The only way to transform a poor community is to stimulate real economy development and the only way to stimulate real economic development is by empowering entrepreneurs to start businesses and create jobs. Poor countries do not have a lack of entrepreneurs, they have a lack of resources. Someone who makes $3/day is naturally entrepreneurial—they need to be, just to survive. These people have dreams of what they would do and how they would make money if only they had the resources, but the cycle of poverty makes it impossible to achieve these dreams.

By providing these entrepreneurs with the resources they need, it unlocks their potential and allows them to pursue their dreams. Unlike with the failed donation programs above that were ideas from foreigners, microloans leverage the innovation of local entrepreneurs so that resources don't go to waste on programs that people never really wanted in the first place.

Microloans offer a more sustainable solution for economic growth, and this is where philanthropists and impact investors can make a tangible difference. Instead of donating a t-shirt, which will not last, give a loan to the local tailor to buy cloth so that they can make their own clothes. By supporting a local business you don't just feed someone for a day, you feed them for a lifetime, and the work that they do benefits the entire community.

But do the loans really work? Yes. And the proof is that 99% of Muvule borrowers pay their loans on time. Furthermore, once a loan is fully repaid, that same money can be redistributed multiple times to different borrowers throughout the community, creating a ripple effect of positive change.

Loans Designed For Female Market Vendors

In Uganda alone there is +$300 million of unmet demand from market vendors who need money to buy inventory, expand their shops, or extend their product lines. This is our core customer with an emphasis on women, especially widows and single mothers, because they have more need, yet tend to be more creditworthy and give back more to the community.

• Duration: 4 Months
• Avg Size: $150 USD
• Clientele: 90% Female
• Purpose: Business Development

Instead of lending to a single individual, we lend to a small group of individuals who guarantee each other's loans. We call these groups "Women Trust Groups". By lending to a small group, everyone in the group is responsible for making sure that payments are made on time. This encourages community accountability, because if one person in the group fails to pay, the other people in the group must pay that person's portion of the loan for them.