Microfinance Volunteering Project in Ghana

X X Start Date: Mar 23, 2014 - End Date: Jul 20, 2014
  • Ghana, Africa

My Travel Story

by: X X Start Date: Mar 23, 2014 - End Date: Jul 20, 2014
For four weeks this Summer I will be working with 'The Alliance for African Women Initiative' (AFAWI) - a non-governmental organisation based in Accra, Ghana.

The Alliance's main aim is to work at a local, grassroots level to empower and help women and children in lots of different areas which directly affect their lives. AFAWI aims to do this from an economical, political and social point of view, by targeting issues surrounding HIV/Aids, promoting education for all, and by helping to give marginalised groups the opportunity to represent themselves successfully.

Successful projects have involved integrating women into Ghana's oil industry, strengthening community care, and youth development, to name but a few, all in the hope of creating self sufficiency and progress at a local level.

This summer I will be involved in a 'microfinance' project.
Microfinance is an innovative financial service started in Bangladesh, targeted at enterpreneurs and small businesses who lack access to banking services: By applying for microfinance, people who would otherwise be unable to take out standard loans, can still be lent enough money to start up their own businesses. From a local point of view, this can really push forward sustainability and development, by making people feel empowered and self sufficient. 
Since AFAWI's pioneering of their microfinance project in 2012, so far loans have been dispursed to 22 women who have successfully repaid all the money lent to them.

During my stay in Ghana, I will be working very closely with local women to advise them when applying for microfinance, as well as helping them to allocate and spend the resources which they are given. I will also be fundraising, attending meetings to pitch ideas, and interacting with the local government in order to try to secure more funding for the microfinance project.

I'm very enthusiastic about this trip and am so excited to get started! I will be living with a local host family, so will undoubtedly learn a lot about the culture and way of life of Ghanain people; I believe that the lessons I will learn from participating in this project will add a completely new dimension to the economical and political issues which I am studying at university.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read about what I will be doing this summer and (perhaps!) for donating too! I will try my best to keep a blog and update what I am up to whilst in Ghana!


  • Ghana, Africa

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