India is a bustling, vibrant country with a population of over 1.2 billion people. It’s one of the fastest growing economies in the world and home to some great wealth, and yet two in three of its families still live on less than US$2 a day. The challenges faced by these families are immense:

• Preventable illnesses like cholera and diarrhoea are common and can be fatal
• 1 in 4 people do not have access to electricity
• 2 out of 5 women over the age of 15 are illiterate and cannot read
• Access to basics necessities such as toilets is unheard of for many – 1 in 2 people have to defecate out in the open.

Often, the most disadvantaged in India are women. Sushila (pictured) used to struggle to make ends meet for her family. And she’s not alone – for mothers living in poverty in India, the ability to provide a bright and safe future for their children is an overwhelming challenge. But when Sushila took out a small loan and used it to buy a cow, everything began to change for her family.

Sushila’s business thrived and today she is the owner of several milk-producing cows. Using the profits from her business she has been able to build a safe home for her family – complete with its own toilet so that they no longer have to face the health risks of open defecation. Now a respected business woman in her community, Sushila has also become a local leader, inspiring other women in her community to start their own businesses and transform their families’ futures, too.

A small loan gives mothers living in poverty new opportunities that can change a family for generations. Invest in a mother and help her transform her family’s future today.