Microloans Program for Women Affected by HIV in Lusaka, Zambia | 2018
Impact Projects

Microloans Program for Women Affected by HIV in Lusaka, Zambia | 2018

World Centric + Power of Love

$28,717.00 from profits from fiscal year 2018

Women and children have been disproportionately impacted by the HIV & AIDS epidemic in Africa. A high incidence of AIDS-related deaths has orphaned 480,000 children. Many households are headed by grandmothers who are left with the responsibility of caring for five or more orphans. Most of these grandmothers have never been to school, have very few marketable skills, and no permanent source of income. These women need support, care, and training so that they can provide basic necessities such as food and medicines for the family and pay for school expenses for the children. Empowering women through education and training can rebuild communities.

The goals of this micro loans program are to 1) equip women with the tools they need to run a successful business, 2) create conditions for women to be socially empowered, and 3) enable women to gather enough capital and savings so they continue to operate a profitable business even after graduating from the program.

The first step is to select beneficiaries. These are prioritized based on women caring for HIV+ children, their financial need and their ability and willingness to run a business. Participants are required to attend a 5-day business training, which includes basic business theory, market investigation, purchasing and selling goods training, and business promotion skills. On the last day of the training, participants submit a business plan and are then provided with their first loan. Loan recipients then meet weekly to make repayments and discuss and issues they are facing with running their business. Ongoing support is provided, such as business mentoring, refresher training, and field visits by the loan officers. Due to this ongoing support, loan repayments are around 90%.

Loan capital is revolving; once a woman has gone through all 3 loan cycles the funds are available to a new set of women.

The Impact


  • 3 consecutive loans for 400 women
  • Refresher training for 175 women.
  • Business training and larger loans to 98 women.
  • Business mentoring for all women, with weekly support/loan repayment meetings, and ongoing business mentoring and monitoring over 12 months.

Indirect Impacts

  • Diet and health improvement for 400 families
  • Increased in school attendance for children
  • Increase household income and savings
  • Women economically empowered; financially literate and on a path to self reliance.
  • Increase in community knowledge of better hygiene practices


About Power of Love

A World Centric partner since 2014.

POL funds and runs projects in Zambia and India targeted toward helping women and children infected/affected with HIV/AIDS. Their vision is a world where the AIDS epidemic is in continuous retreat, and people living with HIV have access to loving care and treatment in an environment free of stigma and discrimination.

More projects with Power of Love:

 

Written by

World Centric

 

Read time

3 minutes

 

Published on

May 16, 2018

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