Mariama Abubakar, a 54-year-old mother of 5 children, is a member of the Women's Yam Cooperative that was established with the help of Zakat Foundation of America's (Zakat Foundation of America) micro-credit program, in the West African country of Ghana. The Yam Cooperatives goal is to continue to help its members take significant steps away from poverty.
"As the wife of a struggling farmer, my family has struggled to make ends meet. Now, through my work with the cooperative, I earn enough income to support my husband in purchasing food and clothing, as well as paying school fees for my children" Mariama states.
Mariama is one of the thirty women who make up the Women's Yam Cooperative. These women play an important role in helping good quality yams reach urban consumers. The Women's Yam Cooperative purchase yams from farmers at a bulk rate and sell them in central areas, mainly to people from the city of Sunyani.
Yams are a staple vegetable, as well as a cultural and economic commodity in Ghana. However, due to problems of inefficiency in handling and trading goods, the domestic yam market has not realized its full potential for income generation that could assist the poor in the rural regions of Ghana.
Microcredit programs, like the Zakat Foundation of America supported Women's Yam Cooperative, allow Mariama and other women to engage in self-employment projects to generate income and persevere.
Please help these women build a better future for themselves and their families by donating to Zakat Foundation of America's Microcredit Program fund.
