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If ever there was an inspiring story of how microfinance could help a family, it might be told by Laily Begum of Mohadebbur, India. Twelve years ago, she used a microloan to buy a sewing machine. Today, she has five sewing machines operating at full speed and several employees—including her adult sons.
But everything she worked for was put at risk five years ago when a series of health calamities struck her family. If it weren't for a health loan from Freedom from Hunger's local partner, Bandhan,—she would have lost it all.
Laily, a 55-year-old mother of five, was eager to join a Bandhan credit group when it began in her rural Indian village more than a decade ago. She knew that if she could buy a sewing machine, her hard work and talent at the needle would give her a chance to bring much-needed income home to her family.
"Without the loan she would not have been able to start her business," her son says simply. But once she got started, Laily quickly acquired more and more customers and soon the demand grew for her custom salwar kameezes (a traditional tunic and matching pants).
"I have the good life: peace, enough money to cover expenses," says Laily, "and we don't have to beg for money when we need help."
The frightening prospect of having to beg came dangerously close when her husband fell ill a few years ago. First it was diagnostic tests to address gastritis. Then a hernia repair. And soon after, Laily herself fell and broke her leg.
Fortunately, Freedom from Hunger was working with Bandhan as a part of the Microfinance and Health Protection (MAHP) initiative. Instead of having to sell her precious sewing machines...instead of losing her income...instead of falling back into hunger and deprivation, Laily was able to take out a health loan to pay her medical expenses.
Now, with her health loan repaid, Laily is planning to add rooms to her house for her family and her ever-growing business.
Freedom from Hunger created MAHP to enable women in microfinance programs around the world to safeguard family health as an integral part of alleviating their poverty. Depending on the needs of women in a particular area and building on our local microfinance partner's knowledge, MAHP is adapted to meet local needs. Services can include health loans, health savings accounts, health education, access to basic healthcare products, and linkages to local clinics.
Freedom from Hunger began working with Bandhan in 2006 to tailor MAHP to meet the needs of women living in very poor, rural areas of northeast India. Together, Freedom from Hunger and Bandhan developed a cohesive health protection program, including health education offered in community forums to reach beyond Bandhan's microfinance clients. In regular health education sessions, groups of women meet regularly for lively discussions and learning about how to manage vital health issues such as hygiene, clean water, parasites and dehydration from diarrhea.
Freedom from Hunger also worked with Bandhan to set up a training program for village women to work as community health volunteers. These women are trained to reinforce the health messages delivered by community health organizers and to provide basic health advice to their neighbors and friends. They are also equipped with a health kit including basic consumer health products that they can sell to earn additional income for their families, and that provide communities with quality health supplies at anytime of the day or night.
In fact, Laily encouraged her own 26-year-old daughter Abida to train as a community health volunteer. Abida now visits the more than 200 families in her village on a rotating basis reinforcing vital messages about hygiene, clean water and sanitation, and assuring that families have access to oral rehydration solution to treat children with diarrhea, and soap for handwashing.
Laily, Abida and all the women in the village of Mohadebbur have learned that while access to credit is an important ingredient to their success, having the means to safeguard their families' health is just as important.
Learn more about MAHP.
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