Margaret in her new shop

In Cameroon, Plan is helping women achieve financial stability to better support their families and save for the future.

Margaret, a mother from Njinikom in Bamenda, smiles as she sells maize seeds to a customer in her new shop. She remembers when in 2007 she used to spend all day on the farm looking for crops to sell, to try and take care of her 7 children. She was devastated when 2 of her children were expelled from school for unpaid fees: she could not provide for their needs.

Many families in Cameroon face a similar situation whereby they cannot afford to send their children to school, or cannot afford the healthcare required to treat widespread illnesses such as malaria. And without access to credit, it’s difficult for them to improve their prospects.

Reliable income

But now, Margaret is one of 1800 women who are members of village savings and loans groups run by Plan and MC2, a microfinance partner, and who can now support the education of their children. This means the women have access to sustainable credit and savings, with education schemes that cover family needs.

“Each woman through her social group receives a loan to start an income generating activity with flexible repayment and interest rates”, says Margaret.

Thanks to the scheme, she now has her own shop and a reliable source of income, meaning she can better provide for her 7 children.

Improving quality of life

Plan Cameroon is working to increase women’s access to financial services in order to help other families improve their children’s quality of life, especially through access to healthcare and quality education.

Amadou Bocoum, Plan Cameroon’s Country Director, said: “This microfinance project will provide financial services to at least 2500 women by June 2010 to help improve their economic, social, health, and nutritional status; those of their households and their children in particular.”

It is estimated there are about 10,000 women like Margaret in social groups in different parts of the North-West region of Cameroon who are receiving support from Plan.