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Egyptian club discovers the power of microlending
By Vanessa N. Glavinskas
Sometimes dubbed the "forgotten Avenue of Service," vocational
service can be difficult for clubs to understand and implement.
Nijad K. Al Atassi, past governor of District 2450 (parts of Africa,
the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Georgia) felt strongly
enough about vocational service to make it a districtwide priority.
"Vocational service is important because it enhances values and
faith in ethics," says Al Atassi, a member of the Rotary Club of
Adliya, Bahrain.
The Rotary Club of Alexandria Sporting, Egypt, rose to the challenge
by focusing on microcredit loans, literacy classes, and a sewing
workshop to meet the needs of low-income community members, helping
women in particular to start businesses and learn useful work
skills.
Microcredit loans
"We gave loans to deprived women supporting large families," says
past club president Heba Kabel. Club members made loans of about
US$85 to 20 entrepreneurs to launch small food or cleaning
businesses. The loans were paid back in installments over the course
of a year, and the money was then loaned out again -- turning the
club's initial investment of about $1,700 into a sustainable
microcredit program.
The club also financed literacy classes, helping 75 women learn to
read and write, and a sewing lab, which drew 45 women to sewing
lessons every month.
Kabel notes that the club put a priority on efforts that would help
community members increase their chances of finding a job.
"We made a big bazaar at the end of the year and sold their
products," Kabel says, explaining that the proceeds went to the
women.
Kabel, a Barclays Bank employee, also tapped into her own vocational
skills by offering free lessons in financial literacy to several
women whom club members had met through the vocational service
initiatives. The financial advice helped the women make informed
decisions about their new incomes, teaching them to allocate some
for savings and giving them a better chance of sustaining their
small businesses.
Model projects
Each October, Rotarians are encouraged to focus on the
Avenue of Vocational Service.
For this year’s celebration, Rotary International collected model
vocational service project submissions from 2010-11 district
governors. In addition to the Rotary Club of Alexandria Sporting's
microcredit program, other model projects include:
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