Goal: Economically empowered vulnerable beneficiaries who are able to generate enough income to provide for their families.
Economic empowerment started small with groups of women counselled and provided with training. They were assisted in developing a simple business plan based on a familiar precedent, sometimes helped by a literate child who were encouraged to attend the training alongside his/ her mother.
This proved to be so effective and empowering to the women, local and regional government were encouraged by the results and requested an expansion into a broader area.
Now, beneficiaries from all our projects who fit the established criteria will be considered for these activities across all Abraham’s Oasis projects.
The selected beneficiaries are invited to a two-day training in micro-enterprise, during which time the Social Worker will also train them in family care and at the same time identify those in need of psychological counselling and refer them to AO psychologists for appropriate management.
Based on the prepared business plan seed funding (in kind) is provided and there is follow up by Line Departments and Abraham’s Oasis staff for one year.
The women are expected to have the amount of seed funding which was given back into their bank account by the end of the year. If they manage to achieve that they are allowed to keep that money and use it for expansion of their business.
During the regular follow-up done by AO staff, the beneficiaries are introduced to microfinance institutions and other community savings schemes.
The strength of the project is the intensive follow-up activities, once the women see that they are earning money they are motivated and empowered to work hard and do well. The psychological effect on the women is remarkable. They have renewed hope, their self-confidence gets a boost as they now can provide for their children and they get more respect from the community. The project has a 95% success rate and has now become the backbone of Abraham’s Oasis. This is the most sustainable way of helping beneficiaries. Within a year these women are independent from AO and every year we can work with a new group.