Families in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities are praying for an opportunity. Parents want a chance to work, to provide for their children and to build a more stable future.
Over the past year, thanks to the generosity of compassionate Catholics like you, prayers were answered through Cross Catholic Outreach’s microenterprise and agricultural development programs. Parents in Guatemala, Ghana, Zambia, Malawi, Haiti and other developing nations gained the tools, training and resources to better provide for their children, improving daily life and strengthening their faith in God’s providence.
In many rural communities, even a modest loan helps parents build a more hopeful future for their children.
In 2025, microenterprise programs led by our local ministry partners helped vulnerable families start or expand income-generating ventures, such as selling goods at local markets, raising livestock or running small businesses.
Scripture tells us, “Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23). We’ve watched with great joy as microloans, training, and faith-centered community groups offering ongoing encouragement and support have helped families build savings habits and strengthen their financial stability.
For example, Annecie became one of more than 1,000 hardworking Haitians to benefit from the Kobonal Haiti Mission’s microenterprise program. She used her microloan to purchase rice, salt, oil and gas from a distant market and started reselling them locally. She then used her profit to buy livestock and a modest plot of land. Her small but growing business pays for her children’s tuition, allowing them to remain in school.
In Ghana, the Diocese of Wa helped struggling mothers thrive, providing entrepreneurial training, microloans and opportunities. After receiving her first small-business loan from the diocese, Basuglo increased her shop’s inventory. This blessing helped her sales grow and created greater stability for her family. In addition to allowing her to expand her farming efforts and become a larger supplier in her community, the extra income has allowed her to support her younger brother by contributing to his nursing school tuition.
In Zambia and Malawi, men and women joined savings groups designed to help them plan for their future with greater confidence. And in Guatemala, entrepreneurs used microloans to grow businesses that support their entire households.
Unpredictable weather, limited tools and a lack of resources keep many already-struggling families trapped in subsistence farming. But with agricultural programs like those provided by Cross Catholic Outreach, farmers are equipped with seeds, tools, livestock, and hands-on training to help them improve crop yields and develop reliable food and income sources. Improved farming methods help families grow more food, diversify their crops and livestock for greater resilience, and empower them to adopt more sustainable practices. Ultimately, this means better nutrition, improved health for children and a better quality of life.
Last year, farmers in the Diocese of Suchitepéquez-Retalhuleu in Guatemala received training, seedlings and supplies to grow corn and beans, as well as other major crops and staple foods of the region. Farmers weren’t just given resources; they were empowered to improve harvests and put more food on the table within their communities.
In Malawi, farmers learned new techniques to grow a greater number of vegetables on the same land. In Haiti and Ghana, families were positioned to raise livestock and cultivate enough crops to feed their households and generate income at local markets. In Zambia, thanks to the Daughters of the Redeemer, small-scale farmers gained the skills needed to move from survival farming to sustainable agriculture.
While the practical impact of these programs is clear, another transformation is just as important. Families like Elida’s in the Diocese of Santa Rosa de Lima, Guatemala, have also rediscovered hope.
With the help of two microloans from the diocese, Elida turned her small home bakery into a thriving business in rural Guatemala. Her homemade cornbread has become so popular that she now sells it daily at local markets and even ships orders to customers in the United States. The extra income has helped her care for her parents, including buying medicine and making home repairs. “When I have food to sell, I get really excited,” Elida said. “Thank you for the blessings you have given us, and we hope you can continue to help other people.”
Through the presence of our local Church partners, mentorship and community support, hardworking people around the world were reminded they are not alone. They are loved, supported and valued in the eyes of God. The microenterprise and agriculture programs we support are lifting households economically, strengthening their faith and restoring hope within their communities!
Today, entire communities have found a clear path forward to a brighter future. Generous support from Catholic ministry efforts has empowered them to continue working, earning and building steadier lives for their children! Our brothers and sisters in Christ take comfort in knowing they are supported by a global family of faith that believes in their future and stands with them, offering both prayer and practical help.
Cross Catholic Outreach is deeply grateful to our donors and partners in the Lord, whose generosity makes this possible and helps open doors to lasting change.
Donations from this campaign will be used to cover any expenditures for this project incurred through June 30, 2027, the close of our ministry’s fiscal year. In the event that more funds are raised than needed to fully fund the project, the excess funds, if any, will be used to meet the most urgent needs of the ministry.
