Today, her story reflects something powerful: how steady support, intentional care, and Christ-centered community can reshape a family’s future.
A Mother’s Hesitation
Topista’s journey with MOHI did not begin with immediate trust.
“At first, I was hesitant,” she says. “In my village, some of my neighbors' children were already students at MOHI but I was skeptical about enrolling my students because sometime back, another school had started. Lots of children were enrolled but they failed to sit for their national tests. That’s when we realized that the school had not been registered by the government, and many parents were devastated,” she narrates.
Her concerns were real. She had seen disappointment before.
However, everything changed when a MOHI social worker visited her home. After voicing her fears, Topista learned that MOHI was recognized by the government. With renewed confidence, she enrolled her children.
A Different School Experience
Two of Topista’s children now attend MOHI Coram Deo; one in preschool and the other in Grade 7.
For Topista, the contrast is unmistakable.
“Unlike before, our children are now well fed, they get medication at school, and are safe,” she explains. “They come home reciting memory verses. Their teachers care not only about grades but about their character and lives outside school.”
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" They come home reciting memory verses. Their teachers care not only about grades but about their character and lives outside school. |
In their former school, lunch was the responsibility of parents. Some children ate cold meals brought from home. Many went hungry. Concentration suffered. Some students dropped out entirely.
“My children report to me how they eat breakfast and lunch at school. Sometimes they are served with beef stew and ugali (a meal made from ground corn flour), and they even take fruits!” She delightfully adds.
Care That Extends Beyond School
Topista describes MOHI not simply as a school, but as a partner in raising her children, and a place where education, nutrition, medical care, and spiritual formation work together in ways that extend far beyond the classroom.
“If a child doesn’t show up at school, a social worker visits the family to check on them. If the issue is health-related, the school clinic and nurse step in to help.”
Support also reaches into her home. The school nurse has personally visited Topista, offering guidance on nutrition, hygiene, and food safety.
“I have learned about general cleanliness, how to prevent diseases through simple practices like cleaning toilets, covering food, and washing regularly. We are leading a healthy life,” she adds.
These lessons have strengthened her family’s daily life in tangible, lasting ways.
Breaking Free from Financial Pressure
Before joining MOHI’s microfinance program, survival often meant turning to local money lenders with extremely high interest rates.
“Life was full of challenges,” she explains. “If you invested that money in a slow business, you wouldn’t be able to pay on time.”
Debt created stress. Stress disrupted stability. Stability affected her children’s education. Through MOHI’s savings group, Topista received financial training and eventually qualified for her first loan.
“We were taught how to make business effective by meeting the customer’s satisfaction and also how to attract more customers,” she adds.
With that loan, she began selling fish. Later, she shifted to mandazis and doughnuts. What started with just a few packets of flour has grown into a thriving business.
A Dream Taking Shape
Today, Topista’s pastries are in high demanda dn her vision continues to expand. One of her proudest milestones has been purchasing a piece of land through installments.
“This is an opportunity for me to own a home in future,” she says. “The pastry business is sustaining me, I pay the land installments from its profits, and even manage my family bills. At the moment, I am making use of the land. I have planted green peas with the purpose of selling the harvest. If all goes well, I will venture into the farming business too. Having financial freedom gives you pride and security,” she adds proudly.
Her words reflect stability and confidence born from steady progress.
A Story of Holistic Growth
Topista’s journey reveals the layered nature of transformation.
Her children are learning.
Her family is healthier.
Her income is growing.
Her hope is deepening.
At the center of this story is something MOHI seeks to nurture in every community: growth that touches education, health, economic stability, and spiritual formation.
Gratitude and Shared Impact
Topista’s gratitude is deeply relational.
“I am hopeful that my children will advance well in life and use the knowledge they have gained to change their lives,” she says.
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" I am hopeful that my children will advance well in life and use the knowledge they have gained to change their lives. |
Stories like Topista’s are made possible through faithful partnership, prayer, and encouragement from supporters who walk alongside families over time.
Your presence matters.
Your prayers matter.
Your partnership matters.
Topista’s journey began with a simple step: ensuring her children could attend school. Today, that decision continues to shape her family’s future in ways she once could not have imagined.
If Topista’s story resonates with you, we invite you to join the journey in one of these ways:
Sponsor a child and step into a life-changing relationship.
Learn more about microfinance and how it strengthens families.
Join us in praying for Topista and her children as they continue building toward the future God is shaping for them.
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