Project Overview
Islamic Relief’s microcredit project in Mali will help 600 women from thirty widow and female-headed household associations. The project will provide women with small interest-free loans and develop the associations’ management capacity.

Project Background
Widows and their children are amongst the poorest members of Malian society. High illiteracy amongst women is one of the largest obstacles to development. It has also made it hard for women to earn a living and support their families.

Many orphans and their families are dependent on external aid because they cannot generate an income. Orphans sponsored through Islamic Relief need support when they become eighteen so that they can complete their studies and earn an income. The microcredit project will provide them with a small interest-free loan to start a business. These loans are based on Islamic finance and range from €700 to €1000.

The loans will mainly be given for agriculture, raising livestock, cereal trade, poultry production, food processing and domestic energy. Loans can also be used to pay for food, education, healthcare and housing services.

Project Objectives

• To provide small interest-free business loans to widows, orphans and their families;
• To strengthen the way that household incomes are managed;

• To develop the management capacities of thirty widow and female-headed household associations

Project Activities

• Giving out small interest-free business loans to widows, female-headed households and orphans;
• Training staff to manage the microcredit project;
• Developing the widow and female-headed household associations;

Beneficiaries
Around 3,600 people have benefited from microcredit being given to six hundred households in Bamako district and Mande rural commune in Mali.