Plan International's VLSA loan aids teen mother

Denise has a daughter named Sandrine who is three-years-old. She got pregnant unexpectedly at 19, while she was still in school.

“I wasn’t expecting to get pregnant. I met someone and then, because I was poor and didn’t have enough money to support myself or buy the things that I needed, I got pregnant. We were neighbors –he was older than me, about 25 years old. When I found out about the pregnancy I asked him to support me, but he didn’t have enough money."

“I was rejected by my family because it was a disgrace for them. I was living with my mother and I gave birth there, but then I moved into my aunt’s home with my baby. I got involved in the loans program because people were talking about a local NGO who was helping young people to get out of poverty."

Læs mere her!

En ny chance: Assamaou

Assamaou knows what it’s like to be poor and isolated. Married as a teenager with no education or job skills, she struggled to care for her child on a remote farm in rural Niger.

When she heard about Plan’s microfinance program, she jumped at the chance to take part.

When she joined a village savings and loans group, Assamaou received training in financial literacy and took out her first small loan to open a market stall to sell household items.

With the success of her small business, Assamaou began investing in other local businesses. Within a year she doubled her money and established herself as a wise business woman in her community.

“Before Plan, I had no income,” she said, “but today I am proud and have found the joy of living. I sincerely thank the people who created a project that helped me become an independent woman.”