2019-2025
WOMEN FIGHT EXTREME POVERTY IN THE DRYLANDS
©BOMA / David duChemin
2019-2025
BOMA
BOMA is recognised for its innovative poverty graduation programme, specifically designed for enhancing the resilience of ultra-poor women living in extreme poverty in the drylands of Africa. Having funded BOMA to address poverty and exclusion among women and youth in pastoralist communities in North Kenya and the Karamoja region of Uganda, were now supporting them to expand into Southern Ethiopia with the aim of reaching 49,000 people in the region by 2025. BOMA is ambitiously scaling its model to reach 3 million women, young people and refugees by 2027.
CHALLENGE
©BOMA/ David duChemin
ACTION
BOMA takes the poorest women in pastoralist communities through a proven two-year ‘graduation out of poverty’ programme. This includes a modest seed capital to launch small businesses, and training and mentoring in business skills and financial literacy. It also involves savings groups, market linkages and access to formal financial services.
The profits from each business provide a new income, while the personal and business savings help the women to manage daily needs and respond to shocks like drought and emergencies.
By replacing aid with income and savings, BOMA gives women independence, choice and an increased voice.
IMPACT
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
supported by BOMA to date
BUSINESSES ESTABLISHED
to date
SAVINGS GROUPS SET UP
which results in an increase of 509% in savings for members
INCOME INCREASE
for participants
22 Jul 2021
Resilience in action
In a year when many businesses closed around the world, 99% of BOMA’s women entrepreneurs grew their income and profits. Their businesses diversified and evolved, while the women learned the power of their own resilience.
6 Jul 2021
Light in dark times
COVID-19 was a stress test at all levels. It hit us as individuals, societies and organisations. Our new #unexpected series explores this unprecedented time through our grantees’ eyes, mapping the terrain of the unplanned possibilities it revealed.
15 Jan 2021
Joining forces to end extreme poverty
The key to ending extreme poverty could be in our reach. It comes from a globally validated proof of concept: a “Graduation” approach pioneered by BRAC in Bangladesh and now adopted and adapted by many organisations, several of whom are our partners.
