Causes: Economic Development, International, International Economic Development, Microfinance

Mission: WMI's mission is to work with village-level organizations to provide loans to poor women in East Africa so that they can engage in sustainable income generation, build savings and accumulate assets. Its goals are to help women stabilize their income, raise their household standard of living, secure better opportunities for their children and trigger regional growth.

Results: WMI has established a $1 million revolving loan fund and issued over 80,000 loans to impoverished women living in hundreds of rural villages in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. We have issued $10 million in loans to over 25,000 women. Over 11,000 women have graduated from our two-year program.

Target demographics: Impoverished women in East Africa

Direct beneficiaries per year: 5,000

Geographic areas served: East Africa

Programs: Loan program, Training in bookkeeping and financial planning, Peer Mentoring, Health and Children's Initiatives