Empowering the poorest and most vulnerable women to work their own way out of poverty is at the heart of what MicroLoan Foundation does. MicroLoan helps women to start their own businesses by providing financial literacy, business training and small affordable loans. The businesses generate profits, allowing the women to send their children to school, provide them with regular nutritious meals and afford healthcare when they fall ill.

MicroLoan’s approach to charity is different. By working with poor rural women in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe the poorest segment of society is reached. Women are also proven to use most of their income on their family’s welfare increasing the impact of MicroLoan’s work.

In 2019 MicroLoan was pleased to announce that their work has allowed 200,000 women to open businesses whose profits have benefited 800,000 children gain better access to food, healthcare and education.

How donations make an impact...

£24 will help a woman in Malawi by providing her with buisness training by providing her business training for an entire year.

£50 will provide a start-up loan to one woman to help her build a business and chnage her life.

£120 will provide a woman with business loans and training for a whole year.

Where they work and their impact

The charity works in rural Africa, where over half of the 770 million people living in poverty are. Microloan employs more than 150 people in 28 branches in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Most employees are trained as Loan and Training officers, who deal directly with a combined total of around 35,000 clients at any one time. MicroLoan has helped 200,000 women open small businesses whose profits have allowed 800,000 children gain better access to food, healthcare and education.

98% of women can afford to seek medical treatment. The majority of the women they support live on less than £1 per day

Each year MicroLoan support 65,000 women access loans and practical training to allow them to establish a business 99% of loans are repaid on time and are ‘re-cycled’ into a new loan for another woman meaning each donation keeps on giving

92% of the clients in Malawi can now afford to send their children to school

97% of clients are able to add funds into their savings pot regularly. Strikingly, this used to be just 11% before Microloan Foundation started their work.

MicroLoan’s average business loan in Malawi is just £45

Success stories

There are 413 million people live in extreme poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa, and many of these live hand-to-mouth, which doesn’t provide security for a rainy day, especially when a family member gets sick. Kudzanai knows this all too well, and to make things worse, it was her baby son that contracted meningitis, which left him deaf. With few employment opportunities, and unable to afford extra care for her son, she signed up to one of Microloan Foundation’s first loan groups, which transformed her family’s life. Kudzanai built a business selling tomatoes and beans and has ultimately been able to save up to send her son to Emerald Hill School for the Deaf, a boarding school that provides high quality education. He ranks as one of the top students in the school!

To read more of Kudzanai’s story, and the hundreds of other good news stories, check out their Success Stories section of the website.

Important dates for the calendar

8th March - International Women’s Day

11th October - International Day of the Girl

How else can supporters show support?

The best way that individuals can get involved with MicroLoan is through fundraising. Your support can help provide life changing loans and training to help some of the poorest women in the world. Throughout the year MicroLoan offers challenge events. Supporters can join #TeamMicroLoan and take part in the Big Half, London Marathon, Royal Parks Half Marathon and even overseas adventures in Africa!

In addition to fundraising via challenge events MicroLoan also welcomes supporters to hold office fundraisers. Bake sales, coffee mornings and dress down days are all great examples of ways in which you and your colleagues can get involved with fundraising for MicroLoan.

Skills based volunteering roles are on offer at MicroLoan. As a small team MicroLoan are always on the lookout for individuals who can help with graphic design to improve their story telling ability. If you believe your skills could help MicroLoan please get in touch!

Address

1-2 Paris Garden
London
SE1 8ND

Contact Number

020 8827 1688