Happy New Year from all of us at Just Small Change! We hope 2022 will bring new opportunities and successes for all our clients and supporters.
Our 2020-21 Impact report has just been published. Please go to our reports page and scroll down there to read it.
Following the closure of Virgin Money Giving, we are now able to receive online donations via Stewardship.org. Thank you so much for your generosity, which has continued throughout these difficult months.
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Kenya: Mali: newly trained lady with her two goats |
November 2021 Kenya After a 13 month suspension due to coronavirus restrictions business training restarted in March with a group of 20 ladies.18 more were trained in August, and a further 17 in November. All have received their first loans to start or expand their small businesses. Kisumu has suffered two waves of coronavirus, and the restrictions imposed (overnight curfew, closure of schools, universities and of many businesses, throwing many out of work) affected most of our clients very badly. To make matters worse, the City authorities began removing the informal markets and trading pitches used by most of our clients. Many have had to relocate their businesses, and some have had their stalls destroyed. Roselyne and Emily are working hard to support clients through community groups, open air meetings and also visiting individual clients at their homes. Many of our clients and their families have been ill, some have been bereaved.Few medical facilities are available, and those that are must be paid for; these are very difficult times for the communities where we work. Nevertheless, our clients remain committed to their businesses and work hard to succeed. Thank you for your continued support and interest as our clients work to overcome multiple challenges. The support offered throughout the pandemic by our two workers, Roselyne and Emily, has been essential in enabling many of our clients weather the difficult circumstances of the past two years. . Mali In an exciting new venture, Just Small Change this year began a microcredit project in South Mali. Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world, where 43% of the 20 million population live in extreme poverty. Rapid population growth and climate change pose major risks for the country’s agriculture and food security. By enabling very poor women to raise goats, the project will improve livelihoods and help to reclaim impoverished land for food production. Almost 100 women and girls have now received training in goat rearing, and a small loan to buy 2 goats each to get started. Feedback so far is very positive Read more detail on Where we work
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2020: training was suspended because of Coronavirus restrictions. Existing clients who repaid loans were able to borrow again.
Autumn 2019: 26 new clients were trained in October and another of similar size took place from 2-6 December.
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New clients trained October 2019 | New clients trained December 2019 |
October 2019: a short trip to Kisumu. In over 30 meetings with individual clients, we saw and heard how the project has strengthened their incomes and households. We also saw the great impact of the group leader training has had, in making groups more effective. Here are some members of the newly trained Molem group at their weekly meeting, where they track their loan repayments and run a group savings club, as well as discussing their businesses and enjoying social time together. (P.s. this trip was funded by the trustees, not from charity funds:-)) |
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May/August 2019: 27 new clients received training in May, and a further 26 in August.
A two day leadership training course was also held in August for 50 group leaders.
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Group leaders training August 2019 | |
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New clients trained in May 2019 | New clients trained in August 2019 |
June 2019: We published our second Impact Report. It's available to read or download from our Reports page.
May 2019: A 5 day training course was delivered to 34 new clients. They received their first loans in July.
January 2019: Our new Project Coordinator, Ms Roselyne Okanda, joined the project.
Training courses in May and July 2018: the participants with their completion certificates.
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Training courses June and July 2017: the participants, with their training certificates.
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