Microfinance Small Business Loans for African Women

Help break the cycle of poverty and boost economic development by providing women with business management training and financial assistance to start and grow their small businesses.

Poverty remains widespread in Sierra Leone—with more than 60% of the population living on less than US $1.25 a day. Unemployment and illiteracy levels remain high, particularly among youth. Tens of thousands of youths and adults struggle to find a meaningful existence and are living below the poverty line. Sierra Leone’s youth desperately needs help and a viable path to self-sufficiency.

Develop Africa has developed an initiative to help break the cycle of poverty by microfinancing loans to empower women-owned small businesses. This project provides foundational training in business management and entrepreneurship as well as business capital to women entrepreneurs. This project enables them to start or expand their businesses, become self-reliant and also employ others. This will provide women with the opportunity and the assistance that they need to break free from poverty.

You can help. Just $25 will provide one woman with the necessary training materials and supplies such as a calculator, ledger, and pens to help their business succeed.

Update from the Field

May 2017

Thanks to YOUR donations, two women in Sierra Leone have received microfinance loans. These loans are helping women become more self-sufficient and helping to expand their businesses. One of the women who has received a microfinance loan is Sarah. This loan has given her a new lease on life. It has opened a new world of opportunities for herself and her family. She is very grateful for this opportunity, saying: "This business will help me pay for the school fees for my kids and support my husband where his income is inadequate. It will help me sustain myself. It will help me a lot. Thank YOU donors - you have changed my life!"

Develop Africa is a 501c3 non-profit organization working to establish meaningful and sustainable development in Africa. Develop Africa was birthed out of the vision that human resource development is the key to improving nation building capacity in Africa. Through training, scholarship, investment and partnerships Develop Africa is helping to develop the people of Africa through the promotion of transformational education, resource development, investment training and strategic empowerment.