After visiting Tanzania on last September’s Insight Trip, YAO members share their experiences meeting the hard-working microfinance clients of Opportunity Tanzania.

Question: What clients did you meet in Tanzania that impacted you most and have stayed on your mind in the months following your Insight Trip?

• “One of the days we went to this very large market. As we were walking along we met a client who sold avocados in a little alley. Her little stand was not much, but she had dreams of expanding her business to sell tomatoes and other produce. […] But, what has really stayed with me is when she offered us pieces of avocado. I will never forget her generosity.”  – Suzie Hofert
• “One of my favorite memories was spending time with the children of Tanzania. The smiles, giggles, and eyes big and wide wanting to learn more about why we were visiting the businesses of their moms and dads. Little did they know, but [our loans] to the businesses of their [parents] were helping put food on the table, pay for education and more.”  -–Jason Duff
• “The tailor who won the government security uniform order, but he did not have enough up front money to purchase the raw material fabric to fulfill the order; that is where Opportunity International came in to offer the loan.”  –Christopher Manno
• “I met several clients while in Tanzania that have continued to stay on my mind. We met one tailor who had taken out his first loan and was able to start a storefront tailoring business, employing two women from the community. Prior to him taking out the loan he was only able to sew three pairs of pants a day because he had limited cash. Now he is able to fabricate a pair every 15 minutes because he has been able to buy extra fabric and has the women helping him sew.”There was another woman I met who had a really nice mini mart and clothing store. She had taken out several loans and paid them back. This woman was able to buy a couple of houses to rent out to neighbors, and the cash from all of these sources helped to support her family. Her dream is to open a large grocery store, and I truly believe she will be able to accomplish this with Opportunity‘s help.”
  –Anne Edwardson

Read more on Opportunity’s blog about the YAO members’ visit to Tanzania last September, and why they are so excited about the launch of Opportunity Tanzania microfinance clients on OptINnow.org.

Meet Holiness Kikula, an Opportunity Tanzania microloan client who is now on OptINnow.org. Holiness prepares and sells food to other vendors in a large market in Dar Es Salaam, and she hopes to one day open a hair salon too. Visit OptINnow to fund the loan of a Tanzanian client like Holiness Kikula today.