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WIL Microfinance

The Visible Impact of Women Empowering Women Globally

  Village Banks Improve Women’s Lives

Since 2008, WIL has funded 20 village banks in 16 countries: Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, South Africa, Ghana, Haiti, Tanzania, The Philippines, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Zimbabwe, India, Uganda, Afghanistan, Ecuador and Sierra Leone. We add more banks every year!

$157 Can Change an Entire Family’s Life!

Sandra del Carmen Jaime Romero lives in Chinandega Nicaragua, one of the communities where WIL funded a village bank. Sandra, a single mother, could not make ends meet with two jobs—one cleaning houses and the other selling firewood. With a $157 loan and business training through the NGO selected by WIL’s funding partner, Sandra purchased household goods, opened her own business, a small convenience store, and began a new life.

In Sandra’s words, “Pro Mujer’s business training, taught me how to manage my money and how to create a business plan. . .I have learned about women’s rights and how to take care of my daughter’s health. I am also learning how to be a leader. I was elected to be president of my communal bank! All the women in my group respect each other and want each other to succeed.

 

My living conditions have changed. I have earned enough recently to pay the school fees for my daughter—I want her to get an education. I will keep growing my business and improving my family’s life.”

How Microfinance Works

Increase Economic Security

Micro Finance increases economic security for very poor women earning less than $2 /day with small loans for home based business enterprises.


Each village bank has $5,000 to make small loans to 15-20 impoverished women to start or expand a business.

 

97% of the loans are repaid and these funds then become available for additional lending.

Perpetual Impact

Women pay back loans at a rate of 97% so banks can make new loans every 9 – 12 months, giving additional women the opportunity to improve their lives.

 

Additional Benefits

With these loans, women generate additional money to feed, clothe and send their children, especially their daughters, to school and for medical care.

Even More Benefits

Micro enterprise empowers loan recipients to become role models and leaders in their villages.

Current Banks

Kenya

2022

Kanam Women was founded in 2016 to serve women in Turkana County in Northwest Kenya who were victims of gender based violence. Its mission is to empower vulnerable women (victims of domestic violence, widows and women living with HIV/AIDS) by providing necessary business and vocational skills to secure finance independence and break the cycle of poverty. WIL provided funding to support the development of a microfinance program for women clients.

Dominican Republic

2022

Esperanza International is a Christian-based not-for-profit organization that is devoted to helping poverty-stricken people of the Dominican Republic through finance, education, health, and spiritual programs

Guatemala

2022

Namaste directly contributes to Women's Economic Empowerment by providing business development programs that increase the cash flow of low income women in Guatemala. Namaste serves approximately 350 women annually with business advisory and educational programs along with micro-loans.

Honduras

2022

Adelante provides microfinance and education services to impoverished rural women in Honduras, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. Its mission is to empower enterprising women with the least opportunity to achieve economic self-sufficiency. WIL's funding aided 15 women in expanding their businesses.

Guatemala

2021

Namaste directly contributes to Women's Economic Empowerment by providing business development programs that increase the cash flow of low income women in Guatemala. Namaste serves approximately 350 women annually with business advisory and educational programs along with micro-loans.

Guatemala

2021

WIL renewed its relationship with Friendship Bridge in 2021 by providing funds to support nine women members of the Tierra Blanco Pia Trust Bank in Guatemala.

Make a Donation Today!

Contribute any amount. Every dollar donated empowers women to become independent contributors and community leaders.

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