Senegal Ecovillage Microcredit
THE SENEGAL ECOVILLAGE MICROFINANCE FUND (SEM)
is an independent, U.S nonprofit and Senegalese non-governmental organization (NGO). In 2006, SEM partnered with GENSEN to provide group loans throughout the Senegal Ecovillage Network. SEM is dedicated to providing access to reasonable interest rate finance, appropriate business training and local market linkages. Ismael Diallo, GENSEN's elected president, is also SEM's In-Country Program Director, whereby he is responsible for the management of SEM staff and organizational processes.
GENSEN village representatives volunteer to form a microfinance committee to assist with village level program management and recommend loan requests from member villages. The committee is composed of one representative from each of GENSEN's seven principal regions (Dakar, This, Saint Louis, Diourbel, Fatick, Ziguinchor, and Tambacounda).
The Living & Learning Center also reinforces SEM activities and mission by educating GENSEN members on ecovillage values and facilitating a dialog with villagers and students on the benefits of environmentally sustainable income generating activities. In addition, the Living Routes annual January Term takes American and Senegalese students into ecovillages to engage and participate with villagers in discussion over the environmental merit of proposed projects, as the village loan committees themselves vet and help their project groups design loans requests. The loan committees reach group consensus on projects that have highest priority for funding, on the grounds that they will bring the most benefits to the village as a whole.
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SEM has established a professional, transparent system to receive donations that are fully tax deductible and minimize transaction costs and bank transfer fees.
If interested in supporting SEM operations or loans, please visit:
"SEM Donations" |
