One Woman in Africa

Margie Roop, Past-President of the Rotary Club of Barberton, OH , USA

It all started over lunch one day…..

I was recently elected President of my Rotary Club of Barberton, OH

Larry Lallo , a new member of our Club asks if I’d like to go to Africa some day….

I answered: are you kidding me?

Larry says: no, I’m not; it could happen…

So, I said, let’s go to lunch.

My journey began as I learned about an organization that would forever change my life!

Mercy Economic Development International Corporation (MEDIC)

Larry-Executive Director

Me-President-Rotary Club

Under Larry’s expertise in economic development & micro-trust programs, we wrote a Grant.

Larry: a “possibilities” person, see connections, passionate about sustainability & has witnessed positive results.

High-energy person open to challenges; background in grant-writing, & longing to go to Africa.

Task-master who cannot allow things to go undone.

Possibilities that my brain envisions gets me into trouble at times….

I got to go to Africa…!!!

Rotary International (RI) Humanitarian Grant

RI Volunteer Grant Partners:

Rotary Club of Barberton

Rotary Club of Lome’-Azur, Togo, West Africa

Mercy Economic Development Corporation (MEDIC)

MIC-Togo

Under the guidance of our Cooperating Organization, Mercy Economic Development Corporation (MEDIC), the Barberton, OH Rotary & the Lome’- Azur Togo, West Africa Rotary Clubs created eight microfinance “Trust Banks” in highly impoverished areas within 30 miles of Lome’, Togo West Africa.

$50,000 Project

8 Villages in Togo

360 micro businesses were created

More than 1,000 persons will be affected

To climb out of poverty toward self-reliance, one essential must be met…………

Access to Capital for the poor is critical.

"It is lack of capital ... and lack of access to traditional channels of credit that hamper the business growth of most of this informal sector," says Kristin Helmore, who has written about micro enterprise development for The Christian Science Monitor.

I’ll add one more essential………Micro Business Training!

Barberton Rotary

Lome Azur Rotary

Togo West Africa Micro Finance Project

Helping People, Building Communities,

Giving Hope for the Future

A Micro Business Women of Benin……………

Micro Finance Empowers Women Providing Hope for their Families Future

There is mounting evidence to show that the availability of financial services for poor households through microfinance – can help achieve the MDGs.

In September 2000, the member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a set of eight, specific, measurable, time-bound targets that challenge countries to improve the welfare of the world’s poorest people.

United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDG)

Microfinance Trust Banks

Project Organizational Structure

Barberton Rotary as International Partner

Lome’- Azur Togo Rotary as Host Partner

Cooperating Implementing Organization

$50,160 Project Funding Structure

$14,290

Barberton Rotary

$100 Lome’- Azur Togo, Rotary

$14,290

District Rotary Match

$21,320

International Rotary Foundation

Microfinance, is more than a loan particularly in the establishment of the Community Trust Bank concept.

Typical Micro Loan Structure$50 - $250 loans

Short Term Loans of 6 to 12 months

Monthly interest rates of 1.5% - 2% of the loan amount - Intended to cover expenses over time

Weekly/Monthly Loan Repayments

No Collateral

Group Guarantees

What are the benefits of Trust Banks?

Cost effectiveness - Loan officers deal with a group as a whole.

High repayment rates -95% to 100%!!

Group lending is effective. Clients ‘ support system & networking structure helps to ensure business success.

Principles of democratic Self Governance

Group lending develops local self-reliance, building local leadership & collective ownership

Group lending strengthens the community, & may be a context for spiritual growth & values transformation

Trust Banks provide a forum for teaching community leaders anything from hygiene, to water drip irrigation, to AIDS

prevention.

Village north of Lome’, Togo representing two Trust Banks on the grounds of a typical private school’s yard.

So What is a Trust Bank?1. Approximately 40 Borrowers are organized into 8

group structures of 5 members defined by co-guaranteeing relationships and managed by democratically elected leaders.

2. Very small, short-term loans are extended in the form of a continuous, gradually increasing line of credit to Trust Bank members.

3. Savings are mobilized within the Trust Banks.

4. Trust Banks hold regular meetings to monitor repayments and to pursue other social, economic and spiritual goals.

Blessings of a $10,000 Trust Bank

Loan Money is recycled; initial investment of $10,000 can grow to as much as $45,000 in financing over 5 years.

Up to 720 lives will be impacted through the flow on effect of a Trust Bank. THEIR CHILDREN CAN GO TO SCHOOL.

Loans have more than a 95% repayment rate, if the Fund is managed properly.

30-50 businesses will be established initially, and this will increase by 30% after five years.

Some clients will transition themselves into the conventional banking stream.

Trust Banks in Action-Ghana

John, MEDIC-Ghana assistant, is introducing us to a Trust Bank in Accra,

Ghana.

I learn how to make “kenki” with the owners of a kenki business.

D.A. Nosse Barberton Rotary Trust Bank (we danced, sang, then ate

dinner together!)

Trust Bank Accountability….its essential.MEDIC: Ativi Kossivi, Togo Coordinator & Christophe Adandi, West Africa

Director

Trust Bank Accountability….is

essential!

Accurate Reporting

How Does Micro Finance affect a decrease in Child Mortality?

Empowering Women - Microfinance programs have generally targeted women as clients.

Women often prove to be more financially responsible with better repayment performance than men.

Women are more likely than men to invest increased income in the household and family well being.

How Does Micro Finance affect a decrease in Child Mortality?

The poor use financial services not only for business investment in their microenterprises but also to invest in health and education:

•To manage household emergencies•To meet the wide variety of other cash needs that they encounter.•The range of services includes loans, savings facilities, insurance, transfer payments, and even micro-pensions

How Does Micro Finance affect a decrease in Child Mortality?

•Better Nutrition

•Better living conditions

•Preventative healthcare practices

•Healthcare conditions are treated more promptly than waiting for conditions to deteriorate.

How Does Micro Finance affect a decrease in Child Mortality?

Eradicating Poverty

Microfinance allows poor people to protect, diversify, and increase their sources of income, the essential path out of poverty and hunger.

The ability to borrow a small amount of money to take advantage of a business opportunity, to pay for school fees, or to bridge a cash-flow gap, can be a first step in breaking the cycle of poverty

In a Freedom from Hunger study of clients in Ghana, it was found that clients had increased their incomes by $36 compared to $18 for non-clients.

ROTARY CLUB OF BARBERTON, OHIO, USA

BY MARGIE ROOP

Trip to Togo, West Africa-A Club President’s Experience January 2009

Amazing people!

•Gracious•Friendly•Hard-working•Proud•No obesity•No smoking•No (obvious) drinking of alcoholic beverages•Mostly women were loan recipients

The eyes have it…with a

combination of:

•Fatigue•Depression•Yearning•Hope

Implications

The basics……The enhancements…

No clean water systems; must walk for miles to transport water.

No sanitation systems No power systems No PUBLIC SCHOOLS No paved roads No public

transportation No medical care

To learn English Exposure to

resources, i.e., modes of communication: phones, internet (via electric)

To learn business acumen via business women as mentors

Link with other world organizations

MEDIC: www.medicinternational.org•Amazing organization

•Staff on the ground

•Hard-working

•English-speaking

•Incredible hosts, guides & interpreters

•Dedicated to seeing loan recipients succeed.

•High accountability

•Did EVERYTHING to ensure our grant, travel plans and stay in Africa was 100% fulfilling.

Together, it CAN be done! Below: the “Dream Team”!

•NEVER underestimate YOUR ability to make a difference!

•NEVER assume that “other organizations” are addressing their needs.

•A little DOES go a long way!

•If you live in the U.S.A. you are blessed beyond comprehension.

•You ARE a steward…your work & your joy lies ahead of you.

They are waiting & they need us!

Call me, Margie Roop: 330-329-3767 or email me at: mroop@lifeserviceseap.com

I will come and speak to any group interested in learning more about how Rotary and MEDIC have partnered.

Personally, I cannot wait to return to see my friends for life!

Good Luck to you all!

Together with the local pastor’s son, we hope our paths meet in Africa….

So what happened after I left?

Our project appears on the front page of the March, 2009 Akron Beacon Journal.

Gets attention on the “wires” of the Mercy Ships’ non-profit organization out of Dallas, TX.

Mercy Ships’ CEO contacts CEO of MEDIC.

Together, they solidify agreement to bring the Africa Mercy Ship to Lome’, Togo!

More happens!

MEDIC agrees to provide 12-week microtrust training to women suffering from tumors and/or incontinence from childbirth or rape (ostracized due to their deformities).

Mercy Ships agrees, in turn, to provide life-changing surgeries to these women who will soon be able to start their own businesses utilizing MEDIC microloans!

In 2010… miracles happen.

The Africa Mercy Ship docks in the Port of Lome’, Togo for the first time!Pictured is: Adjo Garedjissoafter receiving surgery to remove tumors from herwrist. She will now open herown business following MEDICMicrotrust training!

Please watch...You Tube (attached)

April, 2013, CBS’ “60 Minutes” films the Africa Mercy Ship pulling into Lome’, Togo, West Africa for the very first time .

This was as a direct result of two incredible organizations “finding” one another. For thousands of people in Africa, life will never be the same but be BETTER…..!

Pictured is Elom Edjabo

http://youtu.be/JPojrMobnyI

Then WHAT happens…? After watching CBS’ “60 Minutes” on

the Africa Mercy Ship, a couple in Texas donates $20 million to the Mercy Ships’ organization.

Mercy Ships are now looking to create an Asia Mercy Ship.

Keep praying……lives can be changed, long overdue happiness can arrive for our brothers & sisters, & world peace has a chance!

And, I STILL get in trouble with my brain of possibilities.