More Than Ice Cream and Chocolate Bananas

Lifeline is passionate about developing and empowering people and communities. Keep reading to learn how economic empowerment initiatives are changing lives.


Written by Ana Sanchez, Field Finance Administrator

Empowering people in Guangolola, Honduras
Guangolola is a small rural community. Most people in this area are farmers. During harvest seasons, it’s all hands on deck to get the harvest work done!

Life is challenging in this area. Employment opportunities beyond farming the land are few.

So when Lifeline’s leaders brought the economic empowerment program to Guangolola Christian Church, Josselin was one of the first to sign up.

Meet Josselin
Josselin is a 27-year-old mother and wife. She has only a 6th grade education. Their home has a dirt floor, no water or electricity, and a simple plastic divider to separate the living space from the bedroom.

Her husband is a truck driver. Josselin tries to add to the family income by selling ice cream treats and chocolate banana, but she wants to do more for her family.

Josselin came to the economic empowerment training with a general business plan to open a small roadside business selling frozen treats, natural juices, donuts, banana chips, and more. 

“Often, when people want to improve their income, they simply don't know how to do it,” she said. 

Through the training, Josselin learned to be more strategic with her business plans and to put God first in all that she does. Her long-term goal is to support her daughter's education as far as she wants to go.

And as a bonus, she also had the opportunity to learn some basic sewing skills! It was her first time to use a sewing machine. By the end of the session, she had made her own cooking apron!

Josselin knows that despite challenging circumstances, God can help the next day be better. She leans into Joshua 1:7-9 which reminds her to stay strong in the Lord and that He is with her wherever she goes.