Azria’s Newfound Support

Over the past couple of years, Azria’s home in Indonesia has become more and more empty. Her two sons married and moved away and her husband, unfortunately, passed away in 2019. Left to care for herself, Azria has depended mainly on her garden to earn an income.

In her garden, Azria grows corn, pepper, long beans, bananas, ginger, sere and turmeric. She told us, “when the harvest was abundant, I consumed some of it and sold some to my neighbors.” Unfortunately, due to climate change Azria’s harvest decreased and she was not making enough money to cover her expenses. She decided to become a day laborer to make up for the decrease in her income. As a day laborer, Azria only makes about $3-$5 after a full day of hard work.

In October 2022 Azria finally found some relief when she was invited to join a CWS-supported women’s savings group. Through this savings group, Azria and the other members save a little bit of their income each month and pool it with the group’s savings. This allows them to take out “loans” whenever needed and have greater financial stability.

Since joining the group, Azria has also participated in information sessions about how to maximize her income. She shared, “I’m happy because, in the monthly meetings, there are always new things that I learn such as information about the weather so that I no longer have to predict when to plant, information about how to plant for better results, information about savings and loans and even information and practice on how to make tortillas. I’m happy because group activities have made me realize that not having a diploma does not limit me from earning more income”

Through her determination and commitment to learning, Azria is learning new skills and securing a stable future. Most importantly, she has discovered that thanks to her encouraging community, she never has to depend on herself alone.