We R uS: Wisconsin Microfinance’s Partner in Ghana
August 23, 2022
Wisconsin Microfinance is extremely excited to work with We R uS, a non-profit dedicated to creating dynamic, sustainable rural communities in Ghana. Created to support economic development in rural, traditional Ghanaian communities, they are an ideal partner. By working at the grassroots level in a community, We R uS aims to match their assistance to the individual needs of a community.
One of the main priorities of We R uS is economic/community development. By tailoring their approach to individual communities and working with community leaders, We R uS protects the culture and heritage of a community. This organization supports planning, organizing, and undertaking community projects that benefit the people and boost the economy.
We will work with We R uS in the community of Goma Assin Mampong, which is located in the central region of Ghana, about 30 miles from Accra.The community is an agricultural community, with 75% of the population engaged in growing crops or raising animals. Crops include rice, maize, pawpaw, cabbage, pepper, yams and cassava. Livestock includes mainly poultry, pigs and some sheep and goats.
The community is small, perfect for piloting a microfinance program in Ghana. 60% of the population is female, making our focus on empowering female entrepreneurs a natural fit. We expect the first loans to be made in late 2022, and we will again use our lending group model. With this model, 6 – 8 members of a lending group all receive a loan at the same time, and no member of the group can take out a subsequent loan until all members of the group have paid back their first loan. This creates both peer pressure and peer support, and has been one of the secrets of our success.
A lack of federal interest in rural communities has led to worsened conditions in rural Ghana. But organizations like We R uS are committed to addressing economic disparity between the cities and the country by providing healthcare, improvements to productivity, and, now, microloans to aspiring entrepreneurs. We are very pleased to be working with a partner with extensive experience in local economic development. To donate or learn more today, visit http://wisconsinmicrofinance.com.
