Benilia's Story - Microfinance

Mme Benilia Lombrage is the Secretary of the local women’s group in Zabricot. She is adminstrator at the weekly meetings they hold and is also about to receive an increased loan facility of 5000 gourdes ($200) through the AAPLAG micro-finance project.  

For this loan amount she will have needed to save 40% of the borrowing, ie. 2000 gourdes ($80). 

Aged 35, Benilia is married to a carpenter and has one eight year old boy.  She sells general household merchandise at the Tuesday market in the nearby village of Tipalmiste. 

In her own words: “I used to sell merchandise but I was all alone and only had a small amount of money to invest in it.  I joined the women’s group to be part of a larger collective and to receive training in business skills. 

For me, the advantages of the project are not limited to the lending of money.  I enjoy the solidarity amongst the women, the songs that we share and the training that we receive.”

Benilia buys her stock in the capital, Port-au-Prince, where she goes twice a month.  The credit facility allows her to buy more stock, more diverse products and thus offer more choice to the customer.   She also sells her products in front of her home every day of the week. 

“I would like other women on the island to benefit from this scheme so that they too can afford to send their children to school."

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