Community Banking

/MicroFinance

The statistics from Community Banking are impressive. In Burundi, almost 1,000 widows have been helped since 2003. The rate of reimbursement is 97%, a rate enviable by commercial bank standards. It takes so little to change a widow’s life. For $110, the woman will receive a business start-up loan, monthly business training and weekly visits to ensure their success.

Community Banking is more than a successful economic strategy. It provides a life for women and their families.

The Restore Hope Fund is an emergency reserve fund that helps clients restart their businesses when they’ve been victimized by catastrophic events such as robbery, violence, or family illness. We have raised almost $1000 to get this fund started and each new bank will have an additional 10% built in for emergencies.

The Business Improvement Fund helps successful long-time clients obtain a larger loan then the standard $90 so they can really grow their businesses.

Here is a success story - a business owned by a widow who had received a loan from the Community Banking Program. She received business training along with her first loans and has been completely independent for four years. Her restaurant was operating at a profit. She was able to pay her bills, providing a home for her family and educate her children.