MICROLOANS
Last year IDC launched its microloan for women. We provide micro loans for both craft and agricultural businesses. Microfinance has been proven an effective way to alleviate poverty, giving access to credit to the poor. This year we donated 400 indigenous fruit and nut bearing trees to our partner programs in order to restore the depleted soil, improve community health with an increased protein diet and boost our agricultural micro loans providing women training in tree care and an edible as well as marketable food source.
IDC’s microloan program uses a group model whereby 5-10 women are interviewed for their business goals and, if selected, receive training by a local professional in savings, loans and general money management. The women come together every 2 weeks to record earnings, payback loans and provide support to one another. The group remains together until the end of the loan cycle and the money paid back is then loaned to a new group of waiting women.
Our microloan program is unique in loans are kept within the community and all money paid back goes to provide seed money for new group of women. Our core goal is to provide microloans for permanent and lasting economic development within a community. As one community's wealth and, inherently, health and education grows, so does their buying power outside of their community thus stimulating a broader economy.
The Loans
Warrior Credit Initiative, MANDO, Kenya
2 groups formed and 15 women operating businesses
Get Together Women's Development Group, BUVAD, Uganda
2 groups formed and 13 women operating businesses
Last year IDC launched its microloan for women. We provide micro loans for both craft and agricultural businesses. Microfinance has been proven an effective way to alleviate poverty, giving access to credit to the poor. This year we donated 400 indigenous fruit and nut bearing trees to our partner programs in order to restore the depleted soil, improve community health with an increased protein diet and boost our agricultural micro loans providing women training in tree care and an edible as well as marketable food source.
IDC’s microloan program uses a group model whereby 5-10 women are interviewed for their business goals and, if selected, receive training by a local professional in savings, loans and general money management. The women come together every 2 weeks to record earnings, payback loans and provide support to one another. The group remains together until the end of the loan cycle and the money paid back is then loaned to a new group of waiting women.
Our microloan program is unique in loans are kept within the community and all money paid back goes to provide seed money for new group of women. Our core goal is to provide microloans for permanent and lasting economic development within a community. As one community's wealth and, inherently, health and education grows, so does their buying power outside of their community thus stimulating a broader economy.
The Loans
Warrior Credit Initiative, MANDO, Kenya
2 groups formed and 15 women operating businesses
Get Together Women's Development Group, BUVAD, Uganda
2 groups formed and 13 women operating businesses
Microloan Success Stories
Warrior Credit Initiative
Kenya
Name: Mario Ene Totio
Type of Business: Beadwork and livestock, Kenya
Loan Amount: KES 10,000 / $120
She is a mother of 4 children and 27 years old. Mario specializes in making maasai bracelets, belts and other maasai attire such as dresses and artifacts.
With a loan from WCI, Mario was able to expand her business by buying beads of different colors and making varieties of Maasai ornaments. She was also able to purchase and maintain a small herd of oxen, milking cows, and goats
Type of Business: Beadwork and livestock, Kenya
Loan Amount: KES 10,000 / $120
She is a mother of 4 children and 27 years old. Mario specializes in making maasai bracelets, belts and other maasai attire such as dresses and artifacts.
With a loan from WCI, Mario was able to expand her business by buying beads of different colors and making varieties of Maasai ornaments. She was also able to purchase and maintain a small herd of oxen, milking cows, and goats
Name: Mary Sikonte Tuleto
Type of business: Beadwork, Kenya
Loan amount: KES 10,00 / $120
Mary is 24 years old and lives in Olomayiana are in Eremit village. With the previous loan Mary strengthened her business with new beadwork products at good prices. She attracted new customers and earned more profits with which she made her payments and improved the family finances.
"Before I used to make only 2 belts but now I have a stock of up to 7 belts," she said in our recent interview.
Mary has expanded her business to make more Maasai artifacts & ornaments which range from belts, bracelets, necklaces, and traditional Maasai earrings. She is able to
support her children who are now in primary school.
Type of business: Beadwork, Kenya
Loan amount: KES 10,00 / $120
Mary is 24 years old and lives in Olomayiana are in Eremit village. With the previous loan Mary strengthened her business with new beadwork products at good prices. She attracted new customers and earned more profits with which she made her payments and improved the family finances.
"Before I used to make only 2 belts but now I have a stock of up to 7 belts," she said in our recent interview.
Mary has expanded her business to make more Maasai artifacts & ornaments which range from belts, bracelets, necklaces, and traditional Maasai earrings. She is able to
support her children who are now in primary school.
Name: Sawoi Ene Leipa
Type of business: Sale of fresh fruits and beadwork, Kenya
Loan amount: KES 10, 000 / $120
Sawoi, 27 years old, is tenacious and hard-working. She is a model wife and mother, always looking for new ways to get her family ahead. With her loan, she was able to buy the fruits she sells in bulk. She reports an increase in her profit margin from her fruit sales. Now, Sawoi is able to take care of her family, cover education costs for her two children and buy two goats that provide milk.
Type of business: Sale of fresh fruits and beadwork, Kenya
Loan amount: KES 10, 000 / $120
Sawoi, 27 years old, is tenacious and hard-working. She is a model wife and mother, always looking for new ways to get her family ahead. With her loan, she was able to buy the fruits she sells in bulk. She reports an increase in her profit margin from her fruit sales. Now, Sawoi is able to take care of her family, cover education costs for her two children and buy two goats that provide milk.
Women Come Together Credit Initiative
Uganda
Uganda
Name: Esther Namuli
Business: Beer stall, Uganda
Loan Amount: Ushs 200,000 Shillings/ $80
Esther's business is selling beer at her bar. She started selling local beers, but with her loan has started selling brand name beers.
Esther says that the loan she received was used to boost her business and that her bar is moving on well with good customers good.
Her expectation is to get a bigger loan of about one million Uganda shillings or $400 so that she can purchase more varieties of drinks in the bar.
Esther says that the business has provided her enough money for tuition and food for her children and to purchase necessary items for her home .
Business: Beer stall, Uganda
Loan Amount: Ushs 200,000 Shillings/ $80
Esther's business is selling beer at her bar. She started selling local beers, but with her loan has started selling brand name beers.
Esther says that the loan she received was used to boost her business and that her bar is moving on well with good customers good.
Her expectation is to get a bigger loan of about one million Uganda shillings or $400 so that she can purchase more varieties of drinks in the bar.
Esther says that the business has provided her enough money for tuition and food for her children and to purchase necessary items for her home .
Name: Gertrude Nagitta
Business: Weaving and farming
Loan Amount: Ushs 100,000 / $40
Ms. Nagitta received her loan to improve her weaves mat and farming mainly cultivating beans, ground nuts and also selling of groundnuts paste to small retail shops. She has plans of also growing fruit trees to improve on her business.
Her businesses have been successful and have enabled her to get some profit, which she has always used to repay the loan. However it is her request that she can be given a bigger loan of 150,000/$60.
Ms. Nagitta says that the business has initiated her into developing saving habit, pay school fees for her grand children, getting basic necessities like food, soap, clothes among others. However Nagitta is targeting a large-scale market for her weaved products like mats, baskets and handbags all weaved out of local material. She requests BUVAD to get for her market or even connecting her to overseas people who can buy her local crafts on a large scale.
Business: Weaving and farming
Loan Amount: Ushs 100,000 / $40
Ms. Nagitta received her loan to improve her weaves mat and farming mainly cultivating beans, ground nuts and also selling of groundnuts paste to small retail shops. She has plans of also growing fruit trees to improve on her business.
Her businesses have been successful and have enabled her to get some profit, which she has always used to repay the loan. However it is her request that she can be given a bigger loan of 150,000/$60.
Ms. Nagitta says that the business has initiated her into developing saving habit, pay school fees for her grand children, getting basic necessities like food, soap, clothes among others. However Nagitta is targeting a large-scale market for her weaved products like mats, baskets and handbags all weaved out of local material. She requests BUVAD to get for her market or even connecting her to overseas people who can buy her local crafts on a large scale.
Name: Namale Stella
Business: Operates a retail shop
Loan amount: Ushs 200,000 / $80
Namale used her loan to expand her business. With the excess profits, she has been able to begin constructing her own brick house. Namale, a widow, proudly reports that there is progress in her business which has helped her pay school fees for her children. She is making plans to build a simple house. Being part of the Women Come Together Credit Initiative, she has made new friends and learned how to keep accurate records of her business.
She says that a loan increase of 700,000 shillings/ $280 would enable her to purchase things like plastics in the shop.
Business: Operates a retail shop
Loan amount: Ushs 200,000 / $80
Namale used her loan to expand her business. With the excess profits, she has been able to begin constructing her own brick house. Namale, a widow, proudly reports that there is progress in her business which has helped her pay school fees for her children. She is making plans to build a simple house. Being part of the Women Come Together Credit Initiative, she has made new friends and learned how to keep accurate records of her business.
She says that a loan increase of 700,000 shillings/ $280 would enable her to purchase things like plastics in the shop.
Some waiting micro loan recipients
Name: Pualina Koroe
Type of business: Beadwork and clothing store
Loan amount: KES 50,000 / $605
Mrs. Koroe is 27 years old and married. She has been selling clothing for three years. She offers various types of clothes such as school uniforms, shukas, lesso and kanga. Her husband assists her by introducing Maasai men to the clothing in the local market.
She makes enough income to contribute to the family's income.
Pualina wants to improve her business and requests a loan of KES 50,000. With the loan, she will purchase more varieties of clothing and add to he stock of beaded belts, bracelets, necklaces, earrings. She is expecting an improvement in her earnings and dreams of expanding her business in the near future.
Type of business: Beadwork and clothing store
Loan amount: KES 50,000 / $605
Mrs. Koroe is 27 years old and married. She has been selling clothing for three years. She offers various types of clothes such as school uniforms, shukas, lesso and kanga. Her husband assists her by introducing Maasai men to the clothing in the local market.
She makes enough income to contribute to the family's income.
Pualina wants to improve her business and requests a loan of KES 50,000. With the loan, she will purchase more varieties of clothing and add to he stock of beaded belts, bracelets, necklaces, earrings. She is expecting an improvement in her earnings and dreams of expanding her business in the near future.
Name: Lucy Wanjiku
Business: Clothing and shoes
Loan Amount: KES 30,000 / $125
Lucy, age 43, currently sells merchandise through catalogues and has some clothing displayed at a local market. She started her business because she needed to pay for household items, children's school fees and medical bills.
With a loan, Lucy wants to open a store in the commercial area and invest in purchasing wholesale merchandise such as clothing, perfume, body cream and facial cream. Based on customer demand, Lucy is confident she will improve her sales and, thus, her family's income.
Lucy says that her age does not stop her from working hard to reach her goals and complete her projects. She wants to continue selling for the sake of her family and enjoy a peaceful old age with her husband.
Business: Clothing and shoes
Loan Amount: KES 30,000 / $125
Lucy, age 43, currently sells merchandise through catalogues and has some clothing displayed at a local market. She started her business because she needed to pay for household items, children's school fees and medical bills.
With a loan, Lucy wants to open a store in the commercial area and invest in purchasing wholesale merchandise such as clothing, perfume, body cream and facial cream. Based on customer demand, Lucy is confident she will improve her sales and, thus, her family's income.
Lucy says that her age does not stop her from working hard to reach her goals and complete her projects. She wants to continue selling for the sake of her family and enjoy a peaceful old age with her husband.
Name: Imeldah P. Nakasi
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Fruit Kisk
LOAN AMOUNT NEEDED: Ushs 30,000/ $125
Nakasi Imeldah is a single lady with 6 school age children. She has just joined the BUVAD Women Come Together Credit Initiative. Nakasi is interested in boosting her fruit kiosk which she operates within the most nearby trading centre of Bukolooto. Her kiosk is constructed out of papyrus mats. She needs a loan of Ushs 300,000 or US$125 to increase her agricultural production of fruits to sell and improve the structure of her kiosk.
TYPE OF BUSINESS: Fruit Kisk
LOAN AMOUNT NEEDED: Ushs 30,000/ $125
Nakasi Imeldah is a single lady with 6 school age children. She has just joined the BUVAD Women Come Together Credit Initiative. Nakasi is interested in boosting her fruit kiosk which she operates within the most nearby trading centre of Bukolooto. Her kiosk is constructed out of papyrus mats. She needs a loan of Ushs 300,000 or US$125 to increase her agricultural production of fruits to sell and improve the structure of her kiosk.
Name: Ms. Nabanoba Allen
Business: Local poultry making and craft making
Loan Amount: Ushs 300,00 / $125
Nabanoba Allen is a single woman with 4 school age children. She has just joined the BUVAD women micro finance project. She has a business plan to raise chickens, sell the eggs and chickens and make wearable and household items.
Business: Local poultry making and craft making
Loan Amount: Ushs 300,00 / $125
Nabanoba Allen is a single woman with 4 school age children. She has just joined the BUVAD women micro finance project. She has a business plan to raise chickens, sell the eggs and chickens and make wearable and household items.
Name: Judith Nabukwasi
Business: Retail Clothing
Loan amount needed: UShS 50,000 / $605
Judith is a single mother with 6 children. She has just joined the BUVAD women micro finance project and is interested in setting up a mobile second-hand clothes store, selling from house to house.
Nabukwasi changed her business model and reports that her clothes are selling well. Because she had some prior business experience, her new business has been successful.
Business: Retail Clothing
Loan amount needed: UShS 50,000 / $605
Judith is a single mother with 6 children. She has just joined the BUVAD women micro finance project and is interested in setting up a mobile second-hand clothes store, selling from house to house.
Nabukwasi changed her business model and reports that her clothes are selling well. Because she had some prior business experience, her new business has been successful.
The microloan recipients
receive money management
training at Butakoola Village in Uganda
Namale Nsereko receives her microloan
