Starting out

Early in October, Judy and NCN’s newest intern, Katharine Eger, arrived in Tanzania, soaking in the warm surroundings and keen to begin work. Hitting the red dirt running, we were very busy settling into in the town of Karatu. We sorted out administrative details, met with some of our partnering NGOs, and prepared for the Women’s Microfinance Initiative program trainings soon to come.

As an intern concentrating on the loan program, Katharine enthusiastically introduced herself to the spirited managers of the loan programs: Josephine, Ester, Levina, and Mary. Each brilliantly unique, the group of women shared a universally strong sense of fortitude and élan. It quite was a treat getting to sit together with them and hear them explain the past few months, and successes within the programs.

Once NCN feels confident in expanding the role of microfinance into a successful loan hub, it provides intensive two-day business training to a new batch of loan recipients. Previously, Jaclyn and Olive, a pair of extraordinary Ugandan women, traveled down to Tanzania to give these trainings themselves. However, with the goal of evolving into a more sustainable loan program, NCN wishes to have the heads of the loan program be able to lead the trainings in the future.

Over the summer, NCN’s partner with the loan program, Women’s Microfinance Initiative (WMI) hosted the heads of the diverse loan hubs for a week-long intensive training in which they were taught how to lead the business trainings. Not only did this give these women from Kenya and Tanzania the chance to see more of their own continent, it provided them with confidence and ownership over their hubs and established necessary stepping stones towards developing a sustainable loan program. Jaclyn, Olive, and Melissa (WMI’s finance director), are traveling around to watch all the different trainings to evaluate the new leaders. NCN’s ladies – grinning as they decorated flip charts and recalled the skits and songs they had mastered – are beyond ready to blow away Jaclyn and Olive upon their evaluation in the two upcoming trainings in Tloma and Alailelai.

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