1. African Women’s Development Programme
Freetown, Sierra Leone
$4,675 was awarded to African Women’s Development Programme in Freetown, Sierra Leone. AWDP successfully carried out a project in partnership with RSWR in 2010-11. The revolved funds from that project have benefited 185 women so far. However, there are still 950 women on the waiting list to receive a loan, so they requested additional funding.
The 23 beneficiary women first participated in a workshop that explained the concept of a revolving loan fund. They also were given training on food production, processing and marketing. Then they were each loaned $207 to buy seeds and plant starts to grow rice, corn, potatoes, cassava and Chinese yams. They are repaying their loans with a monthly interest of 1% over six months. In addition to growing and selling the crops, the women are also producing some value-added foods such as gari, foofoo, and cassava cakes from the cassava crop.
The beneficiaries and their families are expected to consume some of the produce and in addition, each beneficiary is expected to earn $1,370 after six months. After subtracting their loan repayment, the net income of each woman will be $193 per month.
Six month report – received May 2014
Project beneficiaries experienced significant difficulties and did not have a good harvest because of a drought. Traveling on foot to the public markets to sell their produce was also difficult. Some of the women were late in their repayments and women came to meetings late also.
Despite these difficulties, the beneficiaries and the Cooperative are still committed to the project.