Marjan, a Muslim man from Kembes Village near Manado, lives with his two daughters in a hut adjoining his workshop,.

A blacksmith by trade, Marjan would make knives and grass cutting tools to support his family.  He was able to make one to two knives a day with most of the work done by hand, buying scrap metal, firing it, hammering it and then hand filing it into shape.  These would then be sold at a local market on Bunaken Island for 2500Rp (or AU$3.50) each.

Marjan then joined the Kembes Village Trust Bank, run by Bridge of Hope.  Through involvement in this Microenterprise Development Program, Marjan was provided with a small loan to expand his business, and used the money to purchase an angle grinder.  This equipment increased his output to three or four knives per day.  He plans to use the next loan to purchase a fan; this will enable him to increase the heat of the fire and further increase productivity.

In addition to finance, Marjan receives training on business planning.  The Trust Bank meets every week, and the partners assist each other in their businesses, sometimes to the point of taking shared ownership if someone is unable to make a repayment due to illness or slow business. Savings are encouraged and facilitated, creating a buffer for hard times or medical emergencies.

These days Marjan has great hope, because he has seen a way out of his previous constrictive circumstances.