Dear Friend,

Good Monday morning,

Today I’d like to introduce you to a Five Talents savings group. This picture was taken in a rural village in the central part of South Sudan. In the background, you can see one of the member’s homes, a traditional “tukul”, or round hut made of mud, manure, sticks, millet stalks, and a straw thatched roof. These homes have been used for thousands of years, and they stay cooler inside amidst the heat of the savanna.

The savings group members pose on top of a reed mat. Traditionally women weave these mats from stalks collected near the river (a tributary to the White Nile), and the mats provide a comfortable place for the group members to sit during their meeting. More than 90% of this group's members are women.

In front of the members is their “savings box” where they keep their money and their main accounting ledger. The savings box has three locks, with a key held by each of the group’s three officials. Transparency, accountability, and unity are key characteristics of the group.

Arek is one of the group leaders and she recently shared:

“It is not only money but also love and healthy relationships that have been introduced through this program. Our village changed positively when we became members of the savings group. We’ve been trained to live in peace among ourselves.”

Thank you for partnering with Five Talents. May God bless you,