|
---|
|
Families living with orphans and other vulnerable children often lack resources to cater for their needs. This undermines the fulfillment of their rights. We undertake projects that enhance coping mechanisms of the affected households and communities. The micro credit scheme is one of the socioeconomic security interventions implemented to ensure economic empowerment of poor and aging child caregivers particularly the grandmothers. The high rates of interest charged by conventional banks and the demand for collateral have made it difficult for these people to access loans and other financial services. They fall prey to unscrupulous informal money lenders who charge them incredibly high interest rates and other unbearable terms and conditions. Clemency Uganda strives to economically empower grandmothers by mobilizing them into Village Savings and Loaning Groups (VS$LGs) and providing them with low risk financial assistance in form of loans. The objectives of this micro credit scheme are: 1. To alleviate poverty among ovc households and caregivers. 2. To economically empower ovc caregivers particularly the grandmothers. In order to achieve our objectives we: * Prioritize aging ovc caregivers (grandmothers) in accessing micro credit support in order to directly engage them into productive activities and open up opportunities for additional income to the family. * Encourage grandmothers to save. We do this by organizing their small savings to make provision for their capital to invest in more productive ventures leading to self sufficiency. * Improve the condition of the extreme poor of the society by bringing them under the loan scheme. Scheme components Clemency Uganda micro credit scheme has to main components. a. Savings scheme. b. Loan scheme. Savings and loaning scheme This scheme mainly targets the rural and urban poor whose earning is less than one dollar. Each member makes a daily saving of as little as 0.108 USD. We have so far formed a pilot Village Savings and Loaning Groups (VS$LGs) called Budumbuli West Freedom and Development Group where grandmothers save part of their daily incomes. Current savings portfolio stands at $4,570. We have also trained members in: * Best financial management practices. * Capital accumulation and investment. * Small enterprise management and operation. * Saving and loaning. A total of 3,100 USD has so far been loaned out to credible members in groups as soft business loans at affordably low interest rates agreed upon by members themselves. Given the small size of the loan portfolio, 75% of the proceeds got from interest are initially being re-invested in the loan scheme while the rest is being pooled into a welfare fund to cater for members emergencies. |
---|
![]() |
---|