Healing Hands International (HHI) is excited to have created new partnerships with the women in the village of Tombolombo, Malawi. Over 20 women gathered to learn life-changing skills, making peanut butter and soap. This program fits beautifully with the goal of the Women of Hope (WOH) program, empowering women around the world through education, business training, and micro-finance. These trades that were taught to the women in the Tombolombo community will help them break the cycle of poverty for themselves and their children.
Despite some initial setbacks, the resilience of these women, and their hunger to learn valuable skills helped them overcome various challenges throughout the workshop. Through all the setbacks they produced multiple jars of peanut butter and soap, proving the effectiveness of their training and increasing their confidence as they prepared to do it on their own.
One trainee, Lexa Kumwenda, showed her heartfelt gratitude to all who helped with the training. Lexa said the training will allow the women to, “transform our families and communities.” That is the whole purpose of WOH, to teach individuals skills that will better their own lives, and all those around them. The skills of making peanut butter and soap will not just transform more than 20 women’s lives, but will create a new community of empowered individuals working together for the betterment of each other.
Lexa also shared this about going forward, “We will embrace the opportunity to show the world that as women, we can do it.” This beautiful statement encapsulates what WOH as a whole stands for. Women are created in the image of our Father. We are excited to see what these women will accomplish with these new skills, and how they can create a lasting impact on the communities around them!