Improved Health and Income

Imagine having six children and being able to feed them a meager meal of corn porridge, beans or sweet potatoes once each day.  Imagine, if you can, having your children sent home from school consistently because you could not afford to pay the mandatory school fee.  That is how Mohamed Mpaabe (Rural Development Extensionist) and his family lived prior to receiving training and small loans through the CSRL program.  “I had debts, hunger and my children were not properly schooled.  My house was a tanuru (like a pile of bricks),” Mpaabe said. Involved in the CSRL microfinance program since 2007, Mpaabe now grows an acre each of cassava and maize, has two cows, raises poultry and tends to his thriving enterprise of 660 banana plants.

Mpaabe received two small loans through the CSRL program.  With the first loan of $40, he planted 220 bananas.  The second loan of $80 paid for fertilizer (manure) and six chickens.  “After I sold 36 bananas I was able to repair my house,” Mpaabe said.  Now he provides training and encouragement to other farmers to help them transform the lives of their families.

Microfinanancing for Entrepreneurship:

• Gives farmers an opportunity to start a small enterprise.
• Trains farmers in market analysis.
• Has a repayment rate of 95% on time or ahead of schedule.