Southern Highlands Participatory Organisation

MICRO CREDIT(SACCOS) PROGRAM for low cost water supply systems (wells, boreholes, family water pumps, community water pumps and pole model pumps) is designed for the residents of two wards of Utalingolo and Uwemba in Njombe region to have access to micro credit at only 7% of interest rate instead of the common interest rates in Tanzania which is 20–30%.This program started at the beginning of 2012 and is expected to end up in October 2013. The program has targeted to provide micro loans to 100 residents in each ward for the period.

Since February 2012, SHIPO Marketing Officer and Communication and Marketing Consultant Marlou Bullens from Holland have together been engaged in the preparation of Marketing Strategy for this PROGRAM. To make this possible, SHIPO has involved local financial Institutions Twitangage SACCOS and Wafanyabiashara Njombe SACCOS Uwemba Branch in all financial matters and SHIPO trained technicians (from Kisangani and Uvinjo Groups) for technical issues to implement this PROGRAM.

For effectiveness of the Program a number of marketing strategies were agreed to disseminate information about the PROGRAM to the target market. We agreed to use a local radio Uplands Fm for radio advert, printed materials (leaflets and posters), press release to media and Road shows.

As mentioned ROADSHOW was one of the marketing strategies for creating awareness awareness and sensitization of the Program in the areas involved; a decision was made to have four road shows in four villages of the two Wards. At Uwemba ward road shows were conducted aat Uwemba village and Magoda village while at Utalingolo ward road shows were conductedat Utalingolo village and Ihalula village.

On 15th April we had our first Road show at Uwemba Village. Awareness creation is normally done by using a car with music system moving around the village announcing that people should assemble on the gathering place for the road show meeting. After people have gathered presenters from SHIPO, Installers, SACCOS and Champions are given time to present about their organisations and the program at large.
All these marketing strategies have been so effective in creating awareness and sensitizing the communities of the pilot areas because people have been so much motivated with Saccos Program. The number of loan applications have gone up to more than 100 in both wards.