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Nanyuki, Kenya- Crowd-based funding via the Internet has taken off, with no end in sight to its popularity. One report claimed a staggering 81% growth in the industry in 2012, with 2.7 billion dollars raised for start-up projects ranging from innovative flashlight designs to experimental landmine clearance equipment. This year that number is expected to nearly double to 5.1 billion.
Nonprofits have taken notice. A recent crowd-funding campaign shows that the movement has even reached Northern Kenya and some of the poorest women in the world via The BOMA Project. BOMA helps women start small businesses in their rural villages and mentors them to ensure success.
Due to climate change and the devastating impact of drought on the region’s livestock herds, many Northern Kenyans are being forced to find new ways to support their families. BOMA businesses provide women with a diversified income and savings, so they can pay for food, school fees and medical care.
The campaign will offer different funding levels and gifts for donors at each level. Dubbed “We Believe in Mothers,” the campaign will run from May 3 to June 3 and aims to raise ${esc.dollar}{esc.dollar}15,000 to support BOMA’s Rural Entrepreneur Access Project (REAP). REAP is an innovative poverty-graduation program that offers business-skills training, a start-up grant and two years of mentoring to small business groups of three women.
Now in its fifth year, REAP has lifted 28,000 women and children out of extreme poverty, with 1,380 micro-enterprises scattered across a rural region the size of New England
“Our ‘We Believe in Mothers’ campaign is a fun, easy way for people from around the world to contribute to women starting their own businesses in Northern Kenya,” said Kathleen Colson, founder and CEO of The BOMA Project. “This campaign will jumpstart many small businesses and impact families for generations to come.”
See the video promoting BOMA’s crowd-sourcing efforts and contribute to the “We Believe in Mothers” campaign at http://bit.ly/SupportBOMA.
About The BOMA Project
Recently recognized on the floor of the U.S. Senate for its work, The BOMA Project has established 1,380 small businesses across Northern Kenya, involving 4,668 women who use the income to pay for food, school fees and medical care for more than 23,340 children.
