Businesses for 60 Changemaker Women in DR Congo

Please don’t miss a special matching opportunity at the end of this report.

We are pleased to announce major accomplishments since our last report in addition to an update on our literacy training program.

Microentrepreneurial training. Our original goal was to train 50 Rwenena women in small-business skills. But after our November training, women who had hesitated to join the program witnessed the success of new businesses and decided that they too wanted to launch microenterprises. So, in January, by popular demand, we delivered an unanticipated, final round of training – to 48 women. The total number of women trained, with businesses launched, is 173 (some sessions were delivered under an earlier project iteration).
 Trainees have learned about:
•    Product creation, management, and organization. In one case, two women and their families plan to work as a team in the production of hogs.
•    Basic principles of profit and loss, inventory preparedness, and sales.
•    Business plan conceptions for optimal profitability and always keeping in mind the growth of household income. 
Products and services of the new microenterprises include:

• Single crops of a healthy edible (various vegetables, grains, legumes, oils, flour, and fish).
• Newly made clothing or used clothing - sometimes with associated thrift shops.
• Small livestock: chickens, goats, and pigs.

Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs). We provide additional, mostly funded training to business entrepreneurs for these small savings groups. A portion of each woman’s income is reserved for their households, while another portion goes into a small-group VSLA for member-approved, collective use.

Families are considered the main collective group of the business. Led by the traditional male heads of household, weekly meetings of household members determine individual and shared responsibilities for generating income. Children are expected to play their own, age- and time-appropriate, roles.

Literacy training. As reported earlier, Rwenena women entrepreneurs need literacy (and numeracy) training. We decided to first launch the business training because families were experiencing food insecurity and women were eager to learn new, income-generating skills. They have succeeded with profits, but after literacy training, they - and the greater community - can advance even more toward breaking the cycle of poverty through economic development.
Our extra session of entrepreneurial training in January delayed the launch of our literacy training program. Classes will be taught by Rwenena’s own Celine (alias). She is now completing a customized teaching program in the provincial capital of Bukavu (see photo). Literacy classes in Rwenena will begin shortly thereafter.

Little by Little spring campaign. This semi-annual campaign is coming soon – from Monday, April 3 at midnight; through Friday, April 7, at 11:59 PM, Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). (Search time zone conversions if needed.) All donations up to $50 per household will be matched at 50%.

July Bonus Day. However, for any donation of $100 and up (encouraged!), we urge you to donate to this project on July 12. On that day only while funds last – starting at midnight and ending at 11:59 PM EDT—matches will range from 15% to 100%, depending on the donation amount. Of course you are also welcome to donate for Little by Little in April!

I will send reminders before both campaigns. As with all donations, you don't need to pick one of the suggested amounts. Just indicate your donation amount in the "Other amount" box at the bottom of the donation options on the right side of the main project page. On the next page, when asked if you want to include costs for 10% fees, we would appreciate your willingness to do so, as these costs are otherwise deducted from our project funds.

Thanks so much for your support! Each and every donation helps the Rwenena community to advance its mission to peace and prosperity.