Microfinancing Partners In Africa

MICROFINANCING PARTNERS IN AFRICA (MPA) PROVIDES GRANTS FOR THE STRENGTHENING AND EXPANSION OF MICROFINANCING PROGRAMS IN AFRICA, TO EMPOWER THOSE LIVING IN EXTREME POVERTY TO LIFT THEMSELVES UP WITH DIGNITY THROUGH ACCESS TO FINANCIAL SERVICES AND EDUCATION.

UGANDA COW PROJECT - THROUGH THE DIOCESE ORGANIZATION CARITAS MADDO (MASAKA DIOCESE ORGANIZATION) FAMILIES JOIN THE PROGRAM IN VILLAGE GROUPS AND RECEIVE TRAINING TO PREPARE FOR RECEIVING A COW. THE PARTICIPATING FAMILIES PREPARE THEIR FARMS (TYPICALLY ONE ACRE) TO BE SELF SUSTAINING. THE PROJECT REQUIRES THAT THE FAMILIES INVEST IN THEIR FARMS BY BUILDING A ZERO-GRAZING SHED FOR THE COW, BY PLANTING SUFFICIENT GRASS TO FEED THE COW AND BY IMPLEMENTING SANITATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FAMILY AND THE COW, IN ORDER TO KEEP THE COW IN GOOD HEALTH. ONCE THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS ARE MET, THE FAMILY IS GRANTED A LIVING LOAN OF A PREGNANT COW, VALUED AT $800. ONCE THE CALF IS BORN, A COW GIVES AROUND 20 LITERS OF MILK EACH DAY. THE FAMILY USES ABOUT TWO LITERS FOR THEIR OWN CONSUMPTION AND SELLS THE REMAINDER TO THE CARITAS MADDO DAIRY, WHICH PROVIDES THE FAMILY A SMALL BUT STEADY INCOME. THE LOAN IS PAID BACK BY RAISING THE CALF FOR 9 TO 12 MONTHS, AND THEN PASSING ALONG THE CALF TO ANOTHER ELIGIBLE FAMILY. MPA PROVIDES GRANTS FOR COWS, THE DAIRY, AND SATELLITE COOPERATIVE MILK COLLECTION CENTERS.

THE SAFE WOMEN PROJECT PARTNERS WITH THE HEALTHCARE DIVISION OF CARITAS MADDO TO ADDRESS POVERTY CAUSED BY HIGH RATES OF OBSTETRIC FISTULA. THE PIGLET PROJECT OFFERS INCOME PROGRAM TO WOMEN WHO HAVE HAD SURGERY TO REPAIR AN OBSTETRIC FISTULA INJURY. THE SAFE WOMEN ALTERNATIVE PROJECT INTEGRATES POST-FISTULA WOMEN INTO SELF-HELP LENDING CIRCLES TO START INCOME PROJECTS THAT ARE NOT PIGGERIES. THE SAFE BIRTH PROJECT TRAINS MIDWIVES TO USE ULTRASOUNDS TO ALERT PREGNANT WOMEN TO THE RISK OF OBSTRUCTED LABOR AND OFFERS THE CLINICS GROUP PROJECTS TO SUPPORT THEIR SERVICES.

KENYA JAMII BORA PROJECT IS A MICROFINANCING COOPERATIVE WITH OVER 10,000 MEMBERS. THE KEYS TO SUCCESS ARE THAT MEMBERS SELECT THEIR OWN GROUP OF FIVE, START WITH SAVING EVEN A SMALL AMOUNT, PARTICIPATE IN WEEKLY MEETINGS TO DISCUSS THEIR LOANS, AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER AS THEY SUCCESSFULLY PAY BACK THE LOANS. AS MEMBERS PAY BACK THE LOANS, WHICH HAVE A FIXED INTEREST RATE AND PAYBACK PERIOD, THEY BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR LARGER LOANS TO START AND SUPPORT THEIR INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES. JAMII BORA OFFERS HEALTH, LIFE, AND DISASTER INSURANCE COVERAGES, A SOBRIETY PROGRAM, BUSINESS SKILLS TRAINING, EDUCATION, AND SECOND LANGUAGE CLASSES FOR ENGLISH AND SWAHILI. MICROFINANCING PARTNERS PROVIDES GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE MODEST SALARIES OF THE TUMAINI, SOCIAL WORKERS WHO REACH OUT TO THOSE PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS IN THE GREATEST NEED. MPA PROVIDES GRANTS TO SUPPORT THE SOBRIETY PROGRAM, GRANTS TO CAPITALIZE MORE SMALL LOANS FOR THOSE IN THE TUMAINI PROGRAM AS WELL AS DISASTER RECOVERY LOANS.

IN 2014, MPA BEGAN A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MISSIONARY SISTERS OF THE PRECIOUS BLOOD (CPS) WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING WOMEN AND MEN IN POVERTY ACCESS TO FUNDING AND TRAINING TO START SELF-SUSTAINING SMALL BUSINESSES. IN 2017 CPS CONTINUED TO PURSUE THIS GOAL BY HOSTING FOURTEEN MICROFINANCING TRAININGS IN KENYA, TANZANIA AND THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO TO HELP STIMULATE ENTREPRENEURIAL EFFORTS SUCH AS THREE PROJECTS TO SEW AND SELL SCHOOL UNIFORMS AND ONE TO PURCHASE A SUNFLOWER SEED PRESS TO MAKE AND SELL THE OIL. SMALL GRANTS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED TO MATCH THE SAVINGS OF SMALL SELF-HELP LENDING CIRCLES OF WOMEN AND MEN, MENTORED BY THE SISTERS OF CPS TO HELP THE MEMBERS START SMALL BUSINESSES. BY 2021, FIFTY-FIVE SMALL GROUPS ARE BEING DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THESE MICROFINANCING EFFORTS.