Globally, more than a third of the female workforce is engaged in agriculture, but women working in the industry often struggle to gain access to the finances needed to build and grow their businesses.

In rural areas of East Timor and in the absence of formal banks, an organisation known as Moris Rasik (meaning independent life) provides residents small loans to help them start a small business. This improves cash flow in rural areas and stimulates the local economy.

Moris Rasik, sponsored in part by AusAid, is the largest micro-finance institution in East Timor, serving more than 12,000 active clients, 95 per cent of whom are women.  

Lola Dos Reis, managing director of Moris Rasik says it is her dream job and believes the concept of micro-finance really works.

“Most of the businesses are informal, like kiosks, market stands, agriculture, transportation, second-hand clothes, arts and crafts, some very small industries,” she says citing one woman who applied for a loan and now owns two kiosks, a billiard hall and a motorcycle taxi service that also employs her two sons and husband.

Find out how you can support microfinance projects in East Timor.