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- In India, millions
of people live in poverty.
And every day, many of them dream of a better life.
- I have a dream
of growing a business.
- My dream is to open a shop.
- In a nation of 1.3 billion people,
almost 70% live on less than U.S. $2.00 a day.
- There's so many unemployment.
- Lions in India are partnering with ASA International
to provide microfinance loans to women
whose families are in need.
[Woman speaking native language]
- The goal is to help them start their own businesses
so they can lift themselves and their families out of poverty.
- Our main purpose is to make
them economically independent
and for the betterment of their life of their family.
- Lions are working with ASA to identify communities
and qualified applicants for the program.
- They ask their need, what is their economic condition,
their proximity to the nearest market,
what are the possibility of the growing business in there.
- Once they've been approved for the loan,
the participants are placed
into a self-help group of about 10-30 people.
They elect a president and secretary,
and meet once a week with their loan officer.
[Conversation in foreign language]
- They visit the group in every week
to repay the weekly loan installment,
and also to discuss business activities.
- While the loans go to individual members,
the group provides support and ensures compliance.
- There is a group guarantee.
So we provide the loan to those individuals
who are formed in the group.
- Before the loan, Rabia Bibi struggled
to turn her embroidery talent into a profitable business.
- Before I was only making 500 rupees.
After the loan, I've been able to hire employees,
and now I'm earning 5,000 rupees.
- And Murshida Biba earned 50,000 rupees over
the past year, enough to move from this hut to this new home.
- Before taking the loan, I was unemployed.
But after getting the loan, I have a job
and my family situation has improved.
- Lions are thrilled at the success of this project.
They plan to expand it to many more people for years to come.
- We are expecting the Lions should be associated with us
in all respect.
And we expect to work with them jointly in our social activity
during the economic development of the poor woman.
- We are happy we will do something
for the unemployment persons.
So we are happy to do this type of project.