Women's Microfinance Initiative

WMI was founded in November, 2007 by seven Washington DC area professional women to address women's economic disenfranchisement in rural East Africa. WMI, unlike conventional aid initiatives, preserves its capital basis by providing loans rather than subsidies. WMI's mission is to provide comprehensive village-level microfinance and training to women in rural East Africa with a sustainable program that the women run themselves. By providing rural women with an opportunity to obtain a loan to launch a business, develop a credit history and obtain training in how to manage a small business, WMI is empowering its borrowers to substantially change their economic status and work their... read more WMI was founded in November, 2007 by seven Washington DC area professional women to address women's economic disenfranchisement in rural East Africa. WMI, unlike conventional aid initiatives, preserves its capital basis by providing loans rather than subsidies. WMI's mission is to provide comprehensive village-level microfinance and training to women in rural East Africa with a sustainable program that the women run themselves. By providing rural women with an opportunity to obtain a loan to launch a business, develop a credit history and obtain training in how to manage a small business, WMI is empowering its borrowers to substantially change their economic status and work their way out of poverty. Repaid loan capital is recycled for maximum impact. This change in economic status and personal self-confidence in one’s ability to achieve business success, across large village populations, has resulted in an overall economic improvement in individual household living standards and enables the community to address other social issues through regular market forces, thus reducing or even eliminating the need for other social interventions. In its 19 years of operation, WMI has created 6 geographical loan hubs in Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania, issuing over 120,000 loans totaling $15 million to 37,000 women.