In Africa, some of the poorest areas in the world are benefiting from Trickle Up’s microenterprise development program. Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, and Mali are among the eight lowest-ranking nations of the 177 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index; Uganda does not rank far ahead.  As a result, these countries have lower life expectancy rates, lower adult literacy and school enrollment rates, and a standard of living much lower than that of the rest of the world.

In addition to offering grants and training, Trickle Up has developed innovative savings and loan opportunities for entrepreneurs.  Such efforts support and complement those of our local partner agencies in Africa. 

Partner Highlights

In Uganda, Trickle Up partners with a group called AIDS Widows Orphans Family Support (AWOFS) to help women living with HIV/AIDS start businesses.  AWOFS mission asserts that “work therapy” helps these women get their minds off their illness, which reduces stress on their immune systems. Working also helps these women to gain social acceptance and become self-reliant. 

AWOFS also makes Trickle Up seed capital available to the eldest sibling in a family of orphans whose parents have died of AIDS. With profits from their microenterprise, such children can help their siblings to survive economically. 

A nonprofit called the Rift Valley Children and Women’s Development Association (RCWDA) in Ethiopia partners with Trickle Up to complement its food security program in the rural village of Ziway.  Villagers there face many challenges: acute food shortages, a lack of educational resources, and no access to health clinics.  RCWDA helps identify Trickle Up entrepreneurs and links them to its own savings and credit program.

In Burkina Faso, Trickle Up teams with a women’s development organization called GRADE-FRB.  We are looking forward to expanding our programs in Burkina Faso and establishing additional partnerships with organizations in the north.

Trickle Up’s field office in Mali has shared many achievements with its partner agencies there.  From niche sector development in spice farming and food drying to an extensive network of savings groups, Trickle Up’s Mali program continues to grow in size and innovation. [Read more about our Mali program]

Results

Reports from Fiscal Year 2006 show that in Africa:

- 53,483 have launched or expanded businesses since 1979, of which 3,475 were launched in 2006.
• - A Trickle Up business is the primary source of income for 69% of participating entrepreneurs.
• - 86 percent of Trickle Up entrepreneurs are women.
• - 26 percent of Trickle Up entrepreneurs are under 27 years old.
• - In 2006, Trickle Up helped build the capacity of 28 local partner agencies, with plans to expand in 2007.

Our Partner Agencies in Africa

Mali
AÏTMA
Aide et developpement au Mali (ADM)
Association des volontaires du Sahel (AVS)
Association pour la promotion et l’appui au developpement local (APADL)
Action recherche pour le developpement des initiatives locales (ARDIL)
Bouctou Actions
Cellule d’appui aux initiatives de developpement (CAID)
Espace de reflexion et d’entraide avec les femmes EREF (Woïya Kondaye)
Femmes jeunesse developpement au Nord Mali (FEJEDENOM)
Groupe de recherche d'études de formation femme action (GREFFA)
Nouveaux Horizons
Sahel étude action pour le developpement (SEAD)
SELLE

Burkina Faso
Groupe de recherche action pour le développement endogène de la femme au Burkina (GRADE-FRB)

Ethiopia
Children Aid Ethiopia (CHAD-ET)
Forum on Street Children Ethiopia (FSCE)
Handicap National for Children with Disabilities (HN)
Multi-Purpose Community Development Project (MCDP)
Rift Valley Children and Women’s Development Association (RCWDA)
Siiqqee Women’s Development Association (SWDA)

Uganda
AIDS Widows Orphans Family Support (AWOFS)
Abanye-Ruwenzori Mountaineering Association (AMA)
Bukonzo East Training Team (BETT)
Child Restoration Outreach (CRO)
Cornerstone Development
Foundation For Rural Development (FORUD)
Green Home Women’s Development Association
Karughe Farmers’ Partnership For Sustainability (KFP)
Rural Reconstruction Movement (RRM)           
The AIDS Support Organisation (TASO)