in a country that wastes food. In my opinion, hunger should not be a problem. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization,

Open Hands is considering a savings group program in the African country of Ethiopia. We have had some conversations with a possible partner organization in Ethiopia. Help Self Help Samaritan Development Association is an organization that works with the Mennonite churches in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a country with great needs and a lack of organizations