30 Days 30 Women 30 Loans

Hello brave internet traveler!

Your curiosity and big heart have brought you here, thank you. We are Joy2theWorld, a non-profit group in Ghana, West Africa that lends small amounts of money to women to start businesses. We are about empowerment—we are about creating possibilities for people to succeed. Since 2007, Joy2theWorld has extended 405 loans and has a repayment rate of 93%, an incredible feat considering the borrowers often don’t have collateral. Instead, we use a “social collateral” model where women form solidarity groups of 5, request loans together, and help one another succeed with their business. Groups qualify for the next level of lending only when everyone has repaid.

Why is this model important? Unlike traditional charity, microlending creates a culture of high expectations and accountability. We expect Ghanaian women to succeed in their work, and the results don't disappoint. We also lead basic business seminars, teach the importance of accounting and savings, and provide school scholarships to the children of A-rated borrowers.

The first level of lending for a new client is $80. Just think, with $80 you can give an opportunity for one woman to take control of her life. It can give her the resources to follow a dream. It creates the possibility of income not only for her, but for her children and their future. Imagine the power of this ripple effect for our world.

--Give thanks, be the change.