Embedded Files
The women profiled on this page have all benefited from VPWA’s Microfinance Project. The information below gives some insight into their lives and how VPWA Microfinance has helped them. The women are also assisted before and after the loan process with lessons in English and bookkeeping provided by VPWA staff and volunteers.
(To skip to see the beneficiaries of a particular “solidarity group” click on the links below)
Fise Group E (Prosperity)
Amasaman Group G (Glorious)
Fise Group H (Happiness)
Fise Group I (Hope)
Fise Group J (Joy)
Fise Group K (Kindness)
Fise Group L (Love)
Note: FOMWAG stands for the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Ghana. FOMWAG is a cooperative support group for female Muslims with branches throughout Ghana. The FOMWAG groups of women who are VPWA Microfinance loan beneficiaries (i.e. Groups A-D) are a part of the FOMWAG Amasaman branch.
Charlotte Kumi
The VPWA microfinance project's longest standing beneficiary, Charlotte is a thirty-two year old woman who is originally from Dormaa-Ahenkro. She is married and has two children, a daughter and a son. She makes a living as a trader at her shop in Pokuase ACP–Ridge where she sells bread, milk, biscuits and other household provisions. Charlotte must compete with many other traders in the immediate area.
With four years of experience behind her, Charlotte came to VPWA requesting a loan to boost her capital so she could make some much desired changes to her business. After receiving her loan in November 2009, Charlotte consistently made her weekly loan repayments on time and in full.
Using her first loan she purchased new products to sell, as well as increasing her stock. The new items attracted more customers which resulted in an increase in profits each week for Charlotte and her family. Her profit meant that she was able to reinvest and continue increasing her stock. Charlotte finished repaying her first loan and has since been approved for a second and then a third loan, which she received in November 2010.
FOMWAG Group A:
Lela Abdul Aziz and Felicia Adjorlolo
Lela Abdul Aziz
Lela is a forty year old woman who is originally from Tamale but now lives in Amasaman with her husband and their six children. As a means of income, Lela is a small trader with over ten years of experience selling beads and earrings. Lela, is part of the FOMWAG group that approached VPWA in 2009 for a loan. She wanted to increase her stock of earrings ahead of the Christmas season. After visiting her business and assessing her needs, VPWA granted her a loan. Lela paid back her first weekly loan repayments on time and even started to pay back more than 10% more than the amount required on some of her repayments.
Based on this success, Lela received a second loan in March 2010 and used some of it to diversify. She also started frying plantains which she sold as snacks. This earned her an additional weekly profit of 15-20GHC. She uses her profits to provide for her household since her husband is currently unemployed. In addition to her business success, she is able to consistently save a certain amount of her profit weekly.
Lela was approved for a third loan in December 2010, which she will use to reinvest in her business and continue to diversify her stock.
Felicia Adjorlolo
Felicia is a fifty-eight year old woman who is originally from the Volta Region, but now lives in the town of Amasaman. She is a widow and has five children. In order to generate an income she sells fruit, as well as some biscuits and water. Felicia requested a loan in order to increase her capital. Prior to the loan Felicia was forced to buy her goods through middlemen. Her first loan, received in November 2009, allowed her to purchase directly from the farmers and wholesalers, and also to expand her range of stock to include new items. With the extra profits she was able to save money each week.
Felicia was approved for a second loan in March 2010 and successfully paid it off in full. With her second loan Felicia continued to support her fruit selling, but also started a new business venture selling stationery, snacks and books to local school children. As a result of these extra profits, Felicia was able to purchase her own refrigerator which will boost her total profits even further as she will no longer have to pay to use someone else’s refrigerator.
In December 2010, Felicia was approved for her third loan which she has used to invest further in her business.
Rukaye Mustapha
Rukaye is twenty-five years old and lives in Amasaman with her husband have two children. In order to support her family, Rukaye sells charcoal. She approached VPWA Microfinance, along with her solidarity group, in the hope that she could obtain a loan to increase the volume of charcoal that she buys from her supplier. This would then allow her to increase her capital earnings by approximately 50%. Rukaye repaid the full amount of the loan within nine weekly loan repayments.
Rukaye was approved for a second loan in March 2010 and has bought a freezer to develop another business making and selling ice-creams.
Hindu Suleman
Hindu has been a street hawker who sells clothes for seven years. Hindu came to VPWA with a request for a loan so that she could buy more stock and maximise her profits at Salat and Christmas. She also wanted to expand her business by offering sewing services. Hindu received her first loan in November 2009 and paid it back quickly.
Hindu was approved for a second loan in March 2010. This loan allowed her to reinvest in her business and maintain her stock levels. She now earns about 25GHC a week. She understands the importance of saving and now consistently saves about 10GHC a week. Hindu is the sole provider for her household because her husband is currently unemployed.
Hindu was approved for a third loan in December 2010.
FOMWAG Group B:
Alijatu Sule
Alijatu helps support her six children by selling onions as a street hawker in Amasaman and Agbobloshie. Alijatu wanted to use a loan from VPWA to expand her business so that she could sell additional vegetables.
Her first loan allowed her to ad peppers and cabbage to stock. She put the extra profits towards her children’s education. Alijatu received a second loan in March 2010. She used it to buy larger quantities of onions with it which maximised her profits further. As a result she is able to save 5GHC every week.
Ajara Mumuni
Ajara is forty-two years old and is from Navorongo, but currently lives in Amasaman. She is married with four children and sells plastic bowls, pure water, and water tanks in her local area. She came to VPWA for a loan to increase her product range. Ajara received a loan in November 2009 and made her first weekly loan repayments on time, paying up to 40% more than the required amount on several occasions. With her second loan she will continue to expand her stock.
Alimatu Mumuni
Alimatu, originally from Tafo, is a fifty-four year old woman with seven children. The profits she generates through her business pay for two of her children to attend high school and two to attend university. Alimatu sells food in Amasaman and employs two people at her shop with hopes to employ more in the future. She has more than twenty-five years business experience.
Alimatu is also a senior executive of FOMWAG. Alimatu came to VPWA for a loan in order to buy more stock so that she could cook rice and stew to sell to her customers. Alimatu repaid back her first loan in 2009 promptly paying back 40% more than the required amount each time.
The loan helped Alimutu increase her customer base and double her weekly savings. The additional profits have been used to pay for the education of her children. She has now received a second loan which has meant she can buy the rice for the shop in bulk, rather than on credit. Her husband has recently become unemployed, so Alimutu is working hard to support all her family with her business.
Sahadatu Mumuni
Sahadatu is a forty-eight year old woman who is married and has four children. She makes a living as a trader and street hawker, selling cosmetics in Amasaman. She is the only person who sells cosmetics in the villages where she works. Her husband is unemployed so her business allows her to support her family. Sahadatu requested a loan so she could buy a greater variety of products to meet the demands of her customers.
Her first loan allowed her to double her stock. The profits from this were reinvested in the business and also paid for her children's education. Sahadatu received her second loan in March 2010 and used it to buy more stock and double her profits. A third loan is helping her work towards her dream of opening her own shop.
Rabi Adam
Rabi is originally from Tamale and is married with four children. She sells shea butter in Amasaman. She uses the money she makes to pay for two of her children’s school fees. After receiving her first loan in November 2009, Rabi paid her loan repayments on time and in full. On two occasions she paid 100% more than the required weekly amount.
VPWA’s first loan allowed her to double the quantity of her stock and increase her customer base. She could then save money every week. Rabi was approved for a second loan in April 2010 but was unfortunately fired to leave her house and had to find the money for a new home as well. With exceptionally hard work she still managed to pay her loan back by the end of the year.
FOMWAG Group C:
Hawa Abibu
Hawa is a sixty-year-old widow who sells sells jewellery in Amasaman to support her four children. Hawa came to VPWA Microfinance looking for a loan so that she could increase her product range. Once her loan was granted in November 2009, Hawa made all weekly loan repayments in full. She was late for just one repayment which was due to her daughter being in labour. However, Hawa came to the VPWA to make her repayment as soon as her daughter was out of the hospital.
With her first loan, Hawa was able to consistently make a profit. The income she receives allows her to support her children and grandchildren. Her customers requested she stock some more expensive products, so with the approval of a second loan in 2010, Hawa was also able to invest in these products.
Dorcas Abdulai
Dorcas is a thirty-six year old woman originally from Capekrom. She has three children whom she is raising by herself. Dorcas is a street hawker who sells beef in Amasaman. She used her first loan to expand her business so that she can sell other types of meat, as well as dried fish. On average Dorcas paid 20% more than the required amount of her repayment each week.
With the extra stock, Dorcas has saved money to support her family in the future.
Anatu Mumuni
Anatu is thirty-two years old and originally from Navrongo in the north. She and her husband have one child. Anatu trades beans and millet in Sapeiman. VPWA granted Anatu her first loan in November 2009 and she used it to buy more products and expand her stock. Paying back in full and on time, she used her extra profits to pay her children’s school fees. Granted a second loan in April 2010, Anatu repaid the loan in full.
Elisabeth Mensah
Elisabeth is a forty-eight year old woman, originally from Afife. She is a widow with four children. She currently lives and works in Amasaman as a hawker selling fish and vegetables. Upon receiving her first loan in March 2010, she was able to buy more stock, such as tomatoes and onions. Using her extra capital she could also buy in bulk; as a result the customers could buy larger amounts. Elisabeth is now able to save some of her profits, in addition to supporting her family in terms of paying school fees and providing more food. Elisabeth was approved for her second loan in December 2010, and plans on increasing the quantity of her goods further.
FOMWAG Group D:
Marama Abdulai
Marama is originally from Tamale and has five children. Marama has five years of experience as a koko seller: millet porridge served with koase, made from beans. She has a stall in Amasaman and first came to VPWA for a loan so that she could afford to go directly to wholesalers, rather than have to work through a middleman to obtain her ingredients. She felt that there was great potential to expand her business and perhaps hire some women to work with her. Granted a loan in November 2009, Marama made all of her weekly loan repayments on time, paying 67% more than the required amount each time. She continued repaying on time, until she fully repaid her first loan.
With her first loan Marama succeeded in buying ingredients directly and in bulk. She was able to sell more koko and to save consistently. With her savings she helps to pay for the children’s school fees. Marama received and completed repayments on a second loan, which she used to buy more products in bulk.
Aisha Thompson
Aisha is a single, 57-year-old woman originally from Anomalou. She currently works as a school director in Amasaman and as a maize trader in Dome. Aisha is also the president of the FOMWAG Amasaman branch.
VPWA’s first loan allowed Aisha to buy cement and sand to build a new school building. Aisha and her group were approved for a second loan which assisted her in building three more classrooms for her school. A third loan will help Aisha install a much needed water tank to ensure the children at her school have a safe water supply.
Asana Mohammed
Asana is a thirty year old woman originally from Tamale. She is married, has three children, and sells charcoal in Amasaman. Asana came to VPWA looking for a loan to start a new business selling yams, with the potential to expand this business to fried yam and fish. Asana had four previous years of experience selling yams and used to sell fried yams until her doctor advised her against it when she was pregnant, at which point she invested all of her savings into maternity expenses. When Asana received her loan from VPWA in November 2009, she made her weekly loan repayments on time and paid 40% more than the required repayment amount numerous times. Her charcoal business also benefited and her profits allowed for reinvestment in the businesses.
Asana was approved for a second loan in March 2010. This loan assisted with her new business venture, frying plantain chips. As well as on the streets, she is selling her chips in a local school and she is successfully able to make a profit of approximately 30GHC a week. In addition, Asana is able to save a consistent amount of her profit.
Asana was approved in December 2010 for her third loan.
Asana Farouk
Asana is thirty-nine years old and from Bolga. She and her husband have five children and she is a maize trader in Amasaman, where she operates her business from her home. Asana asked VPWA for a loan to invest in more stock and to increase the variety of her stock by purchasing beans to sell. Asana, who was given a loan by VPWA in November 2009, was the first FOMWAG woman who finished repaying her loan. She made almost all her weekly loan repayments on time. For each repayment, Asana paid 40% more than the repayment amount required by VPWA Microfinance. She also made an early final repayment clearing her balance ahead of time.
Asana has now decided to move her business to selling corn or cassava, rather than maize, because the transport of maize from the Northern Region to Amasaman has becoming too costly. A further loan will is helping her adapt to these new circumstances and start selling the new products.
FISE Group E (Prosperity)
Sophia Ansah
Sophia is forty-three years old and originates from Asokore Efi Duasi. Sophia deals maize from Neoranza, selling to wholesalers and retailers in Accra. She hopes to expand her business by investing in beans and cereals to sell at her provisions shop in Fise. After Sophia received her loan from VPWA Microfinance in December 2009, she made her first six repayments in full, on time, and paid 40% above than the required amount. She continued her payments successfully and repaid her loan in full despite business being sometimes inconsistent.
Approved for a second loan in April 2010, Sophia added phone credits to her shop stock, which proved to be very lucrative. She repaid by August and is now in receipt of a third loan.
Patience Abena Amoanimwaa
Patience sells tomatoes, yams, and other food products in Fise. As a single woman, Patience’s earnings go towards supporting her three children. She received a loan in December 2009, and finished repayment in full by early March 2010, one month early.
The loan allowed her to buy more stock and new products, such as onions and cassava. Patience was approved for a second loan which she used to increase her bulk stock. Importantly, having more capital to buy in bulk meant Patience could travel to market less: three times a week, instead of daily. This gave her more time to sell her products, and meant she saved 15GHC every three days. Patience is now in receipt of a third loan with which she plans to buy different varieties of rice in bulk, and to trade in charcoal.
Felicia Adjety
Felicia is twenty-eight years old and a single woman from Adeiso. She owns and operates a store near Fise in order to support her two children. She sells groceries such as milk, tomatoes, and biscuits. The capital she makes at her business is used to pay bills and reinvest in her business. Felicia first sought a loan from VPWA Microfinance in November of 2009 to invest in stock expansion. After receiving a loan her profits rose and her savings doubled during repayment time.
Felicia was approved for a second loan in March 2010, which she used to buy a fridge. She can now stock cold beverages and sell them to passers-by on the road, which has improved business greatly. Felicia is now in receipt of a third loan, and continues to save her extra profits towards her children’s future school fees.
FISE Group F (Peace):
Mary Dery
Mary is thirty-nine and originally from Nan Dom. She is married with two children. To support her family, Mary sells groundnuts, maize, and beans wholesale from her home in Fise. Her first loan with VPWA allowed Mary to expand her stock to include groundnut paste and pepe (hot sauce), which she made herself, as well as increasing her current stock. She repaid her first loan over a month early making all her repayments on time and paying extra.
As of October 2010, Mary completed repaying a second loan. As a result of receiving capital from VPWA through these loans, Mary has been able to buy corn in greater quantities which has meant that her customers have been buying more from her. With increased profits, Mary is now saving a little every month which is making a material difference to her and her family’s lifestyle.
Cynthia Boakye
Cynthia is a fifty year old woman from Kumasi-Duase. Well-known and respected in her community, she sells maize in Fise and must compete with two other maize traders in the immediate vicinity of her shop. Cynthia puts her profits towards her children’s school fees, daily living expenses, and reinvesting in her business. She has eight years of experience running her maize trading business. Additionally, Cynthia owns and operates a provisions shop. She came to VPWA seeking a loan to invest in stock to sell. She was given a loan in December 2009 and made all of her first loan repayments on time, paying 40% more than the required amount several times. On receiving a second loan in April 2010, Cynthia doubled the quantity of goods she purchased. Her savings have increased from 1GH daily to 5GH daily.
Rita Adu Gyamfi
Rita is twenty-six years old and is originally from Ejisu. A single woman, Rita sells eggs from her mother Cynthia’s shop in Fise in order to support her young daughter, Alicia. She has been unable as of yet to accumulate savings but hopes to expand her business one day and sell pure water and toffee candies. Rita requested a loan from VPWA to boost her capital and was granted it in December 2009. Later, with her second loan, she was able to double the amount of goods purchased, as well as her savings, and is working towards her plans of expansion. Rita is an outgoing, kind woman, who speaks good English.
Paulina Boahemaa
Paulina is twenty-eight and from Anum-So djah. She is married with one child and is also an usher in her church. Paulina works tirelessly as a street hawker selling dried fish in Fise, and she is also a seamstress. Paulina requested a loan from VPWA so that she could boost her business capital and buy her products directly from Cape Coast, rather than having to work through middlemen. After visiting her business, VPWA granted Paulina a loan in December 2009 which Paulina used to buy more stock, increasing her selling capabilities and more than doubling her profit. She used her profits to pay her child’s school fees, and repaid her loan in full after only ten weeks.
Paulina’s success also made her more independent and she was able to cover all her own costs. Granted a second loan in April 2010, she planned to buy large quantities of dried herring which is very profitable and which her customers had been requesting. She is currently paying back her loan.
AMASAMAN Group G (Glorious):
Rebecca Asare
Rebecca is a twenty-five year old woman from Asamankesse. She is married and currently works as a hawker selling shoes and bags in her town, Amasaman, as well as in other parts of the Greater Accra region. She has two children. Rebecca received her first loan in January 2010 with the view of buying more stock. She was able to buy more and better stock and doubled the amount she saved daily during the six month loan period. Her profits allowed her to help pay for her younger brother’s schooling. Rebecca repaid her first loan successfully and has recently been approved for a second loan, which will further her success.
Fatima Sefiano
Fatima is twenty-nine years old, from Swedu. She lives with her husband, their child and a sibling in Amasaman. Working as a trader in maize, and also as a hawker selling clothes, Fatima received a loan in January 2010 in order to travel to buy clothes directly and to expand her stock. The ensuing profits allowed her to save and pay for her sister's and her child’s schooling. Upon repayment in June, she was approved for a second loan. Fatima has now diversified even further, setting up a salon at her home to make use of her other skill in hairdressing. She continues to improve her business and is paying back her second loan.
Patience Dziebode Foli
Patience is a twenty-six year old woman from the Volta Region. She currently lives in Amasaman with her husband and child and works as a trader. She was approved a first loan from VPWA and was able to increase the capital of her onion-selling business. The extra profit she is now making means paying her daughter’s school fees is easier. Saving is also an option now. Upon successful repayment of her first loan, she was approved for a second loan. She will use the money to continue expanding her small business.
Sefiatu Adamu
Sefiatu is thirty-seven years old, originally from Kedjo Ashona. She is married and supports her three children in Amasaman. She was approved for a first loan in order to build her trading business. She now sells okro, onions, pepper and garden eggs. Sefiatu has successfully built her client base and begun to save money. Her profits allowed her to pay for her son’s school fees. Repayment of the first loan was successful, so she has been approved for a second loan. This will allow her to buy more vegetables in bulk.
FISE Group H (Happiness):
Matilda Lartey
Matilda is thrity-three and lives in Fise with her husband and three lovely children. She is originally from Asene Accra. She works as a trader and owns a small container next to her husband’s electrical workshop. Approved for a first loan in June 2010, Matilda paid back her loan in only two months, revealing what a great difference it made to the profits of her business. She used it to buy soft drinks and to expand the range of provisions in her shop. With the profits that followed her first loan, Matilda also contributed to the building of her new family home, as well as trebling her savings. She reinvests profit into her business, and in February 2011 she paid back her second loan, which she used to introduce new items to her stock, such as fish and tomatoes. With her third loan, which she is applying for at present, Matilda hopes to start up her business as a seamstress again, making clothes for people from her shop.
Veronica Tetteh
Veronica is originally from Somanya and now lives in Fise with her husband and three children. She works as a trader and hoped to invest in more items to sell in her shop with her first loan. Veronica does not have any competitors in her area and with three years of experience as a trader, she was in an ideal good position to expand. She used her loan to travel to Kumasi to buy oil and maize to sell. She hopes to begin saving and to support her family as her business grows further. She repayed her second loan on time and in full in February 2011.
Dede Kosi
Dede is a married woman who is supporting ten family members. She is originally from Somanya but now lives and works in Fise and is a trader. Dede has over twenty years of experience selling products. With her first loan, which she paid back successfully, Dede doubled the amount of scarves and dresses she bought from market in Accra. Identifying these items as the products in greatest demand and expanding in this way saw her increase her profits and double her savings. She hoped that her second loan would help her business grow even more, and hopes to open a shop with her daughter, who sells groceries, where she can sell her clothing.
Emilia Amanor
Emilia is a thirty-six year old originally from Somanya. She lives with her husband and four children in Fise, where she works as a hairdresser. She has two years of experience and, in addition to hairdressing, sells porridge. With her first loan, which she repaid on time in August 2010, Emilia doubled the quantities of shampoo, cosmetics and other products she uses in her salon. As well as saving money by buying in bulk, this also meant she had to travel to market less often, so she also saved on transportation costs. She also bought porridge ingredients in bulk and increased profits here too. Emilia doubled her savings and fully paid her children’s school fees with the fruits of her expanding business. She has now repaid her second loan successfully.
FISE Group I (Hope)
Theresa Donkor
Theresa is forty-eight years old and originally from Takoradi in the Western Region. She is a single mother with three children and is President of the Women’s Fellowship at her local church. She works as a fried yams trader in Fise, selling from a stall outside her small container. She requested her first loan with VPWA so that she could purchase more yams upfront and so sell more. She was approved for the loan in August 2010. Prior to receiving the loan she was only able to purchase fifty pieces, however now she can buy one hundred. She is developing her stock and selling soft drinks alongside her yams, and making more profits as a result. Due to this success, Theresa is able to sufficiently provide for her family, pay school fees, and save. She has also been able to pay more than the fixed weekly repayment amount, and this made her a great candidate for a second loan.
Theresa was approved for a second loan in December 2010, and will use it to expand her soft drinks store.
Florence Mensah
Florence works as a trader in Fise, selling homemade kenkey on a stall outside her house. Originally from Asamankese in the Eastern Region, she is married and has four children. Florence had already been selling kenkey for eight years when she approached VPWA for a loan in September 2010. She used it to buy more bags of maize, the main ingredient in kenkey. She paid back her loan successfully, using extra savings towards her children’s school fees. Florence got on very well with the rest of the members of her group, meeting them weekly to share problems and come up with solutions together. She found the bookkeeping training offered by VPWA very useful in keeping track of her growing business.
Florence was approved for a second loan in December 2010, and will use her extra capital to obtain more goods.
Gifty Danquah
Gifty is a forty-one year old widow, originally from Nsawam. She has four children and trades in fish, some of which she sells at her sister, Florence’s, kenkey stall. Prior to selling fish, she was a rubber seller, and has much experience in trade. Gifty was approved for her loan in August 2010. She purchased more fish which led to her profits and customer base increasing. In addition, she was able to save some of her profits and pay for her children’s school fees. To continue with this success she applied for a second loan which was approved in December 2010. She will use the loan to buy more fish and other goods.
Comfort Ephram
Comfort is originally from Takoradi in the Western Region but now lives in Fise. She is married and has nine children. She works as a trader and has a store in front of her home selling drinks, foods and other provisions. Her nephew works with her in the store. Comfort came to VPWA to apply for a loan in September 2010 so that she could purchase more meat to sell in her store. Prior to obtaining the loan Comfort was only able to purchase one box of chicken and beef; with her loan she could buy three boxes. Having more stock attracted more customers, increasing Comfort’s profits. Comfort now saves double what she did before, and uses the other extra income to support her grandchildren and nephews.
Comfort’s group worked very well together, agreeing to pay back more than the required installments so they could secure a second loan faster. Comfort was approved for her second loan in December 2010, and will use it to buy drinks to sell.
FISE Group J (Joy)
Rose Yeboah
Rose is a married woman who lives in Fise where she runs a shop selling secondhand clothing and fabrics. Granted a loan from VPWA in March 2010, Rose expanded her range of products; as well as the usual bail of fabrics, Rose bought curtains and towels. She paid back her loan quickly and in full, and in February 2011 she received her second loan. Rose was eager for the funds and had been planning her trip to market and the new items she would invest in. She hopes to add more products to her stock using the capital. Rose is an excellent VPWA beneficiary and continued with bookkeeping after training, seeing the benefits it has for her business.
Rose has recruited her daughter, Miriam, who sells children’s clothes, to the VPWA scheme and she has joined their group this year.
Beatrice Ashalley
Beatrice is a thirty-one year old woman from Awutu. She now lives in Fise with her husband and three small children and is a seamstress with five years experience. She buys material from Accra Central to use in her shop.With her first loan Beatrice bought more linen and threads, as well as linings. Buying linings made her self-sufficient as she no longer had to buy linings from other shops to do her work. With the money provided by VPWA she also bought more white linings which she could not previously afford. The white linings now sell faster, so this increased Beatrice's profit.
Mavis Adafoa
Mavis and her husband have a large family with five dependents to support. She cares for her niece, who has Down’s Syndrome, as well as her own young children. She runs a provisions shop where she sells yams and other vegetables along with various food stuffs and drinks. Approved for a first loan in March 2010, she used the capital to expand her stock, making her more competitive with the various other provisions shops in Fise. She paid back her loan on time and in full and has now received a second loan. Mavis has used her second loan to buy sacks of charcoal which she now sells from a stall at her food shop.
Miriam Siaw Boadi
Miriam lives in Fise with her extended family and had just given birth to her second baby when she received her first loan in February 2011. With two years experience as a trader in second-hand baby clothes, Miriam wanted to take a loan so she had the capital to expand her stock. She hopes to add new products such as teddy bears and toys, as well as more clothing. With no local competition, there is great potential for Miriam to sell more. Her first loan will help her to expand so she can take advantage of this opening in the local market. At present Miriam makes on average 50GC in two weeks and is not able to save anything. She hopes that this will change as her small business grows.
FISE Group K (Kindness)
Grace Ahiago
Grace is forty-eight years old and originally from the Volta Region. She has four children and lives in a house at Toman, near Amasaman. Grace is a trader and sells beans and cloth which she buys from Okianshi market in Accra. She also makes red red and banku which she sells along with drinks and snacks on a stall outside her house every day. Approved for her first loan in October 2010, Grace used the money to buy more beans and cloth, including lace for the first time, in order to expand her product range and increase her output. She is currently paying back her loan successfully.
Janet Tamaklo
Previously a trader selling dresses, Janet now makes and sells Ga kenkey with fish. She is married and has five children. Janet buys the ingredients for her kenkey at Nsawam market, makes it outside her house at Toman, and sells it by hawking in the local area. There are several other kenkey traders close-by to Janet, and so her first loan has helped her by giving her the capital to buy more ingredients and expand her trade. She continues to pay her installments successfully.
Eisa Ahiago
Eisa is a hairdresser working outside her home in Toman. She also expanded her business a year ago and now sells bras and panties in the mornings, doing her hairdressing in the afternoons. Eisa takes the tro-tro to market two or three times a week to re-stock and often runs out of products. With her first loan she planned to buy more items for her salon, such as hair extensions, as well as more underwear to sell so she wouldn’t run out of stock so often. With her increased business Eisa plans to save towards her goal of opening a store.
FISE Group L (Love)
Mary Bilson
Mary has twenty-seven years experience as a trader and currently runs a fruit stall in Fise, selling oranges and bananas to local customers. Mary plans to use her first loan from VPWA to stock new products, such as pineapples, apples and mangos, from her suppliers in Accra and the nearby markets at Nsawam and St. John’s. Expanding her product range in this way would make her stall more successful and competitive, increasing her profits so she could continue to develop her small business. She has now received her first loan and her stall is transformed with a lot more stock and a lot more potential.
Janet Asantewaa
Janet is a hawker selling talcum powder in Fise and nearby towns. With her loan she hopes to buy and start trading in cassava again. Cassava is an important product locally, used to make fufu and also gari, an ingredient in red red and a popular snack. With the large potential client base for cassava, Janet could increase her profits dramatically by expanding her business in this way. Janet received her first loan in February 2011.
Joyce Twumwa
Joyce is a seamstress with five years of experience. She currently buys linen from Accra to make products for customers in Fise, where her shop is, and in the surrounding area. She has three local competitors. With her loan she plans to stockpile new materials such as zips and linings. This would mean she would not have to buy these items from outside when her service is required, saving time and money. She will also sell these items to other local seamstresses. With her increased profits she hopes to save for her future with her three young children.
Rebecca Ali Mahama
Rebecca is a hawker and sells yams and corn from the Northern Region that she buys in Accra. With her loan Rebecca will try new ventures, such as selling eggs as snacks, in order to increase her profits.
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