Microcredit Loans

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Microcredit Loans
Buea, Cameroon

Project Description

The microcredit department of Reach Out Cameroon (REO) plans and implements some of the most impact-full initiatives undertaken by the NGO to empower underprivileged communities economically through loans for income generating activities and through basic business management training. The benefiting target groups are single mothers, widows and widowers and People Living with HIV/AIDS. REO disburses loans to beneficiaries through Community Based Organisations (CBOs).

Quick overview of tasks before loan disbursement

Identify potential CBOs with which REO wants to work with from all the affiliated CBOs. You will plan meetings with different CBOs and make a selection of the ones REO will invite to submit an application and recommendation form. After analysing the different business plans a selection of beneficiaries will be made and the disbursements of the loans can start and the loan cycle has started.

Quick overview of tasks during the loan cycle

Collect repayments of the groups by either receiving them in the office or visit their home and business sites. You will have to follow up with beneficiaries who are late on their monthly repayment. In every loan cycle an impact assessment survey will be conducted.

During the loan cycles we will provide its beneficiaries with business management workshops in order to help them better run their businesses. Through financial management and bookkeeping workshops, the department trains our beneficiaries so that they can better keep track of their income and expenditures. This, in turn, will hopefully lead to an increase in the profitability of their businesses, an increase in their household income, and better management of the loans they received from our programme.

Micro projects

The microcredit loan disbursements are continuous and given to members of CBOs, but for individual business use. Micro projects are groups projects executed by CBOs and are thus for group business use. The amount of running micro projects all depend on the amount of money is brought to the department by volunteers or raised by the department. Either CBOs who are loan beneficiaries and those who are not, can be provided with grants and loans for a micro project. It all depends on the funder if the CBOs get a full grant of a part of the provided money will be loan. The funder decides which groups can submit a business proposal and which one will in the end receive the money.
Further information

If you have you own project in mind, we are, of course, happy for you to pursue that and support you as needed. Initiative is greatly valued and even necessary for you to make the most of your time here with us. As we are a non-profit NGO we are always researching new sources of capital for all our projects. If you have a big project in mind we do support you to raise some funds back home. This way you can implement your funds yourself and chose and see where the money goes.

Make sure you have a Visa credit card when coming to Buea. Banks in Buea do NOT accept Mastercard credit cards.

Volunteer Information

Organisational information

In Cameroon, especially in the South-west region, underprivileged and marginalized groups are socially integrated and economically empowered through:
•    Gender issues and capacity building,
•    Wealth creation, and
•    Health and HIV/AIDS programmes

The following are the expected outcomes of these goals

Gender and capacity building
•    The capacities of vulnerable and marginalized groups are strengthened to ensure effective participation in development issues within their community for the improvement of their livelihoods.
•    Communities adopt gender sensitive approaches and involve more women and youth in the decision making process

Wealth creation

Household incomes are improved through establishment of micro-projects and micro-credit operations so that beneficiaries become self reliant in their communities.
Health & HIV/AIDS Programme
•    Communities adopt positive behaviours to live a healthy and happier life.
•    Orphans and vulnerable children and people living with HIV/AIDS are integrated into the community and enjoy the same rights and privileges than other community’ members.

Target Beneficiaries

REO supports and advocates for underprivileged groups in Cameroon using a community-based, participatory approach. The organization addresses the issues of HIV and AIDS, illiteracy, deepened poverty, early marriages for young girls and negative socio-cultural practices. The target groups of our programmes are: 

•    Women: rural women, widows, single mothers and community based organisations
•    Youth: especially orphans and vulnerable children (OVCs)
•    People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) 80% of infected clients are women
•    Women of minority groups (including Mbororos, Muslim women group)
•    Displaced people

Additional Information

Buea is situated at the bottom of Mount Cameroon, which gives you the opportunity to experience an amazing three to five day hike.

Buea is located in the South West Region of Cameroon. The most rewarding travel experience of Cameroon is for most travellers the North West Region. This is an easy to reach area from Buea with public transport.

You have to be mature, have patience, be able to work in a culturally different environment and be able to take initiatives in work.