Children With Disabilities Fund International
Several years ago, CDFI established a Microfinance Program in Kenya.
The families we serve have been organized into four different support groups. Each
group has opened a bank account with one quarter of the funds provided. They have
elected a Treasurer and they carefully manage these funds on their own with minimal
oversight from CDFI staff. An initial loan of $100 is taken out by a parent to establish a
small business. The loan is paid back at 110%. Each support group chooses who will
receive a loan and monitors how it is used. They ensure that it is paid back.
This program helps these families to support themselves. It empowers them by enabling
them to have the pride, satisfaction and purpose gained by their work. Prior to the
establishment of the program, many single mothers could not work unless they left their
disabled children alone in their house while they went out to try to earn money, often by
selling peanuts or water from a stream on the street corners. Because CDFI has
enabled them to place their children into appropriate residential schools, they are now
freed to work without having to leave their children unattended.
Some mothers sell fruits and vegetables at stalls in a local marketplace. One mother
we visited sold used clothing at her small stall. And another mother set up a table near
a school to sell treats to children leaving the school. A father we visited was able to
purchase a small grinding machine, so that people could bring their maize (corn) to be
ground into flour. The amount earned from these businesses is very small, but it is often
enough to provide for their basic needs.
You can help us to expand this program by donating towards the amount of the funds
used in this program. This would enable larger loans to be made and larger businesses
to be established.