Micro-Finance Program

The purpose of Yangon Karen Women Convention is that women to be developed in every sectors. To accomplished this purpose, we are planning development programs. Among the programs, microfinance is one of them. The intention of this program is for women to be more capable of arranging and save money, not to lend money from high interest lender, to work with team, and depend on their selves for a career or living.

This business is started with the support from Mustard Seed Foundation (USA) on June, 2000. From 2000 to 2007, we formed 40 groups. Some of the groups are in Yangon and some are in the mission fields. The tasks of these groups are pig farming, duck farming, poultry farming and other farming. At first, Yangon Women are leading the groups but because of difficult transportation trying to reduce some groups. After Nargis Storm, there were only 5 group members left. In 2016, we formed 15 group members with the support from Friends of Burma and improved because of group members support. At first, group members saved 1000 kyats each but now it is 50,000 kyats. The mission fields and organizations which get support from Friends of Burma are – 

1. MBC women
2. Thelo center
3. Kyar Inn Women Department
4. Bago, Yangon Women Department
5. Nyaung Lay Pin Women Department
6. Upper Myanmar Women Department
7. Hpa an, Mawlamyaing Women Department
8. Dawei, Myeik Women Department
9. Myaung Mya Women Department
10. Asho Chin Women Department
11. MBCU Women Department

According to this business, we can see not only women but also men participated as members. Some microfinance groups even increased to 50 lakhs. Working with team, saving money, getting team work, capability of managing money and help to other are benefits of this program. As some organizations are improved, hope Karen Women Group can contribute to who need support through microfinance community.

To support groups who wants to join with us

This business is a little different from other microfinance communities. World Vision Anti Trafficking Project give support. Started with 51 family unit on February, 2005. Those family units are from Ma Oo Bin, Baw lel Pho Naw, Southern Bago, Myaung Mya, Phyar Pone, Phyar Pone Day Daye, Yangon. The process is giving investment money to one family and they need to make it increase within 2 years. After that they need to transfer the investment to another family. With the process of money relaying, 60 family units got profit in 2009. The purpose of the organization is women from religion compounds can earn for living in their own community and prevent from human trafficking. In 2011, Ma Oo Bin organization formed 10 groups of savings and loan society with the help of British Embassy.