This is because mothers generally use their income to improve family welfare - paying for more nutritious foods, health care, and school fees, uniforms, and books. Another crucial benefit of women's economic activity is the improved self esteem and status that income-earning confers on women, both within families, among community members, and in society at large. This increased status helps mothers play a greater role in deciding the direction of their children's lives, as well as influencing social norms and government policies to foster healthy families and increase gender equality. Moreover, the income-earning potential of women can help ensure that families invest in and value daughters equally with sons, and promote equality between women and men in future generations. Save the Children sets up, supports, and builds the capacity of microfinance institutions that provide small loans and business services to women whose access to such services is limited or non-existent.
Loan amounts gradually increase in size with each loan cycle to allow businesses to grow.
Save the Children's economic opportunity programs also offer business services that women need and reach women where they are - in their communities. Highlights programs in Mali, Lebanon, and Nepal show the long lasting benefits of expanding economic opportunities to women. Save the Children's program builds on existing community structures and strengths, and a long tradition of community self-help. Through the GGLS initiative, women form groups of six and guarantee each other's loans. If a member has trouble paying, the others must make up her share before they can receive more credit.