In a couple of weeks I leave for six months to spend time with families who have used small loans to start small businesses across India, Indonesia and the Philippines. I’ll be doing quite a few different things while I’m over there, one of which is to collect the stories of these families and share them with you.

A pretty common question I’ve been asked lately is, “What do you expect it’s going to be like?”

To be honest, I’m not too sure.

I’ve been involved with Opportunity for a little over three years now. During this time I’ve read and written about many different families, from a mother in India who had gone on to hire seven women in her community and was training them to start their own businesses, to a mother in the Philippines who lost two of her four children while trying to find shelter on a rooftop from Typhoon Haiyan.

These stories have, and always will, stay with me. Stories of joy and misery. Stories of hope and pain. Stories that show the harsh reality of the lives of families around the world.

I can’t imagine what it would feel like to look my child in the eyes and tell them that I have no dinner for them to eat. I don’t want to. But soon I will be speaking very candidly with mothers that have had to do this. Mothers that have had no choice but to do this.

So, what am I expecting then?

I am expecting to be shocked and horrified. But I am also expecting to see great things. I am expecting to be overwhelmed with happiness at the changes taking place but also motivated by the progress that still needs to be made.

If you have questions you want to ask or things you want to know, share them with me either on Facebook or in the comments section of this blog. I will do my best to answer as I travel.

In the meantime I will be posting stories of the families I meet on Instagram so we can continue to understand the significant impact your support is having on the lives of those who have previously been denied an opportunity.