Microcredits help to generate income and create future perspectives

Ayshatu is not the only woman being helped by Fist Step Foundation this year. There are more than 250 needy and poor women like her. First Step Foundation was founded and funded by Sabab Lou as a Ghanaian NGO which helps the women to build up a small scale business and to generate income by granting them micro loans.

Ayshatu with Kenkey

Kenkey is a common snack, especially in the Ashanti region. The women produce it by themselves and then sell it on the streets. Kenkey consists mainly out of maize mash, being produced by crushing the corn, adding water and leave it to ferment, by cooking it the other day and forming it to cylindrical blocks. Ayshatu wraps these blocks into brown leaves of plantane, almost 50 portions will be ready by noon. They are cooked again in big pot on an open fire for some time. Then the other day they are ready to sell. She makes an income of 4 Cedis a day, thatís roughly 1 EURO. Half of it she has to invest again in buying corn and fire wood. Thus she has got a revenue of roundabout 120 Cedis, 30 EUROS a month. After deducting material and operating costs, rent, food and school fee for her son 10 to 20 Cedis are left to save in a month.

Kenkey wrapped in plantain leaves

If she would employ a sales woman she could double the income without increasing her expenses by 100 per cent. Ayshatu wants to send her son to a secondary school, fees being 450 Cedis in the first year. Probably she will manage it within a few months.

We wish her the best from all of our heart.