Day in and day out in their custom tailor shop, the husband and wife team of Faith and Frank  Rubanda of Mubende, Uganda, demonstrate the powerful transformation that is made capable  when a marriage is rooted in both love and an uncompromising dedication to partnership.

Faith and Frank are parents to seven children and are both gifted with a true entrepreneurial spirit.  For years the husband and wife team dreamed of starting a tailoring business. The couple worked  hard and used their resources with great efficiency; however they just could not realize their dream. They had the skill, the desire and the drive…everything except some working capital. 

Prior to coming to Opportunity International for a loan, the husband-wife team ran a small dairy  business in the town center and dreamed of the day they could use Frank’s training as a suit maker  to open a tailoring business. They purchased cows and sold milk, but still found it impossible to set  aside enough money to start a second business and meet the needs of their seven young children.

Today, Frank and his wife are living their dream. After accessing their first loan they rented a  storefront in the city center and are the only sellers of men’s and women’s custom suits in the area.  They have since bought the entire property that they were renting and have even opened additional  apartments behind their store for an additional stream of income from tenants.  Paying school fees was once a struggle, but Faith and Frank are now sending all of their school-aged children to private schools. “We are thankful to God for what we have been able to do,” says Frank.  “Opportunity bank came to our town of Mubende by way of a miracle.” 

As the business has grown, so has the love between Frank and Faith. They are as committed as ever  to each other and their dedication as both parents and partners is now also impacting their  community; they have expanded their operation and hired seven employees to keep pace with  demand. Furthermore, Frank recently created a unique apprenticeship program that effectively  “pays it forward,” teaching workers valuable skills they can use for a lifetime. The changes he and his  wife have experienced have given him strength and confidence.  “We feel like active, valued members  of a community for the first time.”

Faith, too, is enjoying a whole new feeling of optimism.  “When the tailor shop first opened, I struggled  to address customers. Now I have the confidence to talk to them and make the necessary business  transactions.” Faith is mother, wife and business partner. Frank relishes having his wife as a business  partner. His smile is infectious and he seems to always be sneaking looks at his wife with both love  and respect. He gets a certain smile when he looks at her – and there is an undeniable joy.  Today, we celebrate the love of Faith and Frank Rubanda and the impact their relationship is having in Uganda’s  Mubende community.