I’ve traveled all over the world, and met with hundreds of families living in poverty. I’ve sat on dirt floors of school classrooms and I’ve listened to their stories. So you would think that cultures would set us apart or maybe their challenges would divide us, but the thing is, parents all want the same thing: they all want to build a better life for their children.
The family you see here wanted the same. Their father, Sekinder, drove his rickshaw taxi for more than 12 hours a day, yet he could still only afford tuition for two of his five daughters. How could he choose who would attend school and who would stay at home?
But when you have determined people like this—true Waymakers who won’t stop at anything to do better—they seize an opportunity when they find it. And their father, Sekinder, found that chance with Opportunity International. He got a business loan and training, and he used that to take better care of his rickshaw, which meant he could give more rides and make more money. He then took out a school fee loan, so he could pay for books, tuition, and uniforms for each one of his five daughters.
Today, this family’s story is one of transformation. Their finances are under control, and the girls are studying to be a doctor, an engineer, lawyer, entrepreneur, and a businesswoman—you can’t you write a better ending than that. I hope when you see these faces, you see the Waymakers of the next generation who will no longer experience poverty thanks to the generosity of people like you.
Narration by Andrew McCusker, Head of Education Finance
This video is a selection from Opportunity International’s Virtual Art Gallery: Portrait of a Waymaker. Explore the entire gallery here.
