Mariamu Mgeta

Mariamu has been running a tailoring business since 2006. She purchases vitambaa (materials), vitenge, and kanga (printed cotton fabrics, which often have a border along all four sides), and she makes them into clothing, primarily for women. She works at her business 8 hours per day and 6 days per week. By doing so, Mariamu is able to earn approximately $120 per month from her business operations. She is now requesting a loan in the amount of $425 in order to purchase three sewing machines. In the future, she plans to expand her business. Mariamu thanks you for your support!

ABOUT SELFINA: SELFINA is engaged in the economic empowerment of women in Tanzania through the provision of a leasing and leaseback micro-finance facility. Customs and traditions in Tanzania normally make it difficult for women to own land and assets, thus they are not considered to be credit-worthy by financial institutions because they lack tangible assets that can serve as collateral. As such, low income women in Tanzania typically receive poor financial support and in turn only limited access to basic needs and services. Fortunately, SELFINA has been a pioneer of micro-credit in Tanzania through micro-leasing to achieve the economic and social emancipation of women in Tanzania. Simply put, SELFINA buys and leases equipment to women through an arrangement called a sale and leaseback transaction. More specifically, when a client needs working capital, SELFINA buys equipment from said client, extends a loan to her to facilitate the transaction, and then leases the equipment back to her. As such, one of the primary advantages of micro-leasing is that it allows clients to use their equipment as collateral for future loans with SELFINA, thus enabling them to borrow larger sums in the future.