Women in the communities of Pusiju and Konqulavata are taking important steps toward strengthening their financial independence and supporting their families through improved economic opportunities. With support from the UK Government, under CARA Project, WWF SI recently delivered loan component training to two women’s savings clubs in these communities.
The training took place on 2 and 4 March 2026 and brought together members of the Poana Women’s Savings Club in Pusiju and the Konqubule Women’s Savings Club in Konqulavata. A total of 30 women participated in the sessions, including savings club management committee members and potential members who are interested in starting small-scale businesses.
The training was facilitated by staff from the World–Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), together with local community facilitator Ms. Nerolyn Loni from Saeragi. The sessions focused on strengthening the loan component of the women’s savings clubs, preparing the management committees to oversee the revolving funds that will soon be provided as seed funding under the project.
Participants learned about the loan application process, sustainability criteria, and financial management practices designed to ensure that the revolving funds are used responsibly and benefit the members of the Women’s Saving’s Club. The training also introduced a revolving fund application form that members will complete when applying for financial support to establish or grow small-scale enterprises.
For many of the women, the training opened new possibilities for improving their livelihoods.
Ms Kaniki from Pusiju shared that the “training provided her with valuable knowledge about how to apply for a loan and gave her confidence to consider starting a small business. She also highlighted that the process designed for accessing the loan is clear and suitable for women in the community”.
Ms Keith, a community female facilitator and money counter for the Pusiju Women’s Savings Club, expressed her “gratitude for the opportunity to attend the training and learn the loan component process. As a member of the executive committee and a community facilitator, she said she feels honoured by the support provided through the project and believes the upcoming seed funding will create new opportunities for mothers to strengthen their family incomes”.
In Konqulavata, Ms Freda Kamikera, a community facilitator from the Konqubule Women’s Savings Club, reflected on how the community’s involvement in sea grapes management under a nature-based solutions initiative has strengthened their collaboration with the CARA Project. She explained that the “revolving funds training has prepared the women’s executive committee to responsibly manage the loan component once the funds become available”.
By the end of the training, the 30 women expressed strong appreciation for the opportunity to build their financial knowledge and leadership skills. They are now looking forward to the upcoming project launch, when the revolving funds will become available to support their small business ideas.
Through continued support from the UK Government, women in Pusiju and Konqulavata are gaining the knowledge, confidence, and systems needed to strengthen their economic independence and contribute to more resilient households and communities.
