A widow who has been aided to start a market trading stall in Kingali market Rwanda was once very poor.
A street trader in India has been helped to start his small business with the aid of a loan from a ROPE revolving loan fund.
ROPE helps people to gain independence and self respect by providing them with the means to earn their own living through the establishment of a small business.
For those who are healthy but unemployed or who are single parents / widows we help them to start small businesses by providing small interest free loans. As the business becomes viable the loan is gradually repaid and the local ROPEholder group uses it to start another small business. Many small projects have been launched in this way (see the examples below). These may seem modest by western standards but they are a critical source of income to their proprietors as well as a source of great joy as some independence is gained.
Our professional business team in the UK review some of the larger business plans to asses their viability and advise local ROPEholder groups of their findings and any recommendations. Assistance as appropriate is provided locally to the beneficiary. The sums of money involved are often very small indeed and the repayment records are very good.
Examples of a few of the businesses and income generating projects started with the aid of revolving loans:
Purchasing a cow/buffalo
Pomade making
Purchasing a handloom
Water pump purchase
Ice-cream business
Mobile knife sharpening business
Fish farming projects
Bead and beaded item making
Poultry projects
Market trading businesses
Refreshment stalls
Soap making business
Opening a bakery
Nut-butter project
Purchasing carpentry tools
Sewing and tailoring projects
Opening a welding shop
Rickshaw business
Hair dressing business
Hamster breeding
