Microfinance Scheme Designer

A considerable proportion of survivors of trafficking and other forms of abuses that have received support in vocational training from charitable organizations including GLOWA in the North West Region and Cameroon are not using vocational skills acquired for livelihood. In a recent rough survey amongst youths trained by GLOWA, it was discovered that more than 85% were unable to gain employment or establish personal small business ventures. As high as 80% of girls have integrated what we at GLOWA refer to as "Survival" sex work because they face daunting challenges to develop and operate their own business venture.

Like many women in Cameroon these young girls do not have collateral security to obtain loans from banks. Because of their poor educational background many cannot build a business plan that will attract funding from investors of banks. In respond to this challenge which defeats the goal of our support program, GLOWA is soliciting the help of volunteers to design a micro credit scheme to provide micro revolving loans to support the young women we train kickstart small ventures for sustainable living.  Beside providing interest free revolving micro loans, the scheme shall organized the women in small groups of five (based on similarity in business) and mentor them to majority.

The volunteer shall be under the direct supervision of the development manager of GLOWA and shall collaborate with the training staff of the organization. The volunteer shall visit and interview people trafficking prone communities, beneficiaries of the scheme who are trained and potential beneficiaries. S/he shall also talk with micro finance actors and other stakeholders in Bamenda to understand local realities and challenges.

S/he shall have the full collaboration of the local team at GLOWA that shall assign a staff to work with him/her to ensure continuity and effective implementation of the scheme.

The city of Bamenda and the entire North West Region of Cameroon is very active in non-profit activities and has a high concentration of NGOs that shall serve as a resource pool to the volunteer. Movement within the city of Bamenda is typically by shared township taxi and sometime by motorcycles.