Bankin after the tornado. Bankin, Burkina Faso

The worst of times brings out the best of times.

The Gemach Project made loans to a village called Bankin in central Burkina Faso.  Most of their investments were made in livestock.  Things proceeded as expected for the first year and they were on schedule paying back on their loans. Bankin was on the road out of poverty when a tornado struck their village.

Shoal Creek Valley after the tornado

The tornado destroyed or damaged many of their homes and threatened their businesses.The Gemach Project decided to give back what they had paid on their loans to help them rebuild.  The Gemach Project believes that the success of their businesses and their escape from poverty is more important than the rate of loan payments. Bankin has since recovered and once again they are tending their business investments and are making payments on their loans.

Shoal Creek Valley, Alabama

In 2011 a series of tornadoes devastated parts of Alabama including a residential area near Pell City, Alabama called Shoal Creek Road.

Some of the board members of The Gemach Project decided to go to Pell City to help with the recovery.

When the residents of Bankin heard what had happened they sold some of their animals to raise money to give to the people of Shoal Creek to help them do what The Gemach Project had helped them do.

Some may think of this as African Aid to the United States.  We like to think of it as Christians the world over reaching out to those in need.