Micro Loans For Women Impacted by HIV/AIDS, Zambia

Our Micro Loans and Training Program is Changing Lives

Thanks for your continued support for our first-time women entrepreneurs. Your support is creating a legacy of self-reliant women entrepreneurs and a stronger community in Zambia. The goal of our micro loans program is to empower women by teaching them (i) marketable skills so they can run a business, save, and build capital, and (ii) how to prevent HIV and take care of their HIV+ family members. Earnings from businesses enables women to pay for food, rent and medicines and knowledge about HIV prevention and care keeps the family healthy so children can attend school. In a few months, most women in our micro loans program have learnt how to save, and built strong social networks which help overcome challenges at home or in business. These women inspire us every day.

Running businesses changes lives. In a relatively short span of time, say 10-12 months, we see women go from destitution to self-reliance, and from despondency to hope for a bright future. In addition, the more successful women enjoy a higher social status as they become role models and mentors. All these, lead to economic and social empowerment for loan recipients.     

Meet Betsy: Today we would like you to meet Betsy, a first-time women entrepreneur, who has inspired us with her hard work and is a role model for other women in the program. 

Betsy is the sole caregiver for five children. She successfully completed business training and received a loan last April. She used loan funds to purchase potatoes, oil and a big pan to cook and sell something we all love - chips! Just 10 months later, earnings from the sale of chips have helped pay for food, medicines, rent, and school expenses for her family. You can watch Betsy fry chips in this video. With dedication and hard work, Betsy has been able to pull herself out of poverty, and is on the road to self-reliance. She is on track with repayments and has built a strong social network over the past year. In addition, Betsy is now a mentor and role model for other women whose businesses are struggling. She encourages her peers to overcome challenges by working hard and to grow their businesses to keep their children healthy and in school. 

Thanks for changing lives by empowering women like Betsy. 

Links:

• About our micro loans program
• Achievements of our women entrepreneurs
• Vision behind our micro loans program