1,000 Microloans for Rural Women in East Africa

Self-sustaining micro finance initiative issuing collateral-free, interest-bearing loans, for as little as $50, to poor women in rural East Africa to start businesses to support their families. The borrowers’ priorities for the use of their profits are: better nutrition, healthcare and paying school fees for their children. Vestry provides outreach in all of these areas by empowering women with options to provide better care for their families.

Challenge

Vestry is tackling global poverty and the disenfranchisement of impoverished, rural women in East Africa. Launched in 2008 in rural Buyobo, Uganda, WMI has provided over 25,000 microloans to chronically poor women in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya, many supporting AIDS orphans. Borrowers start small businesses and use their profits to pay for school fees, food and healthcare. Communities benefit as borrowers hire helpers and advocate for local improvements.

Solution

Vestry will-screen, train and issue loans of $50 – $250 to impoverished women to start businesses. Vestry will organize borrower meetings, conduct site visits, provide ongoing business education and introduce women to dealing with the local bank.

Long-Term Impact

Empowering women living in desperate poverty in rural East Africa promotes in-country development from the bottom up. Women become involved in grass roots movements and advocate for far-reaching social and economic changes in their own country. The borrowers’ priorities for the use of their profits are: better nutrition, healthcare and paying school fees for their children. WMI provides outreach in all of these areas by empowering women with options to provide better care for their families.

Additional Details

To support, you should make a transfer to one of the Vestry’s Foundation’s bank accounts:

• Nordbank IBAN EE797178500010380024
• Danski IBAN EE403300408003345300
• SEAB IBAN EE202610201001491011
• Swissbank IBAN EE028740221015268282
• LDC IBAN EE078007527100710613.