Local Organization

The local organization here is a called Kashf, and they specialize in microfinance and give small loans to women. Money is lent to only women. Every two weeks they hold a meeting at another woman’s house and are able to discuss topics that would interest women such as schools for girls or rape. It is located in Lahore and started by a Pakistani woman who grew up in a wealthy family. Roshaneh Zafar is the woman who started this program. She has a background in studying economics at Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and also at Yale. She has a strong economics background which is what lead her to start this micro financing operation. Zafar realized how important this was for women in less developed countries to have a small loan because that could make a difference. In having these small loans, women are locally able to start their own business and get out of debt and support a family for themselves. Pakistani women are fortunate enough to have a person like Zafar stand up for them and start a project like these micro loans. But, with these micro loans, they are able to start their own businesses and are able to raise money and support themselves and their families, giving women a better name in these less developed countries.