We're lending with CARE®

In March 2022 The Rotary Club of Stockholm International board approved a proposal put forward by the club’s service projects committee for the club to join the Lendwithcare (LWC) micro financing programme run by CARE® International.

By joining the LWC programme RCSI and other organisations/individuals are able to lend small amounts of money to entrepreneurs and entrepreneur groups in several low-income countries.

The entrepreneurs in the LWC programme and their investment plans have been previously vetted and approved by established micro financing institutions in their respective countries. The micro financing institutions in the LWC programme have also been carefully selected by CARE®.

As of the end of April we’ve made loans to 5 different entrepreneurs/entrepreneur groups living in 5 low-income countries (Pakistan, Thailand, Malawi, Zambia and Vietnam).

We plan to make further loans to other entrepreneurs over the next few months. Further on and as entrepreneurs begin to repay their loans to us we will make new loans to other entrepreneurs in the LWC programme.

The loans RCSI has made so far has helped 13 entrepreneurs and indirectly 60 family members.

Entrepreneur Spotlight

In this section we provide details and/or updates on one of the entrepreneurs who are currently making use of a loan we’ve made to them and are repaying it according to their agreed repayment schedule.

The Tathandizika Group in Malawi

RCSI was one of the organisations that made a micro loan to this Group. The total amount they requested was GBP 2,919 and the repayment term agreed is 6 months.

Rotary Focus Area:- Economic and Community Development

The members of this group were requesting their second loan from their local partner MLF Malawi to buy more stock for their small businesses. Memory is the focused member of this group. She is 46 years old. She is a divorced lady who supports 4 children and 2 orphans. Memory has been selling groceries for 13 years. Her income generating activity has made her financially independent and the proceeds she earns goes towards providing her family with basic necessities. Memory will use her portion of the group loan to purchase groceries to sell. The other members of this group will purchase snacks, vegetables and clothes. The income from her small enterprise is helping Memory to pay the school fees for her children and she has bought two motorbikes.

Click HERE for further details.