Summary of the progress including success stories
The brainstorm for the NEMATA loan project began in April, 2010 at WAMATA Dar es Salaam when Mr. Christian Rachowicz, Mr. Saleh Kadope, and the rest of the WAMATA staff decided to create income-generating opportunities for the organization’s members. Christian, a social work student from Austria who was interning with WAMATA, began fundraising from private donors back home as well as devising a layout and outline for the project. The first loans were distributed in July after an application and interview process with WAMATA staff that were selected as board members for the project. Members were devised into groups and loan recipients were selected based upon a number of criteria from the interview process, such as need, feasibility of business idea, experience, how may family members they needed to support, and so on. The ceremony in which the recipients were selected and given the loan funds began the mark of a long-term and what WAMATA hopes to be sustainable project to further the empowerment, opportunity, and hope for WAMATA members and people living with HIV/AIDS in Tanzania.
Several months later, as the project in Dar es Salaam is turning out to be a success and is till going strong in the support of staff and vigor of all involved with NEMATA, the WAMATA staff and I decided it is important to hear from the loan recipients themselves and listen to their voices about the NEMATA process and project. Several NEMATA loan recipients were interviewed regarding the start-up and continuation of the micro-loan project as well as how it has personally affected the recipient. One-on-one semi-structured interviews were held in both group and individual settings. WAMATA staff member and social worker, Upendo, translated the questions into Kiswahili for each loan-receiving client, and then translated back their answers into English for myself.
While all clients were told they would be posted on WAMATA’s webpage with complete anonymity, all clients interviewed agreed and presented eagerness and pride to provide their name and have a photograph taken of them for this purpose.
Questions were asked as followed to all individuals:
How did you feel when the loan project was introduced to you?What did you intend to do with the loan money when you received it?What was the money used for?Are you happy or unhappy with the loan project?What do you think of the community-based loan system and the group you were put into?Do you feel that your business or financial situation benefited from the loan?What are your future plans for income-generating?Is there anything you would change about the project?Was there any approach you were not comfortable with in the project?Would it be acceptable to take a photograph of you? If so, you may choose whether or not you would like to be in the photograph. The photograph will be used for WAMATA’s website to provide people with knowledge about the project.
AMIN SALUM: “I am inspired by this project because I know it will help me with parts of my life. The money I have received from WAMATA has and will go towards my business with selling furniture. Part of the money is also going towards home requirements and school fees for my children. I am very happy with the project and I intend to stay with it. The loan I received helped because it added to my capital and produced more products. My future plan is to have a big furniture industry and be secure with food for my family and school for my children. I would like to add that the loan should not be limited to 100,000 TZS always because materials, especially furniture, are expensive.”
ANDREW ADAM: “I was very happy with the project because I have hope for life. I am using now using the money to set up a stand to sell chips and juice and soft cakes. The group I am placed with does not have any problems because people return their money timely. I used the money, some for retirement, some for the business, and some for home use. My future plan and hope is to engage in livestock business. I wouldn’t change anything with the project because the process was smooth.”
SAIDI SALUM: “I am happy with the project. The money lent [100,000 TZS] is not enough because I have two children with school feed and stationery costs a lot of money. I don’t have enough for savings so if the loan was around 200,000 TZS, that would be a lot more comfortable. My group is very good because they all return their money on time. My future plan is to expand my business in selling milk. When I get more money, I will expand. The whole group process of NEMATA was comfortable.”
PILI MOHAMMED KASIM: “I am happy with the project. Before receiving money, I was selling a little bit of charcoal and I have now added to my capital. The businesses have benefited because I went from selling one bag of charcoal. My future plan is to go up to selling 50 bags of charcoal. The process of NEMATA was good because there are inexperienced people applying. Interviewing people helped show who the experienced business people were so they could then pave the way for all the others. My group is good and since I have children that go to secondary school, I expect the money to help with this too.”
SALMA KOSHUMA: “When I heard about the project, the first thing I thought was how great it would be to add to my business preparing popcorn. The money I received helped me a lot because before I only had 50,000 TZS. My future business is to buy a popcorn machine. I’m very local now but I want to expand. Popcorn machines cost 300,000 TZS, so I am saving. The project has changed my life. I can buy stationeries and medical care for my family. The group I belong to is good. The one client that doesn’t return in my group, my whole group got together and we all went to the house and talked to the family. Now, the sister has taken responsibility to return the money on behalf.”
WINFRIDA SEBASTIANI: “When I heard about the project, I was happy. I am one of the poorest people in the organization. I have lots of children but no husband. I sell juice and water. I took 60,000 TZS to buy a cooler. The money I took is to send children to school and help also with the house. I am happy with the project. My future plan is to buy another cooler or even to start selling charcoal. Though I need more money, the project saved my life. When I came here, I learned about the possibilities to save money such as opening a bank account. I managed to save 50,000 TZS to open an account. There are people in my group who do not return, which is why I opened my own account.”
HALIMA RASHIDI: “The project is super. I added the money to my business of making bicycles. I am making them at home because I do not have a shop. The money helps pay school fees for my daughter. I also buy materials to make bikes. The produce for NEMATA project was good but wish there was more money because price for materials is high. I wish the money was increased. The profit can sometimes be minimal. Now, I am preparing my bikes and giving it to shops to sell. I want to open my own shop so I can be self-sufficient one day.”
The board members of NEMATA micro-loan project plans to continue the project strong, and are excited for when the first round of loan are all returned. When this happens, because of the 10% interest rate that goes back into the pool, NEMATA members will receive double their initial loan of 100,000 TZS to further improve their businesses. As a few clients noted that they would benefit further if the loans were more than the initial amount, WAMATA hopes that this incentive only motivates people to support the project further. The success of Dar es Salaam’s pilot project brought NEMATA to Arusha and Mwanza WAMATA branches as well. As these are newly started projects, we hope to be updating soon on the development of the projects there.
While NEMATA has been well-received and flourishing overall, the process hasn’t been all one smooth paved road. People get sick. People that have received loans and have others relying on them to return in order for them to get their share, get sick. This isn’t a phenomenon, this is HIV. While organizations like WAMATA have been working with people part of the cause for decades, in order for a project like this to be successful, a sense of unity and community among all members is vital. When a member gets sick and is in the hospital, as has been the case on many instances, it is up to the rest of the group that the sick member is in to pull through with the money. This isn’t always easy, and puts a setback on the flow of the loans. As one woman in her interview mentioned of a member getting sick, so they gathered together to the member’s community until something was worked out. Recognizing the health of group members and clients and coming up with solutions when one is down or ill, to help both them and the group at large, will go a long way in the continuation of the project, and also in the mission and philosophy behind WAMATA itself. Conditions for further success call for kinship and community among all involved with NEMATA, including staff and the people supporting from far away, including Christian and myself. While I have just recently left Tanzania, from my experience with all the wonderful people at WAMATA, I have nothing but confidence and excitement in the future endeavors for both NEMATA and WAMATA.
Signing off for now,
Danielle6th of December 2010