Life hasn’t been kind to Mercy and her husband Paul. Mercy lost both her parents when she was 8 years old and had to drop out of school. Paul went to school until the age of 11 but he too lost his mother in a tragic accident. His father passed away a few years later leaving him an orphan like Mercy.
Mercy and Paul met at a young age and had married and welcomed their first child before Mercy turned 18. A year later, Mercy and Paul faced devastation when their second child died of Malaria.
In 2016, Mercy joined a MicroLoan group and started a business selling dried fish and has gone from strength to strength since then.
Mercy’s village is located 45km from the nearest town, Kasungu. Every week Mercy travels down the long, bumpy road to Kasungu to buy fish in the market which she then sells in her village.
Despite the hardships she has faced, Mercy now has the chance to reach her full potential as a successful entrepreneur.
Mercy’s husband Paul grows vegetables which helps feed the family. They sell the surplus at the stall for extra income and share responsibility for the business, working together to maximise profits.
Paul and Mercy now have 3 children, and are hopeful for the future. They make savings every week, which can pay for things like medicines in case of emergencies. They dream of saving enough to build a house for their family made of bricks, with a corrugated iron roof.
You can help another woman like Mercy to lift her family out of poverty and achieve her dreams.
Published on: 13/01/2021
