Expand Family Income
In 2011, Phanis Maiba generated $1 a day to support six children. As a result of our micro-loan and training programme, in 2014 she was generating $4.50 a day. MICRO-LOANS + TRAINING
Most of the orphan caregivers have some small business that produces a little bit of money to put food on the table.
Village of Love provides micro-loans along with small business management training and mentoring, livelihood skills workshops and a forum to exchange business tips and best business practices.
Psycho-social support and women’s empowerment meetings also play an important part in enabling the women to make the most of the economic opportunities offered.
98% PAY BACK RATE
This is very impressive amongst women who live in extreme poverty! In addition, even very small loans result in more food on the table and children in school.
This success rate can be attributed to the training workshops that are provided before a woman receives a micro-loan and the follow up mentoring.
Because of the women’s extreme poverty, no interest is charged on the loans. The purpose of the loan is purely to increase a woman’s capacity to generate income, not in order to make any profit.
FACTS: 9 revolving funds are now in operation. Total funds available for borrowing is $20,000. 135 entrepreneurs receive micro-loans from these funds. 95% are women. Over 750 people are directly benefitting from the income these loans generate. The repayment rate is 98%.
The women are learning to make lovely baskets out of discarded plastic bags.
LIVELIHOOD SKILLS WORKSHOP
Workshops are offered in livelihood skills such as soap and basket making. This enables the women to add variety to the goods they have for sale, and to generate extra income at minimal cost.
Phanis (featured in the picture at the top of this page) was already offering her new products for sale the day after the workshop. Some customers doubted the soap’s efficacy. However, Phanis urged them to take it and try it for free, telling them if they liked it they could pay her at the end of the week. They all did!