Turning struggle into strength: Suggi’s story
Imagine being forced out of your home with five young children to care for and nothing but the clothes on your back.
This was the harsh reality that a young Indian woman named Suggi faced.
Born into a loving family, Suggi married Rajendra at a young age, full of hopes and dreams. However, the pressures of societal expectations soon overshadowed the joy of their marriage. Suggi and Rajendra were blessed with five beautiful daughters, but Suggi’s in-laws, bound by traditional beliefs, insisted on having a male heir. As the years passed and no sons were born, tensions in the household rose. One day, the situation reached breaking point, and Suggi’s in-laws threw Suggi and her daughters out of their home. Suddenly, Suggi, Rajendra and their children found themselves abandoned, facing an uncertain future.
One day, the situation reached breaking point, and Suggi's in-laws threw Suggi and her daughters out of their home. Suddenly Suggi, Rajendra and their children found themselves abandoned, facing an uncertain future. |
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Determined to provide a better life for her husband and five daughters, Suggi moved the family to a nearby town and started a small grocery shop. She took loans from a local lender despite their exorbitant interest rates. Just as Suggi’s business began to grow, the shop was broken into and robbed. This happened seven more times, and eventually, Suggi decided that a change needed to be made.Suggi, Rajendra and their girls moved back to Suggi’s maternal home to start anew. At this point, Suggi’s friend told her about Cashpor Micro Credit, a not-for-profit partner of Opportunity International Australia that provides microfinance to women below the poverty line in Eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Suggi took out a small, collateral-free, low-interest loan with Cashpor, which enabled her to open a small stall selling water balls and snacks. This business grew into a general store and is now a thriving enterprise. With Cashpor and Opportunity’s help, Suggi has also been able to take out loans to construct a house and pay for her daughter’s wedding.
Despite experiencing the lowest of lows and facing unimaginable setbacks and challenges, Suggi found the strength and means to build a business and turn her family’s life around.
Opportunity International Australia exists to help women like Suggi break the cycle of poverty. Through small loans, training, and education, Opportunity helps local women build businesses and generate sustainable incomes.
RedZed staff member Tamara Rozova recently had the privilege of meeting Suggi as part of the 2024 ‘Trek for Opportunity’. RedZed has proudly supported Opportunity International Australia since 2019 and sponsored Tamara’s once-in-a-lifetime adventure through the breathtaking Eastern Himalayan Range of India. The experience allowed Tamara to witness the positive impact Opportunity International Australia is having on women in the region, and inspired her to raise funds ($4,906 in total!) to help many women like Suggi create brighter futures for their families.
To learn more about how Opportunity International Australia is ending poverty in developing countries, head to opportunity.org.au.
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