Microfinance for Economic Empowerment

About the Program

Bring your accounting or economics skills and join this project for Microfinance for Economic Empowerment in Ghana. The local team has already supported over 200 Ghanaian women improve their lives. Providing disadvantaged communities a means of gaining financial independence and stability, this project works mainly with groups of women. With small businesses focused on a range of activities from food selling to sewing the project is helping to offer the women security for their futures.

The micro-finance initiative offers two approaches to lending; micro-finance cash loans and micro leasing, where a rental fee is paid for an item such as a sewing machine. Loans are rarely given to the poorer people in society as they have no collateral meaning that they struggle to find ways to escape the poverty trap. Micro-finance is a proven way of not creating millionaires, but increasing the standard of living for those who need the most help. Join this micro-finance project to see how it works in the real world.  Learn about the challenges facing the borrowers and micro-finance institutions that are making this a viable lending option for many.

You will want to join this Microfinance for Economic Empowerment project as an accounting, economics or international development student to gain a much better understanding of how micro- finance actually works.  The team needs you to help with the book keeping and accounting aspects of the role, which are ever increasing as the project grows in size.  Come and support the local team with these essential activities.

The role of volunteers is discussed with you each Monday morning when a team meeting is held to review the needs of the project for the coming week. Much of the work will require computer time, spent mainly on spreadsheets, so a good grasp of Excel will be useful. With the team, you will review the many applications received from potential beneficiaries to identify who meets the eligibility criteria. You may find this challenging when there seem to be so many good reasons to lend to everyone.

You may be asked to write proposals for extra funding for the project so that more funds can be secured, enabling the project to reach out to more members of the community. This project will certainly enable you to help with the day-to-day tasks and improve your understanding of this global initiative to increase lending access to the more disadvantaged members of society.

If you have a passion for finance, banking or lending you should apply for this Microfinance for Economic Empowerment project. Volunteers should have good Excel skills, as this is a key tool used on this project.  Soft skills you should have include flexibility, openness and a willingness to work with others, as these are important attributes for this project. Volunteers are expected to come with ideas and be willing to share those with the project team in a constructive manner.

Can I use this program as part of a college or university placement? 

It is certainly possible to use one of OGVO’s programs as part of your university or college placement. Project staff can sign off any paperwork required by your course tutors. OGVO regularly receives medical, childcare, psychology and nursing placement students at our projects across Ghana and we have ties with some of the leading universities.

If you’re a course tutor and would like further information about how one of OGVO’s programs could meet the placement requirements for your degree course then please contact us directly.