Missing Link Microfinance is launched

A new project launched

It was a ‘proud mummy’ moment, as well as an ‘honoured to be there’ moment yesterday when I sat under a mango tree in Mityana to be part of the opening seminar for the ‘Missing-Link’ Microfinance project.

John Njendahayo, Uganda director of CRED Partner Link International, and I first discussed this project back in November 2014 when I was here in Uganda with a team of young people. From that conversation came further discussions resulting in the decision that CRED, and its supporters, would raise the funds to set the microfinance project into being.

9 months on, and many generous donations later, as well as some writing of plans, M&E tools, projections and budgets, and the project is being launched.

The proud mummy moment is due to the fact that over the past few weeks both Rozzie and Natalie, and friend Ruth, have played key roles in getting the final bits and pieces sorted whilst they’ve been in Uganda. From drawing up the application forms, to Rozzie using her law degree knowledge to fine-tune the contract side of things, to sorting the logistics (as agreed with John) into a logical order, to Natalie and Ruth taking in application forms and answering questions from people who had heard of the scheme on the grapevine and were desperate to get involved, through to Natalie leading part of the seminar yesterday which explained to everyone how the scheme would work – definitely a memory I will treasure!

As the seminar progressed, after the outline of the programme had been explained, we moved to time for questions, and what a fascinating period that was. Some of the questions were quite straight forward clarification issues, but others related to some cultural issues that we ‘mzungus’ would never have been able to anticipate (and which just goes to show why projects should always be set up with local knowledge and input, rather than ‘outsiders’ coming in and laying down the law)

Mityana, where the scheme is taking place, is a rural farming community on the edge of a tea plantation, which employs a significant proportion of people from the community. So the main sources of employment / income are from farming, plantation work, cattle owning (which is different to farming apparently) and ‘other services’. And then there are the unemployed / casual labourers.

So some of the questions that arose yesterday related to the perception of each other from one group to another, and who would be best / most trustworthy at making the repayments etc. Then there was the issue of relatives of plantation workers feeling an innate sense of ‘bondage’ to the plantation manager and not feeling able to do anything in case it put jobs at risk for the plantation workers. And another group of questions related to spouses, and whether their permission needed to be sought – not wanting to encourage marital disharmony we replied that spousal involvement would definitely be preferable!

It was a very good session, and with approximately 60 people attending, the challenge will clearly be choosing whom to give the first loans to. That isn’t our problem of course, that is for the local field officer to decide, along with John, after they have done home visits and discussed the plans that people have on how to use the loans.

There is a long way to go in this journey, and no doubt lots of lessons to learn along the way on all sides. But it is exciting to see that the project is underway, and that a new opportunity is available to one community in the Mityana district to exercise their entrepreneurship and start to work their way out of poverty.

With thanks to John for dreaming the dream, for Natalie, Rozzie and Ruth for helping in the setting up, for Shaw Trust in donating the much needed laptop, and to all the various friends of CRED Foundation who have helped to raise the funds. And to John’s dad who lives in Mityana and opens his living room to be the office for the project, and provides the mango tree under which we sat for the seminar!

And finally (because I like to save the best til last) to God – for His great provision, and for choosing us to be involved in this part of His Kingdom work.

I look forward to reporting back on progress!

some of the attendees

Natalie and John leading the seminar

the youngest attendee - he didn't apply for a loan though!