Village Banking – Microfinance
As the saying goes, “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” Based on this wisdom, at URF we believe in the empowering people to take charge of their own destinies. The village banking program provides an opportunity to members to access small loans at a very low interest rate which they use to start or improve their small businesses.
Members are solely responsible for the management of the bank, and URF provides mobilization and supervision for smooth operation. The program has reached 300 members, including women and men divided into four groups. Members buy shares, which in turn constitute a pool of funds from which everyone accesses credit. The program also includes a reserve as an emergency fund for members.
In addition, our entrepreneurship and business skills trainings provide members with the basic entrepreneurship skills and business literacy that helps them to use their borrowed funds efficiently.
