Why buy this
Life-changing loan gift?
- You can support someone to start their own business – a business that will give them a chance at a better life.
- Self-sufficiency is a luxury not everyone can afford. This loan helps vulnerable women find security in independence. It also allows them to support their families.
- This truly is a gift that keeps on giving. Once the business is up and running, the loaned money is paid back and passed on to another vulnerable member of the community.
Case study: Starting a business in Sierra Leone
“I’d like to expand my business so I can educate my children and live a better life.” Margaret, Sierra Leone
Margaret lives in a remote region of Sierra Leone. Here, the months of May through to September are known as ‘the hungry season’. Farming families rely on money to pay for food as they wait for harvest season. As a single parent Margaret found this incredibly difficult. It was impossible for Margaret to both feed her three children and to buy them the books, pencils and uniforms they needed for school.
Thankfully, Margaret’s life was changed with a simple, small loan from CAFOD. She now has enough money to buy basic supplies from a nearby town. Margaret also received training to make her business a success. Thanks to Margaret’s hard work, she now has a small shop set up in her home. She also earns enough to support her children. She hopes her daughters will go to university. Today, Margaret leads the women’s group that manages the loans. The best news of all? The money Margaret paid back will now be loaned to another woman in her community.
“I want to thank CAFOD for appreciating women – especially widowed women fending for themselves. This programme will help a lot of women here as it continues.”
