One of our highest priorities at Kuza is creating and investing in projects that not only support the local community, but also create a long-term self sustaining system that can eventually continue indefinitely without outside financial support. After seeing so much success with our model, we’re excited to expand our own vision of what’s possible with one of our largest projects to-date. The women of Igwachanya have a dream to create a processing facility for corn that will give them full market value for their corn and connect their small economy to that of the largest nearby city, Dar es Salaam. It is truly an exciting prospect and we had to share it with you here…
The Vision:
To create a sustainable business for a women’s association in a small village, enabling them to provide education and basic needs for their families.
The Idea:
Establish a women’s-led business processing corn to sell at a large coastal city, giving the business association and the village a self-sufficient model for long-term income.
• Construct buildings for housing and maintaining the equipment
• Purchase and install two machines for processing grains. One husking machine and one grinding machine.
• Contract with the women in the village to share use of the machines for processing their crops.
• Bulk flour will be trucked to Dar Es Salaam, a large coastal town, and sold at market, creating cash flow for the women in Igwachanya
• Profits from the business will be managed by the association, re-investing part of the income and distributing the rest to the women.
The Women:
These women have been managing their own business association for several years and have a proven track record with other projects. Their group was formalized as the Union of Women at Igwachanya Village (UWI) and they have successfully established other businesses raising corn and chickens.
Most of the women are widows with several children and many of them also raise orphaned children. They are very poor and have a difficult time meeting their families basic needs, like food, clothing, and education.
The Need: $16,000
The high cost of the machines and construction of the buildings is so high that the women could never afford it without outside investment. This project, in particular, requires more resources than we typically provide. But we are so confident that this project will create self-sufficiency that we are actively looking for generous individuals to make this project a reality for the women of Igwachanya Village.
• Motorized grinding machines: $6,000
• Building supplies and construction: $9,000
• Electrical and contract labor: $1,000
100% of the funds raised for this project will go directly to the Union of Women at Igwachanya Village (UWI). Kuza Project does not maintain any staff in the US or incur any overhead costs in the funding of this project. Update: we’ve already raised about $8,000 for this project! Give now to help us transform the entire village!
The Results:
This project will change the village of Igwachanya for many years to come.
Initially, the machines will create jobs for women in Igwachanya and give the entire village access to create flour. As the flour is sold in Dar Es Salaam, the income will provide for basic needs like food, clothing, and education.
As the business grows, however, we expect it to create a stream of income. Re-investment could allow the association to purchase more machines, a truck for delivery to the coast, or even establish related businesses to support the model.
Longer term, the children will have an education that will give them better access to jobs and income. Whether it’s starting their own business, pursuing higher education, or finding better paying jobs, these kids will be able to re-invest their lives in the village and create new opportunities for the future. There is almost no end to the possibilities this one project could create!
The Opportunity:
This is an opportunity for you to take part in changing the lives of hundreds of people now and perhaps thousands in the years to come as the benefit from this project extends to further generations through increased education and economic opportunity. Funding this project will literally change the entire village. Providing access to these machines seems like such a simple thing, yet it will have a huge impact for many years to come.
If you have been blessed with the resources to fund this project, please consider this a way to give back to the global community. You can make a real impact in an entire village just by providing the capital they need to begin a new way of life. This is an investment in humankind. Your generosity can transform an entire village!