<Ned> Uganda
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Learn from me that this is possible.
Posted to: <Ned> Uganda by John Powers (134), Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:26:02 PST
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LOL maybe this shouldn't be a thread of it's own, but I saw a story on the PSD blog I liked and wanted to share:
From growing cassava to funding a university
Beatrice Ayuru introduces herself as a teacher and businesswoman. She is from northern Uganda, a war-ravaged area with much poverty and few schools.
A few years ago, with no business training and no money, Beatrice decided that she would build her own school. "No girl should endure what I had to go through myself," says Beatrice. "Education is the best way to help reduce poverty in my region […] and giving girl children education empowers them. In my village, women are over-dependent on men."
Beatrice started with a small garden of cassava. That earned her a little money which she used to buy wheelbarrows that she subsequently rented out. With that income, she managed to open a canteen. Soon, she had enough savings to start a school. Getting the land was a struggle.
Traditionally, land is only owned by men in Uganda and it took her a lot of persuasion to finally obtain four hectares from her family. On that land, she built three blocks. Registering the school was another hurdle. She could not do it as a woman and had to ask her husband to do it on her behalf. The school was built and many students came to the school but the facilities were still inadequate.
One day, Beatrice got the visit from an official from DFCU, a Ugandan bank and an IFC client. The bank was impressed with Beatrice’s achievements and offered its support. Bank officials explained to her how a loan works, and she received management and banking training.
Beatrice's school, the Lira Integrated School, today has 1500 students, a school bus and an income-generating brass band. With the savings from the school, Beatrice has built a small-scale yoghurt factory and employs in total 104 people. Beatrice is far from being done. She is planning to open a university. She has a clear message for financial institutions: "We need lower interest rates and we need more flexibility in collaterals." And for fellow businesswomen: "Learn from me that this is possible!"
By chris macrae (22), Tue, 25 Nov 2008 16:22:15 PST
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so does dfcu have a track record for supporting such things or do you feel this particular lady would have made it with any bank
1500 is a sizable school- its not clear from the story what was the revenue model that multiplied so brilliantly
topBy John Powers (134), Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:46:50 PST
Edited: Sun, 30 Nov 2008 16:47:36 PST
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Sorry I didn't see this earlier. The dfcu Web site is down. I'm not sure that my answer to your question is terribly informed, nevertheless my opinion is that DFCU did provide services uncommon to other financial service companies. DFCU was founded in 1964 with the mission to boost economic activity. With that mission they have programs to reach out to women borrowers. Land ownership in Uganda is complicated by overlapping jurisdictions of National and Tribal authority. Beatrice Ayuru's struggle to get the land is part of a larger effort within Uganda, played out 1,000s of times over all with special circumstances. DFCU was clearly instrumental in Beatrice's success.
By chris macrae (22), Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:46:27 PST
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interesting
at a 2nd level are we saying that if there was another teacher of Beatrice's overall competences that dfcu would have equally supported her; or was the claim to land (and potentially dcfu's expertise in tsi area) part of the overall deal
By John Powers (134), Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:44:06 PST
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Land issues in Uganda are very complicated and I'm not sure I've anywhere near a clear picture. There are several Kingdoms in Uganda. The Kingdoms themselves own land, but also lands are held by people without national legal title, but title conferred by the Kingdoms. Unused land is appropriated by the Kingdoms for distribution to others. But through clans property is claimed. So when a person dies the property ownership is decided by clans. There are often disputes because of multiple marriages. And as a general rule property is conferred to men--although this is not always the case. The government of Uganda treads lightly in these areas of property--again as a general rule. However development in Uganda is dependent on enforceable contracts and property rights. So there's a separate system to assure those governed by national law. DCFU mission is development, so the bank is sort of an intermediary between the systems of property at times. Gender discrimination is a fact and DCFU working within law seeks to include women in development and the national system. So yes DCFU expertise is certainly part of the overall deal.
The question of another teacher can be answered tentatively with a yes. The problem is negotiating the local structures as well as the patronage system in place within Uganda's government. Somehow women have to sneak through without stepping on too many toes.
I'm afraid what I've written is a bit mangled. I may not have presented things precisely accurately, but I think the general picture is more or less accurate.
By Linda Nowakowski (215), Wed, 12 Mar 2008 21:57:57 PST
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