Rebecca Woldemariam from Alem Katema in the central Ethiopian highlands can hardly believe how her life has changed: a year ago she was a housewife with a modest school education. Her family had to manage on what her husband, a day labourer, brought home every day. But then she heard that as a woman she was also eligible for free courses in arithmetic, saving and basic bookkeeping at the Menschen für Menschen training centre. With these abilities and a personal loan she bought herself a few boards for shelves and the basic fittings for a grocery store. With her own income, Rebecca meanwhile contributes as much money to the livelihood of her family as her husband, who now treats her respectfully as an equal partner.

The Menschen für Menschen personal loan programme provides the first opportunity for thousands of women to stand on their own two feet. Due to traditional role appreciation and lack of education, a large portion of the female population in Ethiopia has virtually no chance of supporting themselves and improving their living situation in the long term. With the granting of personal loans, since 1997 Menschen für Menschen has been giving the women in the project regions job independence, economic stability, social standing and a completely new form of self-confidence. Over 9,000 women have so far benefited from this programme.

Before loan programme applicants receive their first money, Menschen für Menschen social workers check the neediness of the women together with the responsible local authorities. Then they are organised into groups of 5 to 10 women, who participate in a special training programme to learn business basics and devise a plan for the profitable application of their loan. Once the loan has been granted, the women meet regularly to exchange business experiences and to motivate each other to repay the loan. The repaid loan and interest are paid into a group bank account, and when all debts have been received the women themselves decide who should receive the next loan. This encourages borrowers to be as successful as possible and act independently, to strengthen their independence and self-confidence, and to ensure that the loan programme soon functions independently of Menschen für Menschen and bears fruit in the long term.

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