On May 26, 2023, Tabitha Community in Action visited VSLA women leaders working in Kamesa, Kanyosha in Bujumbura Province. The Women Empowerment Project is providing women with financial training and support groups to run agricultural projects. It enables them to pay school fees for their children and provide food for their families.
Accompanied by Francoise MANA from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Team shared the keys component of the Women Empowerment Program with the meeting participants.
Francoise MANA, a Young Innovator for Peace, and a Leader in her Community Uvira, Democratic Republic of Congo, shared her leadership experience with women and encouraged them to keep participating in their VSLA Activities.
”Before the formation of the group, we had difficulty accessing loans for business or personal use. To get a loan, we would have had to go from house to house, sometimes revealing personal information which we found embarrassing and shameful, with no guarantee we would receive the loan. Being a member of the VSLA provides a safe space to access loans in a dignified manner easily. ” Said Generose, one of the VSLA Groups.
Their groups have enabled many members to engage in income-generating activities, contributing to household expenses from their profits. This improves unity at home and reduces household conflict.
This Women Empowerment Project brings kinship and unity to the community. Members support each other in celebrations and difficult times and also participate, as a group, in the education of orphans and vulnerable Children in their localities.
Tabitha Community in Action believes that improving rural women’s access to finance is crucial for their economic and social empowerment and for supporting the well-being and development of their households and communities.