Warm greetings to the many friends of KWIHEED.
“I am so happy to be a Winheedcam woman. I can now sell oil in large quantities, and with the profits send my children to school.” **
I have just returned from a whirl-wind trip to Cameroon. A productive and informative visit, and I can assure you that WINHEEDCAM (WHC) is alive and well. I met repeatedly with 11 staff members, the WHC BOD, visited many villages where the core of loan recipients live, and had the opportunity to talk in depth, one-on-one, with the Women Support Groups (WSG) and Chosen Children (CC). As you recall, WSG are women with AIDS, and CC are children who have lost both parents from AIDS. From my observations, WHC has made a great difference in the quality of life for these women and children.
Current Activities
Loans and Savings
Since 1997, KWIHEED (K) has provided more than 20,000 loans to the women in the Northwest Province of Cameroon who are poor. The number of active borrowers at any given time varies as women do not immediately take out another loan after making the final payment on the first. At present, there are 5,264 active loan recipients. The repayment rate also varies within and between regions. In the urban areas the recovery rate is 80%; in the rural areas 95%. This may be related to the longer time the rural women have been together, and their greater stability, whereas urban groups have come together recently to take advantage of the low-interest loans. As rural populations in Cameroon increasingly move to the cities seeking employment we may have to change our loan policies for urban borrowers or, at least, spend more time educating them regarding group selection and repayment obligation.
** Loan recipient
These loan programs expend much effort:
- teaching women that this is a LOAN NOT A GRANT, and it must be re-paid
- encouraging SAVINGS. Consideration has been given to making savings a requirement when the women receive their loans. However, most women need to wait until they have a profit before deciding whether to direct part of the money to savings. To date1,649 women have savings accounts, totaling $ 26,570
($16/person)
In the last Newsletter, we made a special appeal for funding for new borrowers as many of our current members were already up to $400 which makes it difficult to recycle these loans and have sufficient money left over to reach new borrowers at $40-50. Thanks to you our list of 1,000 eligible women has fallen to 500. The dilemma is deciding whether we should set a cap of $200 or $ 400 on loans, and ask the borrowers at this level to go to a Bank for higher loans. The consequences are that we lose dependable borrowers, particularly those with a unique project that would need larger funds to reach their full potential, in favor of new clients whose track record is uncertain. Also, the Banks charge higher interest rate and are for-profit organizations. The goal of K/WHC is to reach the “truly poor”. Giving out $400-500 loans does not reach the poorest that cannot come up with the $6/month to pay for AIDS medication.
“I took my baby to the hospital. They wanted 40,000 francs ($80) before they would see my baby. So I had to take him home.” **
After speaking with many members of the WHC family -- staff, Board members and loan recipients, I am convinced that K has made a difference in the lives of the women we serve. “Are you better off”? I ask. The “Yes” response is loud and clear. Beginning with $25 loans over 6 recycles to $400+, women are operating successful businesses. In addition to being able to pay school fees and user fees to send their children to medical clinics when family members are sick, the women appear to be showing some signs of empowerment. The women repeatedly told me they receive more respect in the villages, because they are now the breadwinner in many families, and their opinion on village affairs is sought at every level including Village councils, previously off limits for women. Also, the men, for the first time, are helping the women by working with them on the farm plots. Contrary to my expectations that domestic violence would increase with women as breadwinners, WHC staff and Board women as well as the more than 100 loan recipients we surveyed said. “There is no increase in domestic violence!” The men are happy with their wives’ success, and seem to want to help them. The final word is not in as these are not controlled studies, but success stories abound.
“My husband does roofing. I buy the materials with loan money. and the whole family benefits. We get along fine” **
Women’s Support Groups (WSG)
There are 265 women in 25 groups borrowing money and receiving training in income-generating work. I was able to meet with over 50 of these brave women. Their repayment rate is 85%. About 30% of all the women in the ~ 1,000 women in Support Groups are on AIDS medication. One of these women, 29 year old Ndonke Delphine (see photo), I remember well. She experienced the slow onset of weight loss and diarrhea over a year before developing Meningitis and was comatose for 2 weeks. She recovered and was sent home on AIDS medication, received as part of a grant from the School of Public Health at Columbia University, sufficient for 2 months. Rejected by her husband and his family, and her own family as well, she was alone and penniless. She could not raise the $1-2 for transportation to the clinic to refill her medication. Ultimately she joined a WSG and was taken to the clinic where new medicine was prescribed. She now feels fine, and operates in the market place a photocopier that her group leases. The income buys her AIDS medication. AIDS medication now costs only $6 per month. Can you imagine being so poor that you cannot afford life-saving medicine that costs so little?
“I have not been sick since I started medication. Without Winheedcam I could not afford treatment. My weight has increased from 80 to 140 pounds.”**
Chosen Children (CC)
Chosen Children have lost both parents from AIDS. We have 3,000 such children in our registry, but only 484 children in 47 groups are eligible for loans, as we lack
funds for more. Most are under the care of a “carer”, usually a woman. (see photos) Some are in families with a mother and father in the home. Loans are given to the family as a group. Extraordinarily, the repayment rate in these groups is 97%! In addition, the children receive free medical care and nutritional supplements. School fees and books are paid as education is a key factor in their future success. One 20 year old young man, Ntungfor Forsuh Francis, lost both parents and now is the surrogate parent for 9 siblings. Arrangements have been made to care for his brothers and sisters while he takes a carpentry/masonry course which raises his potential for future employment.
Financial Reporting System
After long deliberation and research, we have decided to change our present software to another, currently being used on 200 sites in 50 countries, 7 in Africa. We have received the endorsement of a number of users in Africa. A team from Ghana will come to Cameroon soon to give a 5 day course to all on our staff who use computers, and stands ready to return if needed for additional help.
Long-Range Planning
WHC has developed a 5 Year Plan which appears realistic. The Plan assumes 10-15,000 active borrowers, more if the repayment rate is more than 90%; and 900 groups
(10-15/group) by 2010. If K can guarantee a consistent yearly transfer of funds, their plan is doable in 5 years. By then WHC should be totally sustainable. Kwiheed will need to raise $50,000 each year over the next 5 years to meet all these goals.
Staff Changes
Two new women have joined the WHC staff, both college graduates. They are Nchunu Genkaha Florence, 32 years old, with some previous experience working with NGOs; and Acha Rachael Bombob, a recent economics graduate of the University of Buea in Cameroon. They are both active in the recovery of delinquent loans. Peter Mue, on loan from his position as Director of Services for People with Disabilities at the Hospitals, continues as General Coordinator, pro temp, for WHC.
Additional Comments
According to the latest Demographic and Health Survey in Cameroon,
56% of all people living with AIDS in Africa are women. Sadly, many of these women were not responsible for their contracting this infection as they were infected by their husbands.
On my recent trip to Cameroon, I met a man in a remote village who had taken the Micro-credit course at Southern NH University in Manchester. He is now a consultant for 25 programs in an area near the hospital where I have worked. His name is Akonteh Andrew, and he is doing a great job. Small world!
Operating a successful poverty alleviation program in a remote area of central Africa is not for the faint of heart, and requires great patience, and a firm belief that what you are doing will make a difference in the lives of many people.
Reminds me of an old Swahili saying: “Nyama Tembo Kula Hawezi Kumeliza”.
“You never finish eating the meat of an elephant.”
Kwiheed’s major needs are:
- funding for new borrowers ($37,500)
- training of the staff in the use of the new software ($10,000) and
- meeting the financial needs of our expanding program for Womens’ Support Groups ($25,000), and AIDS Orphans ($25,000).
Thanks for your interest in this program that helps change lives and gives hope.
Donations: Questions?
Payable to “Kwiheed” Munro H. Proctor MD, MPH
c/o Mary-Susan Leahy, JD
PO Box 3550
Concord, NH 03302-3550
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