TRIVANI FOUNDATION UPDATE           

     February04, 2009

Households headed by widows often represent one of the poorest sub-groups in both Africa and Asia. Their poverty should be understood in terms of inheritance laws and customary land tenure. Under customary law, it is assumed that the welfare of widows and their children will be taken care of by the deceased’s kin. In Uganda, for instance, when there is no will, a widow is allowed only 25% of the estate of the deceased husband. All children, even if they are illegitimate, are entitled to 75%. When husbands do make a will, the general tendency is to leave their property to their children, and widows are often dispossessed of their farmland and other assets.

These unfortunate statistics are reasons why we decided to partner with Aliyahsym Meh Kumah-m Foundation, a foundation dedicated solely to helping widows’ groups in Kaberamaido, Uganda. Since our collaboration with Aliyahsym, Trivani has issued microcredit loans for women to start small businesses. We’ve received news that several of these businesses are thriving. Many women have opened produce shops and are now making an average of $11 a day!

Before Margaret received a micro-credit loan, she was only able sell the meager amounts of vegetables her garden produced. She was making roughly $1 to $2 a day. With a micro-credit loan, Margaret had the capital to purchase enough produce to more than triple her profits. She now makes an average of $12 a day.

Visit the Trivani Foundation website for more ways to contribute to the change we wish to see in the world.