
We met Azra in her shop in a neighbourhood of Sarejevo just days before she was moving her store to new premises. She said she decided to move the store to a bigger and better neighbourhood to generate more income. Azra said: “Moving is a good business decision as the rent is less and my current customers have already said they will follow me.” Azra is the sole earner for her family as her husband has been very ill with kidney disease for the last two-and-a half years. Her husband is waiting for a kidney transplant but in the meantime he requires dialysis treatment three times a week. Azra has large medical bills to cover and an 11-year-old son to look after. “’I live for my son, he has a very ill dad. My son loves sports, especially football and karate.” Azra is very strong, when her husband got ill, her mother died and her store was robbed but she did not let that stop her. “I did not wait at home and wait for things to get better. I am a fighter, and I got back on my feet. You have to make things happen.” Azra said she was ‘really grateful’ to everyone who lent to her. She added: I wish them all well, it would be really hard without the loan, I couldn’t imagine what we would do without it. I will only ever borrow as much as I will be able to pay back.”