The need for microfinance in Ghana

Our first program on the African continent is in Ghana. Ghana is situated on the west coast of Africa, between Togo and Cote d’Ivoire. In 2021, 3.4 million citizens of Ghana were classified as living in extreme poverty, living on less than $2 a day. Poverty remains especially pervasive in rural areas, which suffer more during droughts and floods and have poor access to transportation, markets, and healthcare.

In recent years, the country has suffered from a depreciating currency and a large national debt. To the extent that loans are available at all in the rural areas, they are offered at rates from 10 – 15%/month. A lack of support for Ghana’s rural areas has resulted in a growing cycle of poverty, with too many people trapped by their lack of access to capital.

Partnership with We R uS

WorldWise Microfinance is excited to work with We R uS, a non-profit created to support economic development in rural, traditional communities in Ghana. By working with community leaders, We R uS aims to support local economic development efforts.

WorldWise Microfinance will work with We R uS in the community of Goma Assin Mampong, which is located in the central region of Ghana, about 30 miles from Accra. The community is an agricultural community, with 75% of the population engaged in growing crops or raising animals. Crops include rice, maize, pawpaw, cabbage, pepper, yams and cassava. Livestock includes mainly poultry, pigs and some sheep and goats.

Our program in Moree

Moree is a fishing village near Cape Coast, the second largest city in Ghana. There is a strong emphasis on female leadership in Ghana, making our focus on empowering female entrepreneurs a natural fit. The first loans were made in early 2024, and we again use our lending group model. With this model, 6 – 8 members of a lending group all receive a loan at the same time, and no member of the group can take out a subsequent loan until all members of the group have paid back their first loan. This creates both peer pressure and peer support, and has been one of the secrets of our success.

A lack of federal interest in rural communities has led to worsening conditions in rural Ghana. But organizations like We R uS are committed to addressing economic disparity between the cities and the country by providing healthcare, improvements to productivity, and, now, microloans to aspiring entrepreneurs. We are very pleased to be working with a partner with extensive experience in local economic development.

We believe that the way forward for Ghana is by empowering the people through the traditional culture that they know and believe in.

—We R uS

Support our Ghana program

The success of the Ghana program depends on building a strong foundation in order to expand and lift up individuals and communities for the future. Please consider supporting this program by donating to WorldWise Microfinance today.

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