Status Update - September 4, 2009:

Kiva recently modified its methodology for assessing the level of risk presented by its Field Partners. This new process is more rigorous and measures partner performance along additional key dimensions of risk. GHAPE's new risk rating stems directly from the switch to this new methodology and is not a reflection of any changes at GHAPE.

Overview: GHAPE is a registered non-governmental, not-for-profit and apolitical organization dedicated to poverty alleviation in Cameroon, West Africa. GHAPE believes poverty is one of the oldest diseases known to mankind, and that it is a "germ" caused by the vast greed of this world. Bernadette A. Ngoh founded GHAPE in October 1998 in order to help fight this disease and improve the plight of the world's unfortunate class, "the poor."

GHAPE’s mission is to make credit accessible to the bottom fifty percent (50%) of those living below the poverty line. By providing credit that can be used for investment in income-generating activities, GHAPE works to improve its client's quality of life and, in doing so, make the world a better place. All of GHAPE's activities are geared towards sustainable poverty alleviation.

Client Assessment: Targeting the poor remains a central issue in poverty alleviation policies and programs. In seeking to serve the poorest of the poor, GHAPE has developed the Basic Needs Test (BNT), a poverty measurement and targeting tool used for screening eligibility into GHAPE's programs. The BNT is constructed under the premise that the basic needs of life - food, water, shelter, clothing, lighting, health and education - are universal. The BNT is adaptable to the realities of each community GHAPE serves, and it is designed to reflect the gravity of each basic need component. The application of the BNT is also participatory.

Program Design: The problems facing the poor, especially poor women and young people, are multiple and interrelated. Because of this, GHAPE has developed an innovative poverty alleviation package, Empowerment Credit (EC), which contains the fundamental empowerment resources required to fight abject poverty. Included in EC are trainings (business development service), credit and social education. To guarantee sustainability and maximize GHAPE's scarce resources, this package is administered sequentially, and it simultaneously meets the current and emerging needs of borrowers.

The attributes of GHAPE's EC program design are simple and straightforward:

• * The BNT is used to determine eligibility.
• * Five self-chosen eligible individuals form a group.
• * Eight groups form a center.
• * Individuals within groups are given loans for self-chosen activities for which they have received training.

Program Reach: GHAPE Loans have been disbursed to over 1160 borrowers, and amounts range from $30 to $800. Repayment rate has remained 100% since inception. Loans have been invested in groceries, food cultivation, vegetable gardening, poultry, pig and goat farming, tailoring, embroidery, restaurants and mobile snacks vendors.

GHAPE and Kiva: The demand for GHAPE services has continued to increase. Today GHAPE is faced with many challenges such as inadequate credit funds, training materials and computers, poor accounting software. GHAPE's partnership with Kiva, however, is a powerful step towards becoming a stronger and more sustainable organization.

GHAPE can be contacted via email at info@ghape.org