AIDS DIGNITY& HOPE PROJECT
DANANE, COTE D'IVOIRE
Goals: To provide micro loans ($25) to HIV positive women and men to help them start an income generating activity while providing financial, health (HIV/AIDS, malaria, etc), and general literacy.
PROJECT'S FEATURES:
Þ Micro loans: The $25 (U.S dollars) serves as working capital to start a small business. Women and men engage in small retails such as buying and reselling clothes, food, vegetables, etc.
Thanks to the loans, HIV positive men and women are able to meet their household needs such nutrition, health care, putting children in school, and restoring hope and dignity.
Þ Financial literacy: The financial literacy classes cover the following modules: budgeting, savings, debt management, bank services, and financial negotiations.
Þ Health Literacy: HIV education, communication, and counseling, malaria, tuberculosis, hygiene, venereal diseases, etc.
Þ General Literacy: Enhance reading, writing, and communication skills.
Þ Strong Support System: Women and men partaking in this project bond, share good and bad times, assist and uplift each other. This is more than a group of people sharing the same disease, receiving loans, and learning how to become successful small business owners.
Loan beneficiaries are mandated to receive financial, health, and general literacy classes, while supporting each other during the duration of the loan cycle.
Integrating micro loans in combating AIDS is a unique and powerful socio-economic safety net. Empowering The Poor, Inc. uses a group lending model and credit rotation.