“Since I started attending training from Opportunity, I’ve been able to improve my life and my family’s.”
For Diane, providing for her family once felt like a constant struggle.
Diane lives in Rwanda with her husband and three children. Like many parents, she wanted to ensure her children could attend school, eat nutritious meals, and have the resources they needed to thrive. But making ends meet was difficult.
“Some of the challenges I faced at home included my children not having shoes to take to school,” Diane recalls. “It was difficult to get food for them. I wasn’t paying their school fees on time.”
Determined to improve their situation, Diane and her husband decided to take action. Together, they joined a local savings group, called Tuzamurane Buhoro (“Rising Together, Step by Step”), where members save money, learn financial literacy, and can access small loans from their shared pool of funds to invest in their businesses, pay school fees, or cover unexpected expenses like healthcare costs.
The decision marked a turning point for their family.
Through the savings group, Diane received both financial literacy and agricultural training and support from an Opportunity International Farmer Support Agent (FSA) that helped strengthen her farming skills and helped her build confidence in her ability to contribute to her household’s success. Together, she and her husband decided to take out a loan of 300,000 Rwandan francs (about $200), which they invested in their farm.
They trusted us and gave us the loan. Through my business, I am able to repay the Tuzamurane savings group and provide for my family.
Coming from a family of traders, Diane had always been inspired by their entrepreneurship. The lessons she learned helped turn that inspiration into opportunity, equipping her with business training and confidence to start trading to support her family.
Like many entrepreneurs, Diane still faces challenges. Markets fluctuate, resources can be limited, and growing a business takes persistence. But she and her husband face those challenges together.
“Because my husband and I work well together, I find he has already returned from collecting grass for our livestock,” Diane says. “When it’s not a market day, we go to the farm and do some weeding.”
Since joining the savings group and participating in Opportunity’s training, Diane has seen meaningful changes at home.
We farmed, harvested, and were able to buy a cow. Now I’m able to pay [my children’s] school fees, buy them shoes, fruits, eggs, and provide everything we need at home.
Today, Diane looks back with pride at how far her family has come. Her children are thriving, and she has greater confidence in her ability to earn, save, and help shape her family’s future.
Looking ahead, Diane and her husband hope to continue growing their business and create even more opportunities for her family.
Her story reflects what Opportunity sees every day around the world: when people have access to training, financial services, and supportive communities, they gain the tools and confidence to build brighter futures for themselves and their families.
Watch Diane share her story in her own words below:
One opportunity can change everything. Unlock opportunity for families around the world at opportunity.org/donate.