Turnpike 0707 Group

Turnpike 0707 is a group based in the southern part of Zambia. These five women have come together with hope and a shared vision of achieving financial freedom while caring for 52 children between them. All five are married and have an average age of 46 years. They run a range of small businesses, including fruit trading, grocery sales, and secondhand clothing.

One member of this group is Lidia, who radiates the kind of warmth and energy that only comes from a lifetime of dedication. As a devoted mother of five, and the wife of a fellow local businessman, Lidia has always understood the value of partnership, family, and hard work. For years, she has operated a small fruit stall, selling fresh, seasonal produce to support her household and ensure her children have access to quality education and a brighter future.

While her husband manages his own small business, the combined expenses of raising five children means that capital is always tight. Lidia has the passion to succeed, and has built a loyal customer base, but she lacks the financial leverage to grow her business beyond a daily, hand-to-mouth operation.

In order to help improve and expand their individual businesses, the Turnpike 0707 Group has requested a group loan. Lidia will use her share of this to buy more stocks of fruit so she can offer her customers a wider choice and make more sales. The other group members also intend to use their loan shares to add more stock to grow their own enterprises.

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.