Family Sponsorship
Signs of Hope in Africa established this program in November 2006 and has been providing start up costs for Jambiani families to establish their own business. The families receive training and mentoring from Mrisho Vuaa, a well respected local Zanzibari who is the Village Director with Signs of Hope in Africa. Mrisho works with those families in need to help them identify their skills, interest and abilities to carry out a family business that will afford them the opportunity to provide the basic necessities their family needs to break the poverty cycle.
Some of the family businesses that have been started up are: a Veggie stand where the family also sells kerosene and Kangas (traditional women’s garments); another family has started a handmade soap business using the island’s local spices and selling the soaps to families in the village as well as to tourist stores in StoneTown; another family has purchased a fridge to keep daily caught fish fresh. They sell the fish to others in the village as well as to hotel restaurants in the area.
We also have a number of families that have received goats or chickens. These families are able to obtain milk or eggs to help keep their families fed and healthy as well as selling these items to others in the village.
For the cost of $240 USD you too can provide an entire family with the tools or inventory they need to establish themselves in a business. This donation includes training and mentoring for each family.
