JUNE 19, 2026

For Nestor, a husband and father who lives in Tanzania, a family is like a car. In order for a family to make positive changes, someone needs to guide the way forward—just like operating a vehicle. “Every car needs a driver,” Nestor says. “If there is no driver, the car cannot move.”

In Nestor’s community, World Renew and its local partner, AICT Diocese of Geita, have started a Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA). Members of the VSLA meet regularly, contribute small amounts of money to a group savings pool, and take out low-interest loans when needed. “I am the driver of my family’s car, so I joined the Village Savings and Loan Association,” Nestor shares with a smile.

Both Nestor and his wife now belong to the VSLA in their community. At the end of each year, the members typically divide the money they collect from interest on the loans. But recently, Nestor’s VSLA group decided to invest the interest in a soap business. That business is thriving, and the group boasts a reserve of 1.7 million Tanzanian shillings ($900 CAD).

For Nestor’s family, the VSLA offered valuable support when his wife became sick while she was pregnant. She needed to go to the hospital, and the family was able to pay for her care with a VSLA loan. After the experience, Nestor and his wife learned about a maternal and child health program also facilitated by AICT Geita. Nestor realized the benefits of the program and encouraged his wife to join and practice what she learned, from regular check-ups to starting a kitchen garden, plus exclusive breastfeeding once the baby was born.

As his family’s “driver,” Nestor sees protecting his wife and children’s well-being as a must. He strives to be a good steward of his family’s finances and help ensure that everyone stays healthy. But most importantly, while Nestor joked about being his family’s driver, he understands the importance of working together with his wife, respecting her, and including her in decisions that impact their family.