woman development businesses micro finance (WDB-MF)

The WDB-Micro Finance Programme was established in 1991 with R20,000, based on the Grameen Bank methodology in Bangladesh which gives micro loans to poor rural women to help them out of poverty. WDB Micro Finance began its pilot programme in Acornhoek, Mpumalanga with Zanele Mbeki as one of the founders. The programme is currently reaching out to over 20,000 families and over R80m has exchanged over 80,000 hands of women borrowers in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and KZN provinces.

WDB-MF identified Eastern Cape Province as their current target, guided by their projection and growth strategic plan. WDB-MF approached AVI to sponsor a branch based in Bizana South, in Flagstaff which will be the third branch to be opened in the Eastern Cape. Bizana has a population of 245,430 according to the 2001 statistics. AVI agreed to sponsor a branch for two years to assist with the economic and skills development of these disenfranchised communities. The branch became active in April and already has 225 clients, and was officially launched on the 6th of June 2009.