Financial Inclusion through Community Structures

GLF addresses the lack of financial access for rural and marginalized youth by creating an interconnected network of community-based saving and credit schemes.

Parish Savings and Loan Associations (PSLAs): Gudie Leisure Farm establishes and supports Parish Savings and Loan Associations (PSLAs) at the grassroots level. These associations serve as the primary vehicle for financial inclusion, teaching members to save consistently and pool resources.

• They are designed to serve underserved, hard-to-reach youth and provide them with easy access to finances with minimal discrimination against agriculture-based ventures.
• The PSLAs have successfully accumulated significant savings, demonstrating a strong grassroots movement toward financial empowerment.

Gudie Agribusiness Investment Club (GAIC): The PSLAs are further united under the Gudie Agribusiness Investment Club (GAIC) (sometimes referred to as the Gudie Umbrella Fund), which allows for the pooling of larger capital

• This arrangement enables members to access credit at a reduced interest rate (as low as 6% per year), which is crucial for young agripreneurs to invest in and scale their businesses

Social Empowerment via Training and Enterprise

Social empowerment is achieved by equipping young individuals, particularly women, with the skills, confidence, and platforms to become leaders and job creators in their communities.

Youth Agripreneur Champions (YACs): The core of the social empowerment strategy is the training and incubation of Youth Agripreneur Champions (YACs). These individuals receive hands-on training in various value chains (poultry, aquaculture, piggery, horticulture) and business development services.

• GLF measures success not just by business profit but also by social metrics like job creation, improved standards of living, and social embodiment (building social capital and support networks)
• YACs are expected to return to their communities to train and mentor other youth through the Parish Entrepreneurship Learning Associations (PELAs), creating a ripple effect of skill transfer and economic growth.

Empowering Women Entrepreneurs: GLF specifically partners with government and development projects, like the Generating Growth Opportunities and Productivity for Women Enterprises (GROW) project, to target and empower women

• Training includes both agribusiness skills and digital literacy, enabling women entrepreneurs to leverage technology to expand their market reach, manage finances, and gain independence.
• In collaboration with partners, GLF ensures access to favorable credit facilities and business development support to help women transition their micro-businesses to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

Promoting Saving Culture: Beyond simply providing access to credit, GLF focuses on instilling a culture of savings and investment diversification. Through conferences and mentorship, youth are encouraged to save a minimum percentage of their income and diversify investments to include assets like land and stocks, helping them build long-term financial resilience