In February 2009, in collaboration with the Tenke Fungurume Mining Social Development Department, Pact business counselors helped 6 Congolese women establish the Sewing Association for the Revival of Rural Women (l'Assocation des Couturieres pour La Relance de la Femme Rurale- ACRFR). The sewing association produces cloth sacks that are sold to Tenke Furngurume Mining and used by the geology department to collect mineral samples.

Pact worked with the 6 women over the period of a month to develop a viable business plan. With the business plan in place, Pact and the women went to Trust Merchant Bank and successfully securred a microloan to launch the enterprise. With the micro-loan, the women were able to purchase sewing machines, both electric powered, and manual for the occasions when the power goes out, as well as to rent a small shop to start up the factory. Pact then worked with the women to establish basic financial and operational systems.

After 7 months of operation, ACRFR is thriving, producing nearly 15,000 sacks per month. In order to meet the demand of TFM, ACRFR has hired eight additional employees, bring the total to 14.

While ACRFR is a business that understands the importance of the bottom line, it is also a social enterprise and is making a clear contribution to the local community. The founding partners of ACRFR were members of Pact’s WORTH program (see below for more info on WORTH). As a demonstration of their belief in the value of the WORTH program, the founding partners have committed to return 30% of their monthly profits to their WORTH groups collective savings fund. After 7 months of operation, this has resulted in an increase of nearly US$ 1,500 in the savings of the groups to which the women belong. This increase in capital has enabled other members of the WORTH groups to start other smaller business, creating a significant and substantial multiplier effect. In addition, ACRFR has provided employment opportunities for people living with disabilities, as well as other traditionally marginalized groups.

• Pact has created 37 WORTH groups in the Tenke-Fungurume region, resulting in 762 women improving their literacy skills.
• During 2009, these 37 groups of created a savings pool of approximately $10,000. Out of this pool, the women have made 73 loans, 55 of which had already been repaid by October.
• As part of the effort to reduce corruption and exploitation in the mining industry, TFM and WORTH put together a workshop on women’s leadership in the community.
• WORTH women were also trained on the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets in support of the malaria prevention initiative, which will help create a strong base of social capital in the community.

What is WORTH?

WORTH is based on the premise that dependency is not empowering. Women come together in groups of 20 to 25 and save a little bit each week into a group fund. As they save, women who know how to read and write teach others who want to learn using WORTH self-help, easy-reader materials. Women practice literacy skills by reading together about how to turn their growing savings into a loan fund. The group becomes a village bank that lends to members, charges interest on loans and distributes interest back to members as dividends. Loans are primarily invested in women’s micro-enterprises. As a result, women develop two streams of income—one from individual small businesses and another from their village bank. WORTH has discovered that when women look for success, they find and create even more success.

Other notable results

• Pact has created 37 WORTH groups in the Tenke-Fungurume region, resulting in 762 women improving their literacy skills.
• During 2009, these 37 groups of created a savings pool of approximately $10,000. Out of this pool, the women have made 73 loans, 55 of which had already been repaid by October.
• As part of the effort to reduce corruption and exploitation in the mining industry, TFM and WORTH put together a workshop on women’s leadership in the community.
• WORTH women were also trained on the distribution of insecticide-treated bed nets in support of the malaria prevention initiative, which will help create a strong base of social capital in the community.