Washawasha

Once set up, the woman’s group is accompanied to ensure it handles associative management, collective savings, alphabetization and the launch of revenue generating activities.

Practically 

Helped by a coach from APPUI-Congo, each group of maximum 25 women designates a woman that can read to commit to teaching the others reading, writing and calculation, using three specific manuals. These also include a section on creating awareness about micro-financing and starting businesses.

A management committee is rapidly set up; which receives training to handle the group’s operation and organise savings and credit services.

By saving from the constitution of the group, the women create and therefore capitalise their own community bank. Financed by the group’s savings, micro-credits are granted, which encourages each member to develop a commercial activity and improve their living conditions.

Within the group, some women are then trained on specific themes such as nutrition, malaria, prevention of HIV-Aids, management of the environment, women’s rights, etc.

Step by step Education

Using the Washawasha approach, the women and young ladies acquire knowledge that they can concretely apply every day.

This process of ongoing education is built on their realities and aims at addressing their most urgent needs.

Using this new knowledge, the women are ready to advise others to change behaviour and acquire habits that increase their quality of life and that of their families.

Using the systemic approach implemented by APPUI-Congo, the women can break free of a situation of perpetual survival and gradually build a life that is more stable and sustainable.

Mobile workshop, a place of exchange

While each group can function and progress independently, the mobile sharing workshops are very much appreciated. These are organised meetings set up by members that decide invite two or three women from different groups to talk together about a specific they choose. This brainstorming enables experience to be transferred between the women and constitutes an informal implementation of a network of groups.