Empower 600 Women in Ghana with Microcredit Loans

The average Ghanaian is individualistic in nature; wants to do everything all by himself or herself and has little trust in partnership. According to many, this explains why Ghana has fewer industries capable of employing more than 50 people. Many indigenous Ghanaian industries have died with their originators as those around were never allowed to play the much needed sustainability roles.

Culturally, men are considered superior to women in Ghana and this greatly hinders their progress. In many cases women have to consult before they act and this somehow is backed by a Ghanaian proverb ‘sbaa t tuo a twene barima dan mu’, which translates ‘if a woman buys a gun it is the man who keeps it.’ To the detriment of building a better nation, this culture has killed many great ideas thought of by women. When women unite they conquer and move forward.

The Self-Help International (SHI) micro-credit program is helping to build and strengthen the sense of togetherness and culture of partnership among its more than 400 female beneficiaries. These women have built good homes, take care of their families and brought development to their communities.

Nokware Women’s group from Kwaso is one such group. In February 2007 numbering just five (5) they joined the SHI micro-credit program and by dint of hard work and unity their membership grew exponentially.

During the 2012 National Farmers’ Day celebration they were crowned the best women’s group in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipal in Ashanti region of Ghana. They received a certificate, building materials, knapsack sprayer, machetes and rain boots. Though important, these items never quenched their thirst to break more barriers.

Kwaso Women’s group at the 2012 National Farmers’ Day

In 2013 they added cassava processing to their various income generating activities. The environment for the processing is quite difficult. The processing is done in the open and they are at the mercy of the weather and smoke. This notwithstanding, they produce one of the best gari in the municipality.

In a meeting with the executive director of SHI in March 2014, it became apparent that the way forward was for the group to relocate to pave way for shed construction and mechanization. The women made a promise to relocate for further development.

In September 2014, SHI learned that the women had met with the chief and elders and received at no cost, a parcel of land valued at 5,000 Ghanaian cedis ($1566). It is almost impossible for any single woman from the community to chalk this feat.

With this development, the group will process more cassava which will address a critical challenge facing Ghanaian farmers; lack of ready market for farm produce. More employment avenues shall be created, especially for the youth which will minimize crime rates in the community and the surrounding area.

Your support has helped the women of Kwaso group, and many like them, to expand their business and become more independent. Thank you for your generous donation.

Diana is 50 years old and a native of Bedaabour in Ashanti region of Ghana. She is a product of the old Ghanaian education system, in which basic school curricula included practical teaching of home science and technical skills.

Like others her age, Diana learned from a young age how to make dresses with needles. After middle school she became a trader and ‘yaadee yie’; someone who carries sewing machine and move from house to house to mend cloths.

This type of hands-on training for youth was critical for Diana and others like her, but insufficient on its own: she needed access to micro-loans and market avenues as well.

In January 2013, Diana joined Self Help International’s micro-credit program and used her loan to purchase and start selling fabrics to earn additional income. Ready access to fabrics revived knowledge and skills she acquired decades ago as a school girl. Diana tells SHI, “I was never an apprentice seamstress. I am here as a result of needle work lessons I had decades ago and micro loans from SHI.”

She now sews and sells dresses to her community members. An apt businesswoman, she offers to sew dresses at discounted rates for those clients who purchase their fabric from her.

When visited in August 2014, Diana had made dresses that compete favorably in her local market. It is obvious from her designs that she is not only good at cutting and putting fabrics together but she also understands colors.

Diana has 6 children (4 females and 2 males) aged between 9 and 27 years and is able to take good care of them. With the profits earned from her business, she is building a 3-bedroom house to shelter her family and plans to expand her business to be able to train and employ more young women in her community.

Sharing her trade is important to ensuring that future generations of women are able to develop the skills they need to participate in the village economy. Over the past few decades, the educational system of Ghana, like many developing countries, has undergone a transformation aimed at achieving a more efficient system that produces quality human resource to achieve national development. In the process, many practical education programs were cut.  

In the old system, girls were taught to cook delicious local dishes and do needlework, sewing beautiful baby dresses and table cloths, while boys learned to mark and cut wood. The benefits of this type of practical training were enormous. Almost every household had needles which were used to mend torn dresses and it was common to see pupils with patched school uniforms. Though it wasn’t always pleasant to the eye, it saved the family money.

The situation is different today. People, especially those products of the new education system, readily replace their old worn out clothes by purchasing used ones that are imported largely from Europe rather than mending their old clothes. These imports contribute to the collapse of indigenous fabric and dress making industries, and the ever worsening unemployment situation. Current unemployment rate is around 40% and it is not surprising that crime rates are high nowadays.

Women like Diana set a strong example for others of using their talents to advance local industry. There are several other “Dianas” in Ghana who need access to credit in order to unlock their talents as well. Such individuals constitute the much needed growth poles to bring about development in Africa.

Your donation has helped Diana, and many women like her, explore their talent and grow their businesses. Thank you for your generosity.

Links:

• http://www.selfhelpinternational.org