Over 10 years ago, Marni’s husband left, leaving her to support their three sons on her own. To try and find work, Marni packed up Nikson, Oscar and Rio from their rural village in Indonesia and moved to Kupang. With no education, Marni did whatever jobs she could, like laundry for the police base, but the income was tiny and not enough to provide for her sons. “I only got Rp.20,000-30,000 (A$1.92-2.88) a day.”

Still a child, her eldest son Nikson stepped up to help shoulder the heavy load, doing extra chores, picking up jobs in the neighbourhood and taking on the role of ‘dad’ for his brothers – even though he was only five when his dad left. “I am the eldest, so I need to take care of them,” Nikson (now 16) says. For years, the family struggled to afford everything – rent, food, schooling.

But then Marni heard about the small loans being offered by Opportunity International Australia to help families grow their own small businesses, receiving her first loan of Rp.4,000,000 (A$384). “I used the loan to purchase vegetables to sell at market,” Marni says.

Within a year, the vegetable stall was earning up to 17 times what Marni once earned. The family no longer struggled to afford nutritious meals, rent or the children’s schooling.

In early 2020, COVID-19 hit, and like elsewhere around the world, Marni and her business were impacted greatly. Marni couldn’t access enough vegetables and found it difficult to make profit. As restrictions have eased and markets have opened up again, Marni is back in business.

A small loan helped Marni rebuild – and it can help millions of other women just like her.