World Literacy of Canada's Social Entreprise Program

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• Author: mjarichard

Tags: Social  Entreprise  Literacy  Canada  India  Sewing  Education  Training  Microcredit  Loans  Charity  Development 

The term 'Social Enterprise' implies a linking of business ventures to achieving social good. In the case of WLC, our 'social enterprise' program consists of assisting poor women in developing new methods of income generation, especially through small business ventures, in order to improve the income and quality of life of their families. We provide beneficiary women with skill training (particularly in sewing, although we are now expanding to other areas), instruct them in small business management, and provide them with the means of accessing small loans for startup capital. This is particularly important, as it can be extremely difficult for poor women who lack collateral to obtain loans except from private money lenders who charge massive interest rates. Women from our program have used these small WLC-facilitated loans to buy seeds for crops, purchase sewing machines, invest in cows for milk production, acquire the basic materials for a dry goods store and more. This means of aid allows poor women a new power over their own financial circumstances, and it has brought many of our beneficiaries remarkable success.