Woman’s group motors on ( pardon for all the puns)

In the village that I live in there is a tremendous amount of money generated by those who are catching fish from the lake, well above the $1 a day level of poverty. A group of 6 fisherman can net a catch of $100-$120 in a night. The unfortunate part is there is almost no evidence that the income existed as most of it is used for fancy clothing and drinking. There is almost no investment into any development.

A group of woman was formed with the help of our Government appointed local development assistant. They were trained in business skills and received a small loan to purchase a net. The interesting thing about the project is that women do not take the dugout canoes out to the lake to go fishing due to culture. They are paying local fishermen to tow the nets out for them out into the lake and then the women pull it in. This is big in two ways. The women are showing their capability and finding financial freedom for themselves. Pulling the nets in is “no joke”.

In one day the group of ten women netted around $110. With that amount of money they could pay back their loans and have some to spare. Instead of wasting their money they saved it. They now have $500 saved up to put towards a loan (around $950) so they can buy a row boat and a motor so that they can got further out into the lake to the unfished regions and catch bigger and more fish..

This is huge because along the lakeshore in 30km either direction there is not another powered boat used for fishing. The men had there chance for years and have wasted it. Given the better understanding of family responsibility and the training they received the women are setting an example that women are capable. The purchase of the boat will also lead others to examine their own financial methods. You go girls.