Although we’re speaking to women one-on-one in their homes about what they think about the training MicroLoan Foundation provides, we also wanted to get a feel of how a focus group discussion on the same topic would work. The discussion was facilitated by Martha Nkhoma, the operations manager, who got everyone feeling relaxed by starting off with a group song and dance! She then sat in amongst the women, and guided what turned out to be a very lively discussion. The women were clear about what they liked – understanding the importance of business diversification, knowing MicroLoan’s procedures for example – but were likewise vocal about what they thought needed improvement. This included more focus on ongoing training and more detailed understanding of how to plan their business and keep accurate financial records.
These sorts of discussions are great for letting conversation take their own course, giving clients the opportunity to voice all manner of issues and ensure they have a chance to ask any burning questions. Not having met Martha before, the women were also delighted to have the opportunity to have quality time discussing issues important to them with the operations manager.
Picture: the group warms up with a dance (Martha in the centre in black skirt)
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