Everyone who shops at Kasese Trading Post knows Goodwell Chimwanza, the tinsmith. He is always smiling; hard at work.
FEM for Women
The Financial Empowering Microloans (FEM) for Women program began in 2017 with the goal of supporting women in our community who were stuck in a cycle of poverty.
The process is rather simple, but very impactful. Local women apply for a no interest loan that will be paid back in equal installments over the next four months. The money helps them buy more supplies to trade or otherwise invest in their small business. Then, they use the profits to improve their lives by doing things like funding their children’s education or building a floor for their house.
We hope to expand this program more in the future.
Learn more about some of FEM’s star businesswomen below!

Edinina Joshua
Edinina Joshua
Ednina has been with Orant since 2018. She always invests her loan to buy more supplies and offer more items for sale. With her past profits she invested in a refrigerator for her shop, bought fertilizer for her crops and built a floor for her house and maintained it.

Lonely Lameck
Lonely Lameck
Lonely has been a part of FEM for Women since 2018. She has used her loans to take her business to the next level. In the past, she had no capital to buy fabric or other supplies, so all she could afford to do was mend clothes for a small profit. Now, she has invested in her business and sews uniforms and clothes that she sells. She made the fabulous dress that she is wearing in the picture.

Gloria Chidzanja
Gloria Chidzanja
Gloria has been with the FEM for Women Program since 2018. Before the loans, Gloria didn’t have enough capital to buy products to sell in a good quantity. Now, she can buy more fish from fishermen at the river and also tomatoes from farmers. She sells both of these at the local market and has significantly increased her revenue, which she now uses to send her children to school. The loan allowed her to have more stock and increase her revenue.

BOMFA
We have been supporting the Bowe Mission Farmer’s Association (BOMFA) since Orant Charities Africa was founded. BOMFA is a farmers cooperative that organizes seed and fertilizer distribution to its farmers and helps them sell and transport their crops in bulk. BOMFA supports farmer clubs and contributes to building a more stable community.

Orant Demonstration Farm Plot
Orant Charities Africa’s campus has a 33-acre farm plot which is used to demonstrate proper farming techniques and correct use of fertilizer and seeds to local farmers. This ensures that farmers have access to the latest information and farming techniques in Malawi so their yields can be as high as possible.

Irrigation Clubs
Orant sponsors and manages 14 irrigation clubs in our Kasese operations area. These clubs are supplied with the skills and supplies necessary to plant and harvest multiple crops per year, helping them develop prosperity and wealth.
Stories From The Field
Women Village Savings and Loan Groups
Women Village Savings and Loan (VS&L) Groups cultivate a savings mindset in female entrepreneurs in Central Malawi.
No-Interest Loans for Women in Malawi
Orant removes the barrier of impossible interest rates. Our FEM Program provides no-interest loans. Edilina Joshua is a FEM member.
A Mother’s Path to Self Sufficiency
Patricia Simbi escaped an abusive marriage. With the help of financially empowering microloans, she started her own business.
Digital Financial Literacy in Malawi
While Malawi is advancing its digital financial services, the adoption rate among women is minimal. A campaign aims to change that.
Mobile Money Agent Patricia Simbi
Patricia Simbi is a participant in Orant's Financially Empowering Microloans for Women Program. She runs a mobile money booth in Malawi.
What is Mobile Money?
Send and receive money, pay bills, and transact directly with other banks. All from the convenience of a mobile phone.
Staff Highlight: Tango Phiri
Tango Phiri will manage Orant's Financially Empowering Microloans for Women Program, building opportunities for the rural poor in Malawi.
2020 in Review
2020 was a rough year. Orant's year in review is a reflection upon our accomplishments and challenges in 2020.
A Sustainable Approach to Fighting COVID-19 in Malawi, Africa
Orant Charities Africa is developing a sustainable approach to fighting COVID-19 in Malawi, Africa through the local production and dissemination of masks.