We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Converge Challenge has chosen not to send Christmas cards this year, but is instead making a donation to lendwithcare.org which helps individuals in the developed world to connect with entrepreneurs in the developing world who need a small loan to start a business.
lendwithcare.org is a revolutionary way to help people throughout the developing world transform their future. Set up by one of the world's leading aid and development organisations, lendwithcare.org enables families to find their own route out of poverty. And it allows others to have a direct impact on their lives.
We have supported two projects:
Tionge Women's Group
Tionge Women's Group needed over £1,266 to begin their project. We have helped complete the fundraising for the group which is based in the Nyimba district of Eastern Zambia. This means they can begin to develop their business and better support their families. There are seventeen women in the group aged between 23 and 50 years old. Eight of these women are married, five widowed and four are single. Most of these women have school going children and also look after school going orphans. The women have businesses which they use to help supplement their household income. All are farmers but the income from farming is seasonal and does not provide them with a regular income. With the help of lendwithcare.org they received training in business management and other skills. The money loaned is to buy extra stock to sell in their different businesses which include market stalls selling vegetables, grains, pulses, fruit as well as grocery shops and hairdressers.
Muhammad Shahid
Muhammad's business loan was at 0% so Converge decided to kickstart the funding for this project. Muhammad is 23 years old and lives in the area of Kahna Nou in Lahor, with his two brothers and one sister. He and his elder brother are the earning members in the house. His brother earns 10,000 Rupees per month. He runs a small video gaming shop for children to come and play on. He earns about 9,000 rupees profit per month. He hardly manages the household expenses with his income and has therefore decided to expand his business. He currently has good customer demand but needs to purchase more video games for the children to play with.
Lendwithcare.org is run by CARE International UK, one of the leading aid and development charities. Please consider becoming a "lendwithcare angel" and making a donation to help expand lendwithcare to even more countries and help more people out of poverty.
