Since the beginning of the project of the Revival of Spirit, women have been the guide that opened the path of peace and has remained key player in all initiatives of recovery, reconstruction, production, economic growth and rehabilitation. Women’s participation ensured the success of community partnerships established by the MDPD in Al-Malam as well as Darfur as a whole.
Co-financed by Zain Communication Company, Al-Mayarim Bank was launch in September 2018. And in less than six months, the Al-Mayarim Bank materialized the vision into a reality by providing practical economic support to thousands of women in Al-Malam, South Darfur State.
Al-Mayarim Bank funds income-generating projects for more than five hundreds projects submitted by women in the first phase. Most women returning to villages are widows and single mothers supporting their large family and children. Hence, the bank is one of the MDPD’s first project for economic empowerment for women since they bear most the war burden.
After completing the financing of the first phase, the Bank’s investment will reflect the findings of the economic studies in the region. It will finance a wider range of economic activities for women and include tens of thousands of women in the locality of Al-Malam and Jebel Marra and the rest of the northern parts of South Darfur.
The Bank funds diverse projects to include different types of small projects like baking, handicrafts and livestock.
The Bank aims to provide sufficient capital to fund women entrepreneurs and ensure their success so that they can repay loans to finance other women. This is done through a delicate system in which women are trained on financial management skills to run their selected projects. Borrowers are mentored by two trustees. These trustees are selected women from the local community and specialized staff from the MDPD to ensure the success of the funded projects. They also study venues to expand funding for women economic empowerment and poverty reduction.