They pay special attention to women's participation. Each month, in Meyer's small church, community workers from the Ministry of Social Affairs teach these groups such skills as how to organize a meeting, make a plan of action, write by-laws, budget time and resources and deal with issues such as gender discrimination. In addition, Meyer's 200 women receiving loans spent one week learning skills in credit and group management. This includes everything from road repair to school construction. Meanwhile, Meyer's women vendors have already made progress.
Group skills aside, they evince canny business sense.
Take the case of Lutanieuse Lops, for example. Ms. Lops, who borrowed 500 gourdes in December, says she would like a bigger loan so she could buy beans just after harvest and sell them at a profit during rainy season. She would also like to sell produce to Meyer's women on credit.