USADF Signs Two Grants to Support Grassroots Groups in Cape Verde :

WASHINGTON - September 22, 2009  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – September 22, 2009  – The United States African Development Foundation continued their assistance to marginalized, under-served populations in Africa by signing two grant agreements to benefit community groups in Cape Verde.  The grants will benefit Associação Cabo-verdiana de Deficientes (ACD) and Apoio a Autopromoção da Mulher no Desenvolvimento (MORABI).

After signing the grants, USADF President Lloyd Pierson stated, “These grants will support some of Cape Verde’s most marginalized populations so that they can create jobs, increase their incomes, and secure a better quality of life for themselves and their families.”

A community organization in Praia, ACD assists persons with disabilities to improve their quality of life by operating a candle production project.  ACD’s main challenge is pinpointing an alternate and sustainable way to self-generate funding to continue to serve the candle makers.  The three year grant will be used to establish working capital, purchase candle making equipment, and training. 

MORABI is a non-profit microfinance institution with headquarters in Praia and smaller branches in rural locations across Cape Verde.  Access to microfinance for credit and savings is extremely limited for the poor in Cape Verde; this organization fits the needs of this particular niche of people.  MORABI offers financial services to poor households so that they may save for their health, education, large purchases, and times of hardships.  By empowering women and women’s groups, the organization allows women to integrate into the economic market, generate incomes and create more jobs.  The three year grant will equip the offices, fund training, provide technical assistance, and cover administrative costs. 

USADF began programming in Cape Verde in 2003. Cape Verde’s current portfolio stands at fifteen investment projects totaling more than $3 million. For more information about the portfolio, please visit the country’s quick source page at http://www.adf.gov/USADF-QuickSourceCountryPortfolioPage-CapeVerde.htm.

The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) is a United States Government agency dedicated to expanding access to economic opportunity in Africa. Currently USADF operates in 20 African nations.  Over the past 25 years, USADF has funded nearly 1,500 projects representing in excess of $150 million in support of African enterprises and local African communities.  For more information on USADF, its programs and application guidelines, visit www.usadf.gov.

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