IMPACT MAY 2016
Shammi’s son Sadaf is a former sponsored member of Unbound in Allahabad, India. Though Sadaf is no longer sponsored, Shammi continues to participate in a tailoring livelihood initiative she started with other mothers who are part of the Unbound program.
INGENUITY
CELEBRATING MOMS AS SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEURS In the past decade, Unbound has
recognizing the accomplishments of
mothers in the group contribute a
promoted the formation of small
mothers whose children are sponsored
small amount each month, typically
groups of parents and guardians,
through Unbound. Shashikala is
$1 to $2, which is then matched by
mainly mothers, in our programs
one of the mothers recognized as a
Unbound. From this pool of funds the
around the world. Through the
successful entrepreneur.
mothers are able to take out loans and
small groups, mothers are building
Shashikala’s son Arun was
confidence in their own abilities to
sponsored in 2008, and Shashikala
improve the lives of their families.
joined a local mothers group to
Today, more than 77 percent of
repay them with a small amount of interest, decided upon by the group. When her son was first sponsored,
represent her family. Since then, she
Shashikala’s husband owned a barber
sponsored members are represented
has become a leader in the Gayathri
shop in their village, so the first loan
in the more than 10,500 small
mothers group and has utilized
she took from the group was so she
groups that have organized in the 20
loans from the group to improve her
could take a beautician course.
countries where we work.
family’s situation.
In Hyderabad, India, staff at the Unbound office make a practice of
Mothers groups in Hyderabad take part in a microloan program. All the
Unfortunately, the barber shop didn’t last because the government needed the land it was built on. With