Community Life
Women's Micro Loans
CoH is working to overcome obstacles to self-sufficiency within the tribal community.
Our Women’s Micro-Loan program, established in 2017, is helping poor Christian families to address their own needs through the purchase of pigs, goats, and sewing machines. The earnings from these small business ventures have repaid loans, supplemented family food supplies, and provided additional income. From 2019 to 2022, 100 loans were dispensed, with an average loan value of $50 and 85% of the loans have been repaid. In 2025, we plan to provide 80 new loans with an average value of $80. Many tribal women desire to be a part of this program, but future loans are dependent on the availability of contributions. If you would like to give towards the Micro-loans, please write “Micro-Loans” on the notes line on the donation page. Thank You!
“I purchased two pigs with my loan. From these two pigs, I got seven baby pigs, which were sold at a profit. This allowed me to repay my loan, give $13 to my church, place my son in college, and supplement my family’s food. Now, the female pig is ready to have more babies!”
~ A tribal microloan recipient
Demonstration Farms
Two tribal-run Demonstration Farms were started in 2015 to model modern farming techniques, prove the economic viability of new crops in the Hills, and generate supplementary educational income. The farms grow coffee, mango, coconut, lemon and Acacia Mangium trees and produce coffee starts for low-cost distribution to tribal farms. As the crops mature, the Demonstration Farms are expected to cover costs and perhaps earn a profit after labor costs are subtracted. In June and July 2023, we earned $3,000 in sales from our mango and coffee crops, and we still have lemons to sell. So, we may at last be turning the corner and earning a profit to support our schools. If you would like to give towards this work, please write “Farms” on the Notes line on the donation page. Thank You!
Primer School Classes
CoH is supporting Primer School classes to teach illiterate adults how to read in their mother tongue. The effort began in 2023 with sixteen classes, and it has now expanded to sixty classes in the 2025-to-2026-time frame. We plan to continue these classes through 2030 by which time we will have taught Primer lessons in 185 villages and 12 hostel. The Primer School classes are taught for three evenings during the week, and each class is scheduled to last for eighteen months.
We’re excited about this work for it will enable many within the Tripura, Mro, Marma and Khumi Christian community to read the Bible in their own language.
If you would like to give towards this effort, please write “Primer School” on the notes line in the donation page. Thank You.