Empower 600 Women in Ghana with Microcredit Loans

In October 2019, Mary, a mother of three from the small village of Abompe in Ghana’s Ashanti Region, received her first loan of GHS 200 ($12.53) from Self-Help International’s Micro-Credit Program. With this loan, she took a bold step toward a better future by starting her own business—a humble wooden shop selling basic provisions.

At the time, life was difficult for Mary. Her small earnings from the shop barely covered the needs of her family. But with determination and the support of Self-Help International, things began to change. Over the next three years, through business training, continued access to loans, and regular guidance from the Self-Help team, Mary steadily grew her business. She started stocking goods that were hard to find in her community, quickly becoming a trusted supplier for her neighbors.

Fast forward to today, and Mary’s life looks completely different. No longer working from just a small wooden shop, she now runs a full-sized, well-stocked shop—the only one of its kind in Abompe. Her business is thriving, her customer base has grown, and she has built a steady and reliable income for her family.

“I never thought I would get here,” Mary says, standing proudly in her shop. “When I started, I didn’t believe I could grow my business this much. But with Self-Help’s support, I learned to dream bigger.”

Today, Mary is doing better than she ever imagined. She no longer worries about feeding her children or paying their school fees. In fact, she has expanded her responsibilities, now caring for her younger brother in addition to her five children. She is already thinking about the next steps—further expanding her business and maybe even hiring others from her community.

As we celebrate the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, Mary’s story is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when people are given the opportunity and support they need to succeed. Self-Help International’s Micro-Credit Program didn’t just help Mary start a business—it helped her break free from the cycle of poverty. The combination of financial assistance, business training, and ongoing mentorship empowered her to create lasting change for herself and her family.

What started as a modest GHS 200 ($12.53) loan has grown into something much bigger. Mary’s success is a beacon of hope for others in her community. She shows her neighbors what’s possible when you have the right tools and the confidence to believe in a better future.

But this story isn’t just about Mary—it’s about you. Her success is possible because of donors like you who believe in community-based solutions to poverty. Your generosity is transforming lives, lifting families out of poverty, and creating lasting change in rural communities.

Mary’s thriving store is a testament to the power of small acts of kindness and support. And with your continued help, many more people like Mary will have the opportunity to escape poverty and build a brighter future.

Thank you for making stories like Mary’s possible. Together, we are moving closer to a world without poverty—one empowered individual at a time.

If ever Monica needed a change to support her family, it was in the season of no rain in the Dantie community, where farming is the primary livelihood. Her husband is a farmer, and she is a food vendor. In the rainy season, the family rely on their farm’s harvest, but the dry season brought harsh realities. With the fields lying fallow, her husband’s farming activities halted, and her food vending business struggled. Monica's limited capital barely allowed her to buy enough shea nuts and beans to prepare her bean cake (Koose, as called in Dagbani) in substantial quantities. 

All she wanted was to generate enough income to support her family now that the farming window had closed. Her business couldn't fetch them enough money for their family  upkeep. However, when a staff of Self-Help International (SHI) visited the community to educate them and introduce them to SHI programs, everything changed. Monica, upon hearing all these, became interested and enrolled in SHI's microcredit scheme. 

Monica received a microcredit loan from Self-Help International. With the additional capital, she could now purchase shea nuts and beans in bulk, allowing her to make and sell koose on a much larger scale. 

She shares, “with the profit made, I have been able to expand my business, repay my loan, and also save GHS 60.00 ($3.9) every week. Over time, my savings grew, and I accumulated over GHS 680.00 ($44.1).” This financial stability was something Monica had never experienced before. With her increased income and savings, Monica began supporting her family in ways she had always dreamt of. She supports her family with more groceries and toiletries, and also pays her children’s school fees. 

Monica's story highlights the transformative impact of SHI's microcredit program. By providing small loans, SHI empowers entrepreneurs like Monica to grow their businesses, increase their incomes, and improve the lives of their families and communities. Thank you for your continued support in transforming lives.