Economic Growth Zambia Project #6597

Micro Loans For Women Impacted by HIV/AIDS, Zambia

by Power of Love Foundation

Micro Loans For Women Impacted by HIV/AIDS, Zambia

Project Report | Feb 23, 2021
Program Activities and Impact in 2020 and Plans for 2021

By Alka Subramanian | Executive Director

Many women sell used clothing

A Unique Year

2020 was a year filled with challenges. Several programmatic changes were made to keep families safe from COVID and to minimize the impact of COVID on businesses run by loan recipients. We are happy to report that all program activities were completed in a safe manner and that none of the women enrolled got infected with COVID. Given below are a few highlights of the achievements of new women entrepreneurs in 2020 and plans for 2021.

A few highlights and achievements of the program in 2020:

New loans: were provided to 70 women.
Business training provided to 143 women.
Refresher training and mentoring provided to all loan recipients.
COVID response: Families are educated on prevention of COVID and provided with PPE (masks and hand sanitizers, soap). Children from the community attended COVID education workshops.
Clean cooking stoves: In Zambia, most families use charcoal for cooking and heating which generates smoke that is harmful to health. To reduce smoke inhalation, 7000 families were provided with clean cooking stoves. Use of these clean cooking stoves has reduced fuel costs, and smoke inhalation. In addition, the women are encouraged to use the stoves as an income generating asset.
All 470 women enrolled receive business monitoring, support, and ongoing training in business.
Repayments rates: Loan repayment rates are between 86-90% despite difficult circumstances faced by most women.
Graduates: A total of about 1,200 businesses are being run by women currently enrolled and those who have graduated from the program over the last 10 years.
Malaria bed nets provided to all women and their families.

Program Impact: As a result of businesses started with loan funds, all 470 families are now eating two or three meals per day, all families reported an improvement in health, more than 900 children are in school, and the women are more financially literate. Many women have completed home repair or added a room, and some women have purchased assets such as land. Our goal is to provide nutrition, health care, and education to vulnerable women and children in Zambia.

For 2021 our plan is to:

Provide new loans to 80 women to bring the total number of loan recipients to 550.
Provide ongoing business support and trainings to 500-600 women.
Track the 550 active businesses, so they continue to operate in the community even after the women graduate.
Encourage graduates to mentor/train new loan recipients.
Provide clean cooking stoves to an additional 10,000 women.
Provide long lasting insecticide treated nets to all families enrolled.

Thank you for empowering vulnerable women.

A restaurant started with loan funds

A Women's meeting

Cooking is fun with the new stoves

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Dec 20, 2020
Thank You for your Gift of Empowerment to Vulnerable Women in Zambia

By Alka Subramanian | Executive Director

Nov 17, 2020
Business Training and New Loans Provided to First Time Women Entrepreneurs

By Alka Subramanian | Executive Director

Women participating in a business training session

With your support, this project continues to benefit more than 3,500 vulnerable women and their families in Zambia. In 2020, new loans, business training, and education was provided to more than 500 vulnerable women impacted by HIV. In addition, the women received education on COVID prevention, and PPE (masks, hand sanitizers, soap).

Program activities: Last month, 143 women received business training and loans to start businesses. The training is participative, hands on, and in the local language as most women have never been to school and many do not know how to read or write. Training (including PPE) was provided is a safe manner to prevent the spread of COVID. After completion of training, the women are provided with loans to start businesses. These newly minted entrepreneurs are now applying the business principles learned during training. Each woman will receive a total of three consecutive loans, and ongoing business mentoring. Earnings from these businesses help the women pay for food, rent, medicines and school.

Program Impact: As the women are supported through the three loan cycles, there is an improvement in the health of families, more than 800 children are attending school, and the women start saving and building assets. With a regular source of income and improved health for the whole family, the women feel empowered and families are more financially sustainable. The impact of program activities is illustrated by stories of two women given below. Both women received business training and loans last year and are on track with loan repayments. Earnings from their businesses help pay for food, medicines, rent and school. Also, both women are more financially literate and are building assets.

Patty (not her real name) is the sole caregiver for five children and three orphaned nieces. Her household consists of 10 members and they live in a three-room home. She was facing considerable challenges in taking care of her family as two of her nieces are HIV+ and her husband works part time. Before enrolling in our micro loans program last year, she was operating a fruit stand. After receiving business training and her first loan, Patty added eggs, soya, peanuts, kapenta (dried fish), and other grocery items to her store. Her business is doing well, and she is on track with repayments. Earnings from her business help pay for food, rent, medicines, and school expenses.

Katie (name changed) is the sole caregiver for her five children, and three orphaned nieces/nephews. She is an independent woman and refused support from her relatives. Her husband left a sewing machine when he died a few years back. She is a skilled seamstress but did not have funds to purchase material. After enrolling in our micro loans program last year, she purchased material for school uniforms. Katie is on track with repayments on her first loan. Her plan is to save more, so that she can buy additional fabric to start stitching and selling Chitenge (a Zambian skirt).

Thanks for giving vulnerable women an opportunity to become successful entrepreneurs.

A happy business owner

A Proud salon owner

Depositing savings at a mobile bank

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