Economic Development Projects

Village Loans for Self-Reliance

The Alliance has set up a revolving loan fund—MALI FREE—which increases village access to capital in order to help them become self-reliant. Thirteen villages are offered business loans annually to support income generating projects. All current loan projects are for entire communities, with proceeds directly supporting the education and health needs in their villages.

Current projects include: goat farms, grain banks, fertilizer projects (for cotton production) and other business ventures.

Teach A Man To Fish: Business Training for Village Economic Development Committees

Most adults in Ouelessebougou are not literate and have little training or experience in business development, but they have farming and craft skills to start a business to improve life for their families and villages. The Alliance provides business training to village economic development committees. ProLiteracy manuals are used to train villagers how to begin and manage loans and projects. Alliance staff and Peace Corp volunteer work in partnership with villagers to set goals for future loan projects and to ensure project success and repayment.

“Since we started our grain bank we feel more secure. Now we can face our problems with confidence because we have a way to earn. We know that the Alliance projects work. The foundation was laid by the Alliance to begin our progress to free us from poverty."

~Koyiri Doumbia, Solo village chief

Utah Economic Development Committee

The economic development committee meets monthly in Salt Lake City, Utah to benefit the education efforts in Ouelessebougou. If you have skills and interest that would support your becoming a member of this committee, let us know.

I would like to become a member of the Economic Development Committee!

Economic Development Committee Members!