South Africa Village Saving Fund Group Celebrates Success

In the Munsieville area of South Africa, Project HOPEs Village Saving Fund groups tend to operate independently of each other.

Learn More about our Village Saving Fund Program
http://www.projecthope.org/wherewehelp/africa/southafrica.asp

Recently, we held a mentoring day, where all the groups gathered together to share the types of businesses they were creating, the successes they have achieved and the struggles that they have faced. This way the groups would learn from their counterparts in the community rather than listening to someone from the outside.

The whole day was a great success. The groups shared about what they have been doing. One group started by purchasing 10 chickens a week to sell, and now they are up to 25 a week. Other groups shared frustrations about unity and the challenges of learning to work together.

The highlight of the event was awarding certificates to the group who has demonstrated the most success to date (based on weekly attendance, savings & loans portfolio, initiative taken to start up a business, etc.) The winners were a Mozambican group called Sizanani which means helping each other. The video shows you how excited the room got when the winners were announced!

We are hoping that this day provided the needed motivation to the groups that are struggling to get them on the right track, and the Project HOPE team will be following up with house visits to further encourage the important difference that VSF can make on the health and the lives of people living in slums in South Africa.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Project HOPE
• Village Saving Fund
• microfinance
• South Africa