UGANDA with Eloise Wellings X Love Mercy Foundation

As a storm is brewing across Sydney last night I was reminded of this image I took of a woman named Dorcus, standing in her sunflower field, on my recent trip to Uganda with Australian Olympian Eloise Wellings and her foundation Love Mercy Foundation.

Dorcus' life was changed forever this year when she was given a chance to start her own business through Love Mercy Foundation CENTS FOR SEEDS MICRO LOAN initiative. She was simply given a $30 gift which enabled her to receive a business loan to buy a 30kg bag of seeds to plant, harvest, and return. She worked her butt off all season, and sold her crop at the local market. She paid back her loan and with the income that she earned she completed a training course in tailoring to gain skills and employment.

IT BLEW MY MIND to think such a simple gift could help women and their families out of poverty. One of my favourite things on this trip was hearing the stories of how these women's CHILDREN DON’T NEED TO BE SPONSORED ANYMORE. Their children are being fed and sent to school all because of a simple gift of a business loan given to their mother. As the mother works hard and pays back their loan and starts to make a profit, the loan is then passed on to the next woman in the community. It's an ongoing gift that is changing the face of villages and communities in Northern Uganda.

I loved hearing some of the villages say, "You can now move onto the next woman and the next village! We don't need you anymore! We are self sufficient! "

I do know one thing. GENEROSITY should always be part of our growth strategy - No matter how big or small our businesses are. I have never regretted putting others first and I hope these images can inspire you to consider being part of something that is making significant impact in the lives of others.

To Purchase a Gift that Keeps on Giving head to: lovemercyfoundation.org