Give a gift that will change a life




For those who are looking for a meaningful gift to give, The Greater Contribution—a local, nonprofit organization based in Thousand Oaks—invites residents to do something extraordinary by partnering with them to provide small micro loans that change the lives of impoverished women and children in East Africa.

A tax-deductable gift of a micro loan valued at $50, $100 or $150 goes directly to a woman in Uganda, enabling her to start or enhance a modest business, such as selling bananas or sewing clothes for others. The business can help the woman achieve financial independence and relative prosperity for her family.

The Greater Contribution, led by Thousand Oaks resident Karon Wright, is holding its annual Black Tie No-Show Fundraiser through the end of the year, but donations are welcome at any time.

Since 2008 TGC has assisted more than 7,000 women, which extends to more than 35,000 family members because each woman has an average of five children. The organization has a nearly 100 percent success rate of the women who participate in the two-year program.

The women are grouped in 20-person “loan hubs” among their peers within their villages. They encourage each other and assure that they are able to pay back the loans every six months. Then they take out new, frequently larger loans over the course of two years, in order to continue growing their businesses. The women are trained by local Ugandan supervisors in basic business and accounting skills.

For more information or to make a donation, go to www.greatercontribution.org.



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