Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan, yet the community in Iqbal City suffers from discrimination from both the majority Muslim population and the government. The majority of residents live under extreme levels of vulnerability. The housing structures are weak, access to safe sanitation and water is limited. Liquid and solid waste management services are unavailable and surroundings are extremely unhygienic. It is very difficult to escape the cycle of poverty in Iqbal City.

We expect the first loans to be made in late 2023, and we will again use our lending group model. With this model, 6 – 8 members of a lending group all receive a loan at the same time, and no member of the group can take out a subsequent loan until all members of the group have paid back their first loan. This creates both peer pressure and peer support, and has been one of the secrets of our success.

A lack of government interest in the minority Christian communities has led to worsening conditions for these people. But organizations like Unity in Hope are committed to providing economic opportunity and hope. We are very pleased to be working with a partner with extensive experience in local economic development.

Wisconsin Microfinance is excited to work with Unity in Hope, a non-profit created to provide basic services to the Christian minority in the slums of Islamabad. In 2019, they founded the first school in Iqbal City, Islamabad and they have continued to expand their services.

Unity in Hope seeks to address extreme poverty using a holistic approach to systemic problems. In addition to the schools, they provide families and the surrounding community with medical services, technology training and most recently a business incubator. We will couple the microloans to the business incubator, focusing on female clients.

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. Crops include rice, maize, pawpaw, cabbage, pepper, yams and cassava. Livestock includes mainly poultry, pigs and some sheep and goats.

Moree is a fishing village near Cape Coast, the second largest city in Ghana. There is a strong emphasis on female leadership in Ghana, making our focus on empowering female entrepreneurs a natural fit.  The first loans were made in early 2024, and we again use our lending group model.  With this model, 6 – 8 members of a lending group all receive a loan at the same time, and no member of the group can take out a subsequent loan until all members of the group have paid back their first loan.  This creates both peer pressure and peer support, and has been one of the secrets of our success.

A lack of federal interest in rural communities has led to worsening conditions in rural Ghana. But organizations like We R uS are committed to addressing economic disparity between the cities and the country by providing healthcare, improvements to productivity, and, now, microloans to aspiring entrepreneurs. We are very pleased to be working with a partner with extensive experience in local economic development.

Our second program on the African continent is in Kenya.  Kenya is situated on the east coast of Africa, between Somalia and Tanzania. It also borders on Uganda and Ethiopia. Kenya is a lower middle-income economy. Although Kenya’s economy is the largest and most developed in eastern and Central Africa, 63% (2023/2024) of its population lives below the international poverty line.

Gender inequality is also a problem in Kenya (as it is in most African countries). Economic policy holds back women’s economic empowerment. For example, despite 96% of rural women working on farms, only 6% of the women in Kenya hold title to land.

Wisconsin Microfinance is excited to work with TENAKATA, an entity created to support economic development in rural Kenya. By working with borrowers to ensure the success of their businesses, TENAKATA aims to support local economic development efforts.

Wisconsin Microfinance will work with TENAKATA in the communities of Embu and Nanyuki, which are located in the Mt. Kenya region, about 100 miles from Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. The communities rely on agriculture, with the majority of the population engaged in both subsistence and cash crop farming. The cash crops include coffee, tea, miraa and macadamia nuts. Related businesses include vending milk, vegetables, prepared food, farm inputs (fertilizers and seeds) and farm equipment.

The communities of Embu and Nanyuki are small, rural and perfect for piloting a microfinance program in Kenya. The towns are noted for being on or close to the equator and attract tourists. Economic activity derives from small-scale farms, and the dependence on trade.

We expect the first loans to be made in mid 2024, and we will again use our lending group model.  With this model, 6 – 8 members of a lending group all receive a loan at the same time, and no member of the group can take out a subsequent loan until all members of the group have paid back their first loan.  This creates both peer pressure and peer support, and has been one of the secrets of our success.