Mapalo 1104 Group

Mapalo 1104 is a vibrant group consisting of five enterprising women who have made their mark in the culinary and poultry business. They are on average 37 years old and support 26 dependents in their households. The primary motivation for starting their businesses was to achieve financial independence. While some of the women excel as chefs cooking simple yet delicious local foods, others have ventured into selling chickens.

Margaret, a proud business owner, has successfully transitioned from running a poultry business to owning a boutique selling second-hand clothes. She has been in the clothing business for four years, driven by her passion for fashion and a desire to help women look stylish. Her boutique is well-known in her suburban area for its unique designs and trendy offerings for all ages. Margaret will use her portion of the group loan to further expand her boutique. She plans to use the funds to purchase more clothes, which will help increase her sales and profits. This is crucial for her as she is the primary breadwinner in her family, with her husband being a retiree. The additional income will enable her to provide better support for her family and secure their financial future.

The Microloan Foundation, Lendwithcare's local partner in Zambia employs a unique 'centre' model for lending to female entrepreneurs. A centre comprises several sub-groups which share the same name as the centre. As such, you may have seen similarly named group loans from Zambia all belonging to the same centre. In this system, each woman is individually responsible for repaying her loan, but the group offers mutual support by assuming overall responsibility together.