Start a small business
Start a small business
A small loan can help Sri Lankan women start a small business such as brick-making or tailoring. It’s a way to get people back on their feet after the civil war and tsunami. This card will help do that.
Getting a business up and running is hard when you’re living in poverty. In Sri Lanka, Oxfam Australia works with marginalised women and men, many of whom are rebuilding their lives after the tsunami and a 20-year civil war. With the help of a small loan, they are able to start businesses to help them get back on their feet – from farming, brick-making and tailoring, to spices, small shops and clay-pot production. For women, operating and increasing their income by running a small business is empowering.
“The loan is important because now we are able to be independent and stand on our own two feet without depending on our husbands. Because we are doing this, we are able to attend to the needs of the children – buy them clothes and send them to tuition. If I need to go to hospital, it also meets my expenses … I used to do some income generation activity before, but now it’s better and bigger.” Rafia, Sri Lanka.
