Despite Fortunate’s hard work, the income from her salon, combined with her husband’s salary from a commercial livestock farm, still wasn’t enough to support their household of six.
Since joining MicroLoan Foundation, she invested in her salon and her profits have doubled, from $30 to $60 per week.
Now Fortunate has more than just higher earnings, she has security for her family.
Read Fortunate's full storyMrs Alifosina Mkonde is the proud mother of eight children, and lives in the outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi. 11 years ago, she set up a small grocery stall selling rice, groundnuts and maize to support her family.
She dreamed that her children would get the education she never had. In reality, the family lived in extreme poverty and often went for weeks without food. Imagine the heartache of putting your children to bed hungry.
Determined to make a change, Mrs Mkonde joined a MicroLoan group in 2012, receiving extensive business training and a loan of just AUD $25.
Take a look at where she is now.
Success stories
