Terri and I are riding Tour de Ghana again — a journey across Ghana on motorized tricycles to meet families supported by Self-Help International. We are also raising at least $10,000 to ensure more rural families get the tools they need to thrive.

We are motivated by the success of the Self-Help programs we saw last year. Here are three quick examples we saw where they are making a difference.

Self-Help helped Forster transform her and her family’s lives. She fed us traditional meals when we stayed in her house overnight. Her husband is a farmer and they have 5 kids at home. Forster’s first Self-Help loan was for $43 and set her on the path to success as a commodity trader in the nearby villages. Three subsequent loans allowed her to pay for a peanut shelling machine, kids’ schooling expenses, and expand operations.

Because Forster was among the most serious and dynamic microcredit clients in the region, Self-Help approved a bigger loan to buy one of the trikes. With it, she no longer has to pay to transport her grains and vegetables to market days in nearby villages. They no longer have to wait days or weeks to find someone to haul seed or fertilizer to their distant farm or to haul back the crops they produce. She also helps repay the loan by transporting goods for others.

There were 10 other stories like this last year and more to come this year. We are riding for families like Forster's.

Frederick is an agriculture expert and he heads up Self-Help’s Agriculture Station in the Ashanti region. His work leads to better agricultural practices for Self-Help clients. He showed us practices that improve yields for small-plot farmers and improve the nutritional value of the clients’ crops. He is a bright and dedicated guy whose success is impacting many lives.

We also met the teacher that leads Self-Help’s Ag Club at the Kukubuso primary school. The Club teaches the best farming techniques to the dozens of members. Self-Help acquired a plot of land by the school where the Club practices what they learn. Crops from the plot help feed the school’s students at breakfast and lunch. The members are encouraged to start and care for a garden at home. We visited one of the students’ gardens and were impressed with his results. His garden produces food, not only for his family but the family makes money by selling the excess. The students also pass on their ag knowledge to their families for an even bigger impact.

We will see more success stories like these this year. Please help Self-Help continue and expand the programs that are helping rural clients raise themselves out of subsistence farming, improving family's nutrition, and empowering women and girls. Your donations through this JustGiving page go directly to Self-Help’s programs for self-reliance.