During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we’re proud to feature Sabine’s story of hope and healing in Burundi. Read her story below in her own words.

I want to share the goodness I’ve experienced through my Savings Group. I have gained so much from this program. Before joining, I was illiterate—but learning to read and write opened my world. Now I can read the Bible, which I thank God for, and I can even read road signs.

While I was learning literacy, we also discussed important topics like family relationships, hygiene, and how to be wise in daily life. These conversations transformed my home. I used to be beaten every day by my husband, but as I grew in knowledge and confidence, he began to respect me. Today, we live in peace, and he is the love of my life.

Through my Savings Group, I was able to start a small business, and from that business, I bought a cow. That cow produced manure, which I now use as fertilizer for my farming. Because of this, we grow enough food to eat three meals a day, and my children can go to school.

My Savings Group didn’t just help me financially—it changed how I see myself. Because I’ve come out of poverty, I now have a voice at home. My husband respects me, and I’m also involved in community decisions. I’ve even become a deacon in my church and a leader in my community.

‍Thanks to Five Talents, I went from being poor to being a woman of means. From being despised to being respected. From being hidden to becoming a decision-maker.

We now have two cows, and one gave birth to a third. From the profits of selling the third cow, we were able to buy two pieces of land. I am so proud of what I’ve accomplished through God’s grace.