(((Man, global NGOs are *everywhere* nowadays.)))
http://www.sdinet.co.za/
Link: Shack/Slum Dwellers International - Home.
"Trust is built up by a system which allows a person to take a loan for almost any purpose whatsoever - whether it is to buy one's freedom as a prostitute from the brothel-owner or to get a husband out of jail on bail. The idea is that people should not dip into their slowly growing savings when they face a crisis, but to take small affordable loans that they can pay back depending on their capacity. In fact, contrary to prevailing micro-credit logic, most Federations in the SDI network are very clear that they will not punish those people who cannot repay immediately. Instead, after finding out the reason for the delay, they will issue a second loan. And a third. And this will continue until the person and their family is strong enough and supported enough to start earning an adequate income. After all, local Federation leaders ought to be living on the same street. Once they see that the person has the ability to stand on her own feet, they will visit her every day to ensure that she repays.
"What is also at the core of SDI's daily savings and credit strategy is that in every country they are entirely run and managed by women. As a rule of thumb, every ten to fifteen households are assigned one leader to visit their homes and make collections every day. The idea is that the leader gets to know all about the situation of her member's household and this helps her in determining the creditworthiness, the repayment schedule and the degree of urgency of each member. She presents this information back to the savings group and together they decide on giving a loan.
"There are two critical points here. First, that the loan proposal, proposal vetting, loan sanctioning and collections are all dealt with in a highly decentralised manner to maximise people's participation in the credit program. It also allows the community to look upon the money as their own and it being their responsibility to look after the funds. (((I wonder if this incredibly adroit paragraph was actually written in a slum. I'm envisioning a kerosene lamp and a stained notebook filched from a heap of recycled cardboard.)))
Second these savings and loan schemes develop women's management capacities and their confidence in operating and handling such an important system. Thus it also serves as an important aim to recognise women's contributions as managers of money and public decision-makers. In fact, savings and credit activities - apart from their clear financial benefits - serve as a means to bring women out of the home and into the public sphere in a manner rarely resented by men...."
