By Liz Mooney | WMI Fellow
Irene Wetaka, one of WMI’s borrowers, is fond of the phrase: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others.” This simple saying encapsulates WMI’s philosophy: The success of the loan program and its impressive growth throughout East Africa is contingent upon a network of rural women who are dedicated to empowering their counterparts through WMI microloans. We understand that while visionary leaders on their own can pioneer meaningful change, it takes a team to make a lasting impact on a community.
Irene also serves as WMI’s Head Trainer. She and her 16 trainers from Buyobo, Uganda travel quarterly as far as central Kenya, southwest Uganda, and Tanzania to bring business skills to rural women. Sometimes this journey can take two days and is punctuated by bus breakdowns, torrential downpours, and walking barefoot down muddy roads for several miles because there is simply no other way to cover the last leg into a remote village. Their dedication is immeasurable.
Training by women who have themselves graduated from the WMI loan program and are running successful businesses is priceless. Their ability to relate to the anxiety, concerns and dreams of new borrows is unmatched. They have taken standard business training materials and enhanced them in a multitude of creative ways to make them relevant to the everyday life of a rural village woman. Through song, dance, and drama the trainers are able to achieve dramatic results in inculcating in new borrowers book keeping, marketing and management skills. Irene has found that there is no more powerful tool to promote empowerment than the opportunity to observe successful women – who look like you – in positions of leadership.
Irene and the women of Womens Microfinance Initiative want to thank you for your support which made this program possible during 2013. Please take a few minutes to watch a short video from Irene and her fellow villagers singing their thanks to Global Giving supporters. http://youtu.be/fr7fCsq5z24. Thank you!
By Liz Mooney | WMI Resource Fellow
By Jess Littman | Social Media Intern
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