Micro Loans to rebuild lives in Eastern D.R. Congo

Dear Supporters,

Pro-Microfinance is delighted to announce the expansion of its Rotating Loans for Affordable Private Schools Programme. The program was developed in coordination with Solidarite International pour l’Education et le Developpement International (Solidarity for Educcation and development ,SIED), a local organization increasing access to primary education for over 15 years. With the generous support of the Dorothea Haus Ross Foundation, the program will expand to serve two more schools.

The conflict in Congo has claimed 70% of schools in the North Kivu province – looted, torn down or destroyed as the fighting spread across the country. With almost no financial means to invest in education, health care, or other social services, parents are solely responsible for the costs of their children’s education – including teachers’ salaries and construction of school buildings. Amongst many challenges, dilapidated classrooms are overcrowded and schools lack decent teaching material as well as adequately educated staff. Now, with a fragile peace in place, children are going back to school, even when ‘school’ is little more than four crumbling walls, covered by a thatch roof, with tree stumps for tables and chairs.

PMI DR Congo has created a unique program called Revolving Loans for Affordable private Schools which aims to improve school infrastructure in the North Kivu province, one of the two provinces mostly affected by the war. The project will target primary schools, with students ranging from ages 6 to 14 years old. The project will directly impact children who will be studying in improved classrooms following the disbursement of the loans. This impact will spread to over a hundred new children every year as at least two new classrooms are built once previous loans are repaid by the schools through moderate tuition fees.

 Thank you for your continued support for the women, families, and children who will benefit from this critical program. PMI's success is truly a result of you. We invite all interested readers to continue to support PMI’s work through donating through Paypal. Donating regularly on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis is one of the very best ways in which an individual can support Pro-Microfinance’s work.

 Every amount - no matter how small or large, makes a difference and helps even more aspiring students in DR Congo work their way out of poverty.

Dear Supporters,

Thanks to your generous support and the hard work of our clients, Pro-Microfinance International (PMI) has continued its lending activities in North Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo, bringing opportunities and life-altering transformation to hundred of families. As of June 30, 2012, the organization had outstanding loans taking by 248 members, with a repayment rate of 93% over the last six months. From January to June 2012, the organization had loaned out over USD $79,000 which represents thousands of micro-loans lent and repaid.

 PMI's stepped lending program rewards timely repayment with larger lending opportunities, building loyalty among borrowers toward their vision of larger business. In North Kivu, a region that has been historically overlooked by the international development, large businesses play a key role in  securing education and health for small business owners in the area.

One of the organization's successful long-term beneficiaries, Mamie Sikuli, could previously not afford to keep her children in school after her husband’s death.  Due to her loan through PMI, she now not only owns her own workshop, but she has her own assistant, and her 5 children are all enrolled in school. Another PMI program beneficiary, Maman Katungu Kyarami, now trains other start-up entrepreneurs on her successfull soap-making business.

PMI's activities have been vital to its beneficiaries and is made possible by your support. Donating regularly on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis is one of the very best ways in which an individual can support Pro-Microfinance’s work. It's simple to set up, and the payments are collected automatically, thus cutting down on administrative costs. By setting up a regular gift by Direct Debit on Paypal today, we will be able to help even more small business owners in DR Congo work their way out of poverty. Every amount - no matter how small or large, makes a difference.

Thank you for your continued support for the women and families who benefit from this critical program. PMI's success is truly a result of you.

 In Gratitude,

• Mamie Sikuli inside her tailorng shop in Butembo (PPT)