I am a woman and mother of a girl child living with disability. One day I visited the Social and Community Development office to seek registration for her for assessment so that they can refer her to SOS children home. The S&CD office took long to attend to my child’s case. My child is deaf and she cannot do anything for herself. Her health status is at risk because she is picking food to eat from the dust bins. One day, I was visited by the savings group and they asked me how the girl is doing and how they can be of assistance.During the savings group visit they advised me on how to take good care of her looking at her current situation. After some time, they made a follow up and brought her some stuff and to my surprise they brought her box full of goods such as blankets, food and toiletry. I was so happy because I realised that people from the community were concerned about my child. The group visits her regularly to check on her accompanied by the social workers. They advised me to protect her from dangerous men who abuses young girls more especially those living with disabilities. They have also advised me to monitor her monthly periods. I am also thankful to the GROW program which assisted my family and I am now stress free.”

I am a lady of 37 years of age, living in Selebi-Phikwe. I heard about the savings group in 2014, got interested and decided to join the group of Motsewabadiri savings group. The first time when I started going to the savings group my intention was to save up and borrow money, when I have a problem and also discussing about the issues affecting us in our homes. In my first attendance I met all the women of the savings group and also Morula and Botekanelo savings groups.It was at the third time attending meetings in the savings group, we were discussing such issues of domestic violence. Most of the members had ideas and were willing to assist, so they encouraged me to talk about how I am abused and at last I spoke out. But by the time I was staying with a man in the house, who didn’t marry me and was pregnant with a child, and he was not allowing me to talk to people. He was abusing me sexually and also locking me inside the house, so that I may not talk with anyone. Today everything is different, everything has changed.

“I am a lady of 49 years of age. I am a single mother doing piece jobs to earn a living for me and of my family. I have three children and I am HIV positive. At first I did not accept this status because of the fact that I was scared that I will die and leave my children suffering. There will be no one to take care of them. In 2013 I met a Child Aid Area leader and she provided counselling. I finally accepted my situation. We also discussed about positive living as that’s how I can live long with the HIV virus. And also, when my child failed at school, Child Aid project continued to advise. This year my child was admitted at Construction Industry Training centre. The area leader came to me and talked to me about the savings groups and I joined”. Also the GROW members helped and motivated me until my life came better. I thank the Child Aid people a lot because without them I could not manage anything at all. I encourage you to keep on doing that good job.”