The Jacob’s Well Microcredit Scheme provides women with access to financial support to start, strengthen, or expand income-generating activities.
South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) also follows up with beneficiaries to understand how the support is being used and the progress women are making with their businesses.
As part of this process, the SSDO team recently visited Affa-Amaozalla for a monitoring, verification, and evaluation exercise involving women who have received or are newly accessing microcredit support.
Monitoring Progress Under Jacob’s Well
The exercise focused on understanding what happens after women receive financial support through the scheme.
For new beneficiaries, the team verified their information and discussed how they planned to use their loans.
For women who had previously received microcredit, the team reviewed the progress of their businesses and how the support had contributed to their activities.
This follow-up gives SSDO a clearer understanding of how beneficiaries are applying the financial support and the progress being made within their businesses.
Listening to Women and Their Experiences
The monitoring exercise also provided an opportunity for the team to engage directly with the women.
Discussions focused on their experiences running their businesses, the challenges they face, and the support they may need to strengthen their livelihoods.
These conversations provide important context around the progress being recorded.
They also help SSDO identify challenges that may affect business growth and understand where additional guidance or support could be useful
Why Monitoring Matters
Financial support is only one part of helping women build sustainable livelihoods.
Regular monitoring allows SSDO to follow up with beneficiaries after disbursement and understand how the loans are being used.
It also helps track business progress and provides information that can guide future support under the Jacob’s Well Microcredit Scheme.
Through this process, the project team can learn from the experiences of beneficiaries and identify areas that may require further attention.
Supporting Women to Strengthen Their Livelihoods
The monitoring visit to Affa-Amaozalla forms part of the ongoing implementation of Jacob’s Well.
By providing microcredit and maintaining engagement with beneficiaries, SSDO is able to support women while also learning from how the financial assistance is being applied.
For the women involved, the scheme provides access to capital that can support their businesses and income-generating activities.
For SSDO, continued monitoring helps ensure that the Jacob’s Well Microcredit Scheme remains connected to the experiences, progress, and needs of the women it supports.