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 $10,000 to ensure more families get the tools they need to thrive.

Last year we stayed overnight with Self-Help clients twice. One of them was Forster, a most gracious host that fed us traditional meals. Her husband is a farmer and there are 5 kids in the house. 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. Will you help us reach our goal?