Suru-Nere 3 GS 1

Loan description:

This is a group loan for the SURU-NERE 3 GS 1 group, who is based in Banigbé district. This is the seventh loan on Lendwithcare for the Suru-Nere community. The microfinance organisation we work with in Benin is an association of village groups called CFBs. Suru-Nere is one such CFB. These CFBs are made up of small, self-formed groups (usually 3-4 people) who come together to vote for a chief and this chief represents the whole CFB (which is normally a maximum of 60 people from one village). This group, which is part of the Suru-Nere 3 CFB, is called GS 1 and is made up of 3 women aged between 32 and 63. The women of this group are married, divorced and widowed. The group was created in June 2008 and they have received quite a bit of training and loans from ACFB (the local microfinance organisation). In this group, they run many activities such as the production and selling of cassava flour and the selling of food products. The group members want this loan to expand their business activities. The loan will be shared amongst them. One of the women in the group is Elisabeth ASSABA. She’s 54 and married to a farmer. They have four children, two of whom go to school. Her main activity is cassava flour production and maize selling. She sources her materials from local farmers and sells her finished products in the market of Ikpinlè. In order to satisfy her customers, Elisabeth employees three people to help meet demand. From time to time she also gets help from her family members. Elisabeth is requesting this loan to buy cassava tubers and maize in bulk. This purchase will enable her to produce more flour and therefore increase her profits. Elisabeth is very happy about her business and now she can help her husband cover their household expenses, particularly their children's school fees.