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StratMicrofinance - Strategies for self-sustainable country development.
Welcome to StratMicrofinance and thank your for your interest in our approach. StratMicrofinance is an organisation set up to support the poorest strata of the population - predominantly women - in their endeavour to escape misery and improve the future of their children. The deprived in Nepal rarely have access to bank loans, firstly because they have no collateral to offer secondly, because most of them are illiterate and hence are unable to deal with the administrative procedures. Most women in despair for money to support their families are confined to “street lenders”, charging women high lending rates. Since lending rates often exceed the returns on investment women are trapped into a vicious cycle preventing them from escaping poverty.
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StratMicrofinance’s approach differs from the original approach to Microfinance in as far as we do not act as a money lending institution. StratMicrofinance recruits volunteers from all over the world, who are willing to make a financial as well as an intellectual contribution to our Microfinance Projects. Through the fees levied for volunteerships we are able to support women with an initial start-up capital for their enterprises. In order to not indebt women, our concept does not foresee the repayment of the initial capital outlay.
Our approach centres on supporting women in three different ways; firstly, we encourage and empower women to raise their self-esteem, this gives them the strength and willpower to be proactive in seeking ways to escape the poverty trap and fosters their commitment to succeed in their entrepreneurial activity. Secondly, we provide them with an initial capital, for the women to invest in the resources they need to start producing goods and thirdly, we support them in acquiring the skills they need to start producing their goods and set up a business. Supported by an experienced member of the organisation our volunteers will accompany a women microfinance project from its inception to the successful establishing of the business, and in some cases volunteers will even have a chance to help with the marketing of the produce from their home countries.
For Entrepreneurs it might even pay off financially to produce the goods you want to sell by a Microfinance Group in Nepal. Production costs are considerably lower in Nepal and in some countries the import taxes still make it worthwhile to import Nepalese goods. Our Management Team is happy to help you with any queries or product requirements you might have, we can make arrangements for the production of various goods by microfinance groups. A very popular import product from Nepal includes hand-made pashminas; some members of our microfinance group produced pashminas before, however, they could not afford to set up their own business because they did not have the financial means to purchase the raw materials needed for the production of the pashminas. These women would be happy if investors could be found, who would help them out with starting their business and selling their produce.
The women microfinance group is also running an orphanage, and the women always welcome volunteers for their Volunteerships.
Even small amounts of money make a difference in the lives of the deprived; the women and children will be grateful if you donate in support of their enterprise or for the orphanage.
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