Programs / Microfinance / Communities / Ekumfi Adansimaim «

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Ekumfi Adansimaim

This is a relatively small and 'new' community. In 1952, the chief of the
community got a road cut from a nearby-populated area of Emuna. He then

brought in people to educate the community and help in their development

economically and socially. Gradually the community started to expand.

Despite the population, the community as a whole is very proactive and has

always supported any Global Brigades’ programs in the community.

 

Ekumfi Adansimaim's Economic Challenge

Ekumfi Adansimaim's community members are mainly dependent on

farming for sustenance. The primary goods and food products produced in

the community are maize and cassava. Additionally they started producing

peppers and tomatoes. As the crop is seasonal, the revenue is volatile.

Apart from petty goods trading, the community does not have any other

alternative source of income. They have had bad harvest seasons in the

past that have cause families to go hungry for days.They have been seeking

other opportunities of income, but have found it hard to come by.

 

The Susus (the traditional savings system), have a huge presence in this

community, where more than 6 operate annually. Apart from the Susus there

is no other access to credit or savings in the areas. Yet with the way susus

are structured, there is very low capital injection into the community. Money

just moves from one community member's hand to another's. The community

members therefore have no control over their financial future and are left to

continue this annual cycle, year after year.

 

Microfinance in Ekumfi Adansimaim

Ekumfi Adansimaim is one of the newest communities the Microfinance Program in Ghana expanded to in January 2013. The Microfinance Brigades in-country team and two brigaders from three different universities have worked in this community since then. During this time, staff and volunteers have worked with community members to:

     •  Train and establish a Community Development Fund (CDF).
     •  Provide educational seminars to adults and children in the community on the importance of
        savings.

     •  Door-to-door community visits to further encourage community members to open accounts in the
        community bank and actively save.
     •  Promote voluntary savings in the community to reach a level of sustainable capital for the CDF.

Our work in Ekumfi Adansimaim is far from done. Their CDF have shown slow growth since its establishment but considering the size of the community and the influence of the Susus there is scope to introduce loans earlier, to attract more community members to also save with the CDF. Additionally, the community is enthusiastically waiting for the business development aspect, which will bring in new jobs, opportunities and alternative sources of income.

 

Business Profiles for this community coming soon!

 

A SWOT Analysis of the Community and its Development Fund

 

Strengths

 

     •  Community Perception - The CDF is a respected body within the community and is housed at a
        very central building in the community. Before the CDF was formally established, the community  
        mobilized itself to build the structure which was completed in less than 2 months. There is an
        understanding from the community that the CDF is the long-term solution to financial stability.

 

     •  CDF Leader Commitment - The CDF leaders are very efficient and systematic they way they
        work. They delegate extremely effectively and complete tasks well before they are due. They take
        their responsibility very seriously and communicate with each other effectively. They haven't had
        any major problems with accounting since the establishment of the CDF there.

 

 

Weaknesses

 

Opportunities

 

    •  Introduction of Loans - There is a scope to introduce loans through the CDF very soon.
       Community members have patiently waited for this and with on-going education through the team
       and brigaders in the community, this injection of capital can have very positive effects.

 

    •  Business Development -Seeing the potential positives of business development in the
       community, the Corn Mill Cooperative was planned and is currently being implemented. The
       community has shown a great deal of interest in the project and have agreed to all terms of
       community buy-in. The community has not seen the effect of business development yet but are
       starting to get an idea of it. This opportunity can be channelized through work of Business Brigades
       to bring about long-term economic sustainability.

 

 

Threats

 

     •  Comfort with Susus - The community has a very strong presence of Susus and community
        members feel very comfortable and safe with the system as it has existed in the community for
        more than 8 years. There are 6 functioning Susu's in the community where almost 90% of the
        population are a part of atleast two such groups. They offer varying weekly savings plans which
        end after 1 year. People gravitate towards susus for savings as the interest offered at the end of
        the year is normally pretty high (30% to 40% depending on interest on loans collected).They also
        offer loans at a monthly rate of interest around 8% to 10%, which is why community members are
        waiting for the CDF to offer loans, which is at a much lower rate.

 

     •  CDF Leader Incentives - As the workload for the leaders of the development fund have
        increased, there has been an ask from the CDF leaders for a certain incentive to continue their
        work in the community. This is a discussion that the in-country is having across programs to
        standardize them for all community volunteers.

 

Microfinance/Business Brigades Chapters that have worked in Ekumfi Adansimaim
Brigades Chapter	Month		Volunteers	Brigade Projects
University of California, Los Angeles, USA + University of Texas - Austin, USA	January 2013	Microfinance	24	•  Brigade groups focused on promoting the community development fund within the community.   •  After the CDF was established with leaders in place, they started educating the community about the first product, Savings.   •  Through the brigade groups, community members were encouraged to open accounts at the CDF, establishing over 40 accounts   •  Provided seed capital to research business opportunities including a Corn Processor
Pennsylvania State University, USA	May 2013	Microfinance	9	•  The group concentrated on more savings education at a door-to-door level, leadership training for the CDF leaders as well as CDF information dissemination throughout the community.   •  The brigade validated some of the business ideas identified by the previous brigade and narrowed the list down, making the decision to go ahead on the Corn Mill Cooperative easier for the community and the in-country team.
Sustainable Development Summer Interns	June 2013	Microfinance	10	•  The interns worked closely with community members to create financial diaries to track expenditure with the vision to create implementable savings plans.   •  They also worked towards documenting business solutions, the possibility of creating a financial health station in Medical clinics as well as discusses options of incentives to CDF Leaders.
Miami University of Ohio, USA	January 2014	Microfinance / Business Hybrid	11	•  Brigade group worked with 10 potential loan applicants to develop financial plans (savings plan, investment plan and a potential repayment plan).   •  Validated and improved the business plan for the Adansimaim Corn Mill Co-op. Worked with the community leaders to draw up potential repayment plans for the enterprise loan given out.   •  Carried out research into the agricultural products of cassava and maize to help the establishment of a season-based agricultural loan product.

 

Current Status

Last Visit: 30th October, 2013

 

 

 

Visit Other Programs in Ekumfi Adansimaim

Global Brigades strives to implement a model of Holistic Development in communities through a system of collectively implementing health, economic, and education initiatives to strategically meet a community's development goals. Learn more about the other programs being implemented in Ekumfi Adansimaim:

 BusinessCHWDental MedicalWater