In Nepal, our My Business-My Freedom Microfinance Program (MBMF) provides microloans for mothers susceptible to human trafficking. To maximize their chances of success, they must regularly attend meetings with their women’s group, where they learn about entrepreneurship and financial literacy, as they socialize with empowered and like-minded women in our community-building activities.
Biffe Maya Galan (54) is a wife and mother of two school-aged children. Her husband is the main breadwinner of their household while she is in charge of managing their home. With her growing kids and their experience in a constant cycle of poverty, Biffe wants to financially contribute to their family, too.
When she joined MBMF under Shikar Women’s Group, she observed other women who “made it”. She absorbed the learnings and their stories and believed that these successes could happen to her, too. She loaned NPR 30,000 (USD 207) to start a small Kirana Pasal (grocery store). Little by little, she was able to repay her loan on time through constant profit from her store.
She later took a loan of NPR 50,000 (USD 330) to expand her store. She used this to prepare and sell light snacks such as chowmein, chatpate, and pani puri. The loan was later repaid in full, using her earnings from her first two ventures.
Confident in her entrepreneurial skills, she now took out NPR 100,000 (USD 660) to expand even further! Her once small business is now a grocery shop, snack shop, and a trusted meat supply store. Every day, she makes NPR 8,000 (USD 52) to NPR 10,000 (USD 65) with all three ventures, making her repay her present loan on time.
What used to be a woman who sat through women’s group sessions and was inspired by other women’s stories is now the woman inspiring others through her growth and success. Today, she not only supports her household and her children’s schooling but she is also a living example that when given the opportunity, people can transform their lives for the better.
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Be a Part of the Solution
Help us prevent human trafficking by empowering women through the My Business – My Freedom Microfinance Program in Nepal. Together, we can create a safer world for her and her children.
