2022 Annual Gala

Our first program on the African continent is in Ghana.  Ghana is situated on the west coast of Africa, between Togo and Cote d’Ivoire. In 2021, 3.4 million citizens of Ghana were classified as living in extreme poverty, living on less than $2 a day. Poverty remains especially pervasive in rural areas, which suffer more during droughts and floods and have poor access to transportation, markets, and healthcare.

Wisconsin Microfinance is excited to work with We R uS, a non-profit created to support economic development in rural, traditional communities in Ghana. By working with community leaders, We R uS aims to support local economic development efforts.

Wisconsin Microfinance will work with We R uS in the community of Goma Assin Mampong, which is located in the central region of Ghana, about 30 miles from Accra. The community is an agricultural community, with 75% of the population engaged in growing crops or raising animals, mainly poultry, pigs and some sheep and goats. The community in Gomoa Assin Mampong is small, perfect for piloting a microfinance program in Ghana.  60% of the population is female, making our focus on empowering female entrepreneurs a natural fit.

Click here to learn more about our Ghana program.

The Dominican Republic is a Spanish-speaking nation located on the eastern portion of the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean. The western side of Hispaniola is the country of Haiti.  As of 2020, 40.4% of the Dominican population was living in poverty, with 10.4% living in extreme poverty.

Our partner in the DR is Fundación Centro Cultural Guanín (Fundación Guanín) which was founded by Elias Severino Hernández (Sev) in 2001.  Their mission is to “cultivate a community of leaders and role models for generations to come”.  Sev has a long-standing relationship with Wisconsin Microfinance board member Joe Bonnell, and under Joe’s leadership, Sev agreed to create a microfinance program for members of the La Piedra community.

Female employment was dramatically impacted by COVID and little progress has been seen in job creation for women. As the pandemic recedes, providing access to capital will be vital to the DR’s continued development. The 2020 Human Capital Index estimates that a child born in the DR today will be only half as productive over her lifetime as she would have been had she received a complete education and proper healthcare. The DR has made great strides in expanding access to education and healthcare, but the uneven quality of these services remains a major obstacle to broad-based economic growth and human capital development.

Click here to learn more about our Dominican Republic program.