For nearly two decades, a small nonprofit group in the Conejo Valley has been helping women halfway around the world climb out of poverty.
"The Greater Contribution is a nonprofit organization founded in Thousand Oaks," said Karon Wright, President of the organization. "Our mission is to empower poor women in Uganda to work their way out of poverty through the use of microloans and education."
"These are loans which are repaid by these women at a rate of 98%," said Wright. "We provide these loans to women so that they can start small businesses that will help them sustain their families, and be able to provide an ongoing income, so they can have regular meals, provide education to their children, they can provide medical care, and shoes...the basic daily necessities that we all take for granted.
Wright talked about how the nonprofit helps women.
"These are women who are really the poorest of the poor, in remote areas of Uganda, where other aid organizations don't go," said Wright.
The Ventura County-based nonprofit has helped a staggering number of people. Their leader said that they've made almost 35,000 microloans in the last two decades and helped more than 15,000 women. She said that because the women help their families, the program has touched around 70,000 people since it was founded.
The microloans average between $50 and $300. If the women meet their payback schedule, they can get a 25% loan increase to expand their small businesses.
The types of businesses are very grassroots.
"They're really basic. They are household necessities, food items, produce, used shoes and used clothing, cooking fuel and charcoal, things of that kind," said Wright.
The effort started in 2006, when Wright said she looked at her life and realized how fortunate she was to have been born in a place where she could have everything from good food and medical care to a career. She said she teamed up with some friends and, with the help of some mentorship, came up with the program to assist struggling women in Uganda.
Greater Contribution has a team that administers the program in Uganda and provides support and mentorship. She said it’s amazing that the repayment rate is in the high 90% range.
Wright travels to Uganda twice a year on her own dime to see how the program is faring. They pay for the program through fundraisers and donations.
The organization’s founder said it’s an amazing feeling to know they’ve been able to help so many families over the years. She admits what they created has more than topped any expectations they had when they started.
"I had no idea (that the idea would become such a success). I had to follow where it led me. It's been an incredible gift to me, it really has," said Wright. "It's amazing to see how a little gift can turn people's lives around."
