Lucia, a resident of Mariano Roque Alonso, Paraguay, is a mother of two, Eladio, 7, and Mia, 6. Her husband lives with her and the kids, but she still carries the burden to provide for her family.
Before she heard about Diaconia, a program from Global Aid Network GAiN, Lucia worked as a manicurist and struggled to make a living. With no money for training, her opportunity for growth was stunted. Her life changed when she heard about Diaconia through her son’s school, where they were promoting free vocational training. Lucia signed up to learn hairdressing and makeup. During her training, her teacher Lorena saw great potential in Lucia and invited her to work at her hair salon.
Today, Lucia has her own small business that has been growing and thriving. This past year, she was able to purchase a small car, which has helped her to be more effective in her work. Never did she imagine that she would ever drive a car, when all she could do before was yearn for a safer way to transport her little children.
Survival is not the goal for Lucia and her family anymore. While she has a growing client base, she dreams of owning her own hairdressing shop where clients can come to her. “I am so thankful for the opportunities that I have access to thanks to Diaconia. It literally changed me and my family’s lives.”
To face the harsh reality of poverty, as well as work at developing long-term solutions for the families and communities in Paraguay, Diaconia ADP (Global Aid Network’s in-country partner) was founded.
Diaconia represents concrete actions used to teach the poor how to live a life with self-respect. Knowing that each and every child, youth and adult who are currently living in poverty can live to discover the dignity and complete freedom that God gives.
The organization initiated its operations in 2010 with the vision of reaching 4,000 families who live in over 300 squatter zones across Paraguay.
By providing training programs and microcredit to the poor, Diaconia is now helping hundreds of woman work their way out of physical, mental and spiritual poverty.
With the help of partners like you, GAiN cares for the physical needs of people throughout the world.. At the same time, our in-country partners in these difficult locations around the world demonstrate the love of Jesus to those who never have experienced His kind of love. Kindness leads people to receive the hope of Christ. How can you show kindness today? Learn how you can volunteer or support their work here.
As the humanitarian partner of Power to Change Canada, Global Aid Network helps to reveal hope and restore life through relief and development initiatives for people living in crisis and injustice. Our mission is to demonstrate the love of God, in word and deed. We are a registered non-profit organization and worldwide humanitarian relief and development organization, which has grown to become part of a diverse, global network with offices all over the world, our compassionate reach is truly global in scale.
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