This project provides business training, micro loans, monitoring of businesses, and business counseling to 50 women "local entrepreneurs" for two loan cycles (or a period of one year) in Zambia. Business training & loans along with the package of business counseling helps these women provide for their families, send their children to school, & become role models for others in the community. The women are able to break out of the cycle of poverty and take the first steps towards self-reliance.
Eighty percent of Zambia's population lives on less than a dollar a day which is not adequate to meet their food and shelter needs. This together with a high incidence of HIV/AIDS, leads to a scenario where grandmothers care for 10 or more orphans. Fifty families will be direct beneficiaries of this program. In addition, we expect a second round of impact on 2000 people as these women educate others about prevention of HIV, care of an HIV child, and the importance of keeping children in school.
Most of our loan beneficiaries have never been to school and have few income generating skills. A loan and business training helps them take better care of their families via improved nutrition, be able to able to afford school expenses, & build assets for the future. These women are able to break out of the cycle of poverty and low education and take the first steps towards self-reliance. They become role models for others in the community and the ripple effect is long term and sustainable.
We believe that empowering women strengthens communities in the medium and long term. In the long term we expect higher attendance in school via better health and nutrition of the children, a lower rate of HIV infection via better education, & a higher number of people with income generating skills in the community. This will lead to healthier and self-reliant families and we expect that this impact will be sustainable and permanent. More than 2000 people will be impacted directly and indirectly
I am 79 years old and care for 2 grandchildren who are both HIV positive. I was given a loan which has helped my family to have decent meals. Without this help my grandchildren would not be in school.
- Lexina Zulu, 79 years old, Beneficiary of a small loan and business training
Total Funding Received to Date: $12,541
Remaining Goal to be Funded: $2,962
Total Funding Goal: $15,503
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
Donate by US Mobile Phone
Promote This Project On Your Site
Get Updates via Email
