article / February 17, 2017
Surviving Drought and Flooding
Alice and her husband, Sydney, have two daughters, Bennadett and Clemensia. They are part of the Mposa community in Machinga, Malawi. Their region suffered from a widespread drought, which destroyed the primary crops farmers planted for their livelihoods.
Recovery Loans from VisionFund have helped many families in the Mposa area rebuild their livelihoods after their maize crop failed twice due to drought and then floods.
Alice’s was one of them. She applied for a loan from VisionFund and invested it in growing vegetables, and later took another loan to purchase fertilizer and fuel for the communal pump that irrigates her vegetable garden. She was able to sell her vegetables at the local market to provide for her family’s needs. “If it wasn’t for the loan and these vegetables, I am sure that by today we would have sold our goats or split up the family in order to search for employment in the city,” said Sydney, who revealed that some households have adopted costly coping strategies such as withdrawing children from school and reducing food consumption which have long-term impact.
VisionFund has impacted 150 families in the Mposa region, by granting them loans to rebuild their livelihoods after their maize crop failed. Women use the income earned from growing vegetables to cover their daily needs, including their children’s school fees and health care costs.
article / November 1, 2016
Bright Lights in the Mountains
In central Sri Lanka, tucked away from the city, amidst rolling tea estates and misty mountains, a small shack gives shelter to an energetic, hardworking family.
article / May 11, 2017
A Hand Up
Often we refer to microfinance as the offering of a ‘hand up, not a hand out’, a principle that tends to resonate with our supporters who look for a sustainable way to help people living in impoverished circumstances.
article / October 11, 2018
Education Will Give My Children a Better Life
This World Day Against Child Labour, we take a look at the role that microfinance plays in ensuring that children are free to attend school and do what children do instead of having to work to support their families.
article / November 19, 2020
VisionFund Contributes to Child Well-being Outcomes
When we refer to “child well-being outcomes” in our work, what we really mean is that we want children not to be hungry; we want them to be in school and to have the freedom and energy to play and laugh; we want them not to work, not to get married, and not to experience violence of a