Members of the Ekota Micro-credit group meeting in Bangladesh.
Many women in Mozambique, although they work hard, are not used to having the empowerment that comes with a regular income. That all changes when they are introduced to micro-credit programs that allow them independence and self-esteem, as well as a living wage.
The CAIXA Das Mulheres de Nampula (Women’s Credit Union) is a micro-finance organization, supported by PWRDF, that now has about 2,700 members. The assistance they receive is transforming.
One woman hadn’t saved any money after working for 27 years. Then she became a CAIXA member and received a small loan to start her own restaurant. She now owns two fast-food restaurants, and has three children in university. Another woman decided to start a business with the help of a loan from the CAIXA after the company she worked for closed down.
With the income generated by her business she was able to build a new, more solid house.
A third woman has become a trader of wood, traditionally a man’s job. She now hires men to cut down trees and to work in her factory. She says she feels “quite empowered” and believes she can achieve whatever goals she sets. She is not alone: she reports that about 80 percent of the women in her neighbourhood have joined the CAIXA and have their own
businesses.
Credit union members have radio programs where women give testimonials of the ways that the CAIXA has changed their lives. This has contributed to an increase in membership.
Similar micro-financing programs with PWRDF backing have made a difference for women in Asia. In Bangladesh, for example, the Church of Bangladesh’s Social Development Program is working with women in urban slums in the capital city of Dhaka. The goal is to create income-earning opportunities for the women, as well as provide legal assistance, adult literacy opportunities and primary health care education.
Ranu is a woman living in a slum in Jurain, Bangladesh. With help from the Ekota micro-credit program through the Church of Bangladesh, she has built a business cooking for 30 people. She says, “We find a way to change our lives and stand on our feet through the Ekota project!”
Before the program began these women had no access to income or education; they didn’t even know what their rights were. Many were victims of domestic violence and their existence in the community was not recognized.
With help, the women have been able to establish their own saving program, which has a capital fund they are able to borrow from for doing small businesses like opening a restaurant, starting a home-based catering business, renting out a rickshaw, or setting up a tailoring shop or grocery store.
The economic support is enhanced by adult literacy opportunities. In six months the women acquire enough literacy skills to keep their own accounts and records of their businesses. They also have access to para-legal field workers who provide them with legal advice and help them to link up with legal services.
PWRDF works with the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) to provide training for 3,500 women in small business skills, management and leadership over a period of three years. They will also receive micro-credit support. The project’s goal is that 70 percent of the women who start up small businesses will run sustainable enterprises.