Introduction

Two-thirds of Five Talents’ loan recipients are women, and they tend to be better at repaying their loans. Why? Check the following list of observations drawn from our programmes:

• they work better in groups where trust is based on friendship and common values (- microfinance works best when groups of entrepreneurs share risk and are jointly responsible for repaying the loans)
• they are more likely to challenge the prevailing culture of dependancy on handouts
• they are less likely to drink the income – they are faithful to their word and less likely to divert the loan to other pressing needs.
• they are more likely to ensure income is prioritised to education and healthcare for their families
• they are more socially responsible employers, seeing beyond their own needs
• they are shrewd – seeing business opportunities and negotiating hard
• they handle money wisely – seeing priorities clearly, and able to appreciate longer term consequences of choices
• they are familiar with hard work – often bearing multiple responsibilities for childcare, food growing and preparation, cleaning and sometimes coping with lazy or abusive husbands.
• they enjoy being empowered with the opportunity, skills and resources to help themselves and their family.

Women’s Economic Empowerment Consort

Five Talents is supporting a Women Only micro-finance project in Kenya called the “Women’s Economic Empowerment Consort”. It is supporting an initial group of 40 women in Muranga, near Nairobi to start a dairy business. Click here to find out more.

“Women to Women” Business Trip

Five Talents took a small group of women business professionals to visit a new Five Talents microfinance partner in Iringa, Tanzania in November 2007 for a 7-day trip. This was the first of our “Women to Women” business trips. Contact the office if you are interest in joining a subsequent trip.

Women’s Fun Run

If you wish to run for Five Talents please Contact the office for fundraising materials and advice.