After years of gender discrimination, Goretti Nyabenda, featured in the New York Times bestseller Half the Sky, defied cultural norms by taking out a $2 microloan to buy fertilizer. Goretti then worked with CARE Burundi and the women of her community to start a village savings and loan association, which they called Twitwararikane (''to take care of each other''). With no outside capital, these women used their pooled savings to create a loan fund, which they would be able to borrow from during times of need and replenish when there was excess. Goretti is now an entrepreneur with livestock and a small shop. She is able to provide for her family and is well-respected at home and within her community. Goretti now sends her children to school and is able to provide them with the education that so many individuals in her village still do not have access to. Hear her story and learn how you can take action to support microfinance programs that are paving the way for women to climb out of poverty.
In this special session, students will have the opportunity to speak with Goretti and learn first-hand how microfinancing has changed her life and those in her community. Contact Paul Hieronymus to register for the program at
hieronymus@esclc.org.
Thursday, May 13, 11:00-12:00 AM EDT
