Varatharajan Vijitha, Agriculture

Mrs. Varatharajan Vijitha raises chicken and grows vegetables for sale in her village. This loan will help her recover her business after last year's flood damage. read more ›

Participate in a Women Empowerment Group

YMCA Batticaloa, Sri Lanka has 48 Women Empowerment Groups.  Each group has 12-15 members who all start out saving 100 Ruppees per month for 10 months, then take out a loan for 10,000 Rupees to start a business.  They meet monthly, they live in the same village, they become close friends, and they help each other in a wide variety of ways.  These women have changed the way things are done in the poor areas north of Batticolao.  Families are stronger and communities are stronger and these women are calling the shots.

Ymicro.org is about to change the way we relate to the women of Batticaloa.  In a couple of weeks you will no longer be asked to make a donation to a single loan but rather to become a participant in a specific Women Empowerment Group.  Your membership will be a monthly contribution - $10 or $25 or $50 or $100 or $250 - whatever you can afford.  The women of Batticaloa who are inviting you to join them each bring 100 Rupees to each monthly meeting.  Can you save up $10 or $25 a month to "bring to the meeting"?  Your donation will go into their revolving loan fund of that group.

Your group will have a Facebook page and the women of Batticaloa in your group will post photos, VIDEOS, and stories about what they talk about each meeting.  You can comment on their work and share with them what is important to you. 

Are you ready to do more than send money?  Are you ready to join a group from which you will learn sooooooo much? !