1,000 Microloans for Rural Women in East Africa

Kamida lives in a rural village in Northeast Uganda called Buyobo.  She was born in the village and is the proud mother of four children - two teen-agers and two at University.  Ten years ago the thought that she might be able to send her children to university would have never entered her mind.  In 2008 Kamida became one of the pioneer borrowers in the newly launched Women’s Microfinance Initiative lending and training program.  Before becoming a borrower, Kamida was running a restaurant in a very small rented space in a building along the main road.  She also sold fresh produce, beans and maize during their respective seasons to help ends meet.  She made around $30 a month.

Since joining WMI, Kamida has used her successive loans to buy land for her own restaurant building. She now operates a larger restaurant out of a building she owns and has a monthly profit of around $125. With her increased income, she is able to easily pay her children’s school fees. Because of the loan program, Kamida no longer needs to pay rent and can use the extra money to expand her restaurant business.

Kamida has an astute sense of the demand for her business and adjusts the amount of food she prepares accordingly to save costs. She understands that during the school holidays, many of the students go back to their respective villages, which reduces the amount of restaurant customers, and she in turn reduces the amount of food she prepares to keep her business running smoothly. At her restaurant, Kamida employs two workers to help serve her customers and prepare and cook food.

Through the training WMI provides, Kamida learned about best business practices and how to save and budget.  She saves about $60 per month which has resulted in many improvements for her home. Aside from being able to fully pay her children’s school fees, she is also able to provide better medical services and treatment for her children. Additionally, Kamida has bought a dairy cow which has become another source of income. Kamida also keeps her books daily. In the morning she records the ingredients and supplies she has purchased; in the evening she balances her books and calculates profits.

In order to continue business expansion, Kamida is a member of a WMI Jumbo Loan Group ($500 loan). Kamida believes that her business will expand in the coming years through the continuing help of the WMI Jumbo Loan program. She is hoping that she will soon be able to open up a retail shop with her savings. Won’t you help her succeed? Please support Kamida and the other women of WMI!