WomensTrust, a microfinance operation founded by Dana Dakin, afforded me the opportunity to document their projects. She was highly motivated and approached microfinance in a very holistic way, attending to healthcare and educational needs in the community as well.

Most grants are given to aid women in their entrepreneurial efforts. The grants can be divided into basic categories that provide goods and services to the local community: women receive grants for baking breads, preparing cooked food and drinks, sewing clothes, selling charcoal, and offering hair styling services.

At first glance, the economy of Pokuase appears essentially as a barter economy. But the process of receiving a loan and paying it back has a profound psychological impact as well.  The small loans that these women receive, allow them to grow their businesses and the difference between earning $2 a day and $2.50-$3.00 a day can be enormous and the sense of hope and confidence that it instilled in women were quite apparent. However, when the price of fuel and food rose precipitously, all the small incremental gains of income disappeared. A barter economy doesn’t have the potential to grow very much and there is no buffer for economic uncertainties.  I don’t intend to imply that microfinance is a bad idea; on the contrary, in normal economic times, it makes a big difference in women’s lives and even in an economic downturn, it still gives women the very important intanit was the scholarshipgible qualities of hope and support.

So here was the really the most inspirational part of  the WomensTrust program- it was the more than one hundred scholarships that girls received girls enabling them to attend schools and continue with their education.  Statistics have shown that education, and educating girls in particular, is a vital component to economic development and long-term reduction in poverty.   In a speech to his fellow Ghanaians in the early 1900s, the visionary educator, Dr. J.E. Kwegyir Aggrey, declared, “The surest way to keep a people down is to educate the men and neglect the women. If you educate a man you simply educate an individual, but if you educate a woman you educate a family.”

Girls’ education is a vital key to lasting development.  Even in the grip of the global financial and jobless crisis the business case for continuing to invest in girls’ education is beyond question. To quote a report on poverty reduction written by the World Bank:

“Women’s economic empowerment is essential for economic development, growth, and poverty reduction—not only because of the income it generates, but also because it helps to break the vicious cycle of poverty.”

The spirit, determination and eager and open minds of these young girls stirred me with optimism: one can only imagine the possibilities and potential they have to change the future.

The book, “Capital of Hope” is the visual documentary of my experiences documenting the WomensTrust program. For a pdf preview of the book, please use the following link:

http://www.tuschmanphoto.com/pdf/CoH_Book.pdf

The book can be purchased on http://www.blurb.com.

Direct link is http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/748382