PRESS RELEASE Date: 18 November 2020 Begins: Winchester Rotary changing lives with loans through Lendwithcare Winchester Rotary is celebrating a landmark charitable achievement as one of hundreds of Rotary clubs from across the country to contribute over £1 million to Lendwithcare, a microfinance charity which enables people in the UK to make small loans to entrepreneurs from poor communities around the world. Since October 2011, Rotary clubs across the UK have been raising funds to make small loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries, enabling them to start or expand their small businesses and work their way out of poverty, feed their families and send their children to school. More than £1 million has now been lent by Rotary to farmers, tailors, market stallholders and food producers to name just a few of the types of businesses Rotary have helped in 11 countries across Africa, Asia and South America. The first Rotary club to join Lendwithcare was Currie Balerno Rotary Club in Midlothian, and Winchester Rotary followed suit in 2020. Winchester Rotary has raised and lent a total of £525, contributing towards the national £1 million landmark, with the club loaning to entrepreneurs in 11 countries. 35 loans to date and more each month as the repayments come in. Tony Catesby, Winchester Rotary’s International Director, said “Winchester Rotary is proud to be a part of this fantastic initiative. Lendwithcare is a great way to help people out of poverty. You see exactly who the money is going to, and what they will use it for.” “The entrepreneur uses the funds to help them to earn a living, often employing family members and neighbours as well, helping to lift their communities out of poverty. They pay the loans back, which can be re-lent to person after person.” Rotary is one of the world’s largest and most successful global membership and humanitarian service organisations, with 1.2 million members in over 200 countries volunteering their time and their talents to tackle challenges at home and abroad to promote peace, fight disease, provide clean water, support education, save mothers and children and grow local economies. Head of Lendwithcare, Tracey Horner, added: “Through Lendwithcare, Rotary has helped change the lives of more than 5,000 entrepreneurs around the world so far. We’re grateful to every Rotary member who lends their time and energy to raise funds to lend to people trying to earn a living in For Further Details Please Contact: Gill Russell, Press Officer, Winchester Rotary Tel: 07930 546807 Email: [email protected] Web: www.winchester-rotary.org Facebook: Winchester Rotary UK Twitter: @WinchRotary some of the most challenging environments in the world. It really is life-changing for the people we work with, and we want to extend our huge thanks to Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland, and to everyone at Winchester Rotary.” Winchester Rotary has assisted entrepreneurs such as Lorena Aying who is a married woman with two children. Both children will attend secondary schooling in different level. Her husband is Jonathan who works in a private company. The family lives in the village of Media Once which is in Toledo city in Cebu province Philippines. To help her husband in dealing with their finances, Lorena runs a general store business. She sells basic goods to her neighbours and passers-by. Her business has grown through the years and generated more sales. She sells biscuits, chips, candies, powdered drinks, eggs, canned goods, hygienic products, instant noodles, condiments, sugar, cooking oil and etc. She also sells some spices, vegetables, fruits, rice (per kilo) and soft-drinks. Her top selling item are soft-drinks/sodas and rice. Her weekly sales of sodas is 100 cases and five sacks of rice. Her store is open twelve hours daily. She manages the store by herself and her children are helping her in lifting cases of sodas. Anyone can make a loan through Lendwithcare, or buy a Lendwithcare voucher as a Christmas gift. Loans start from £15 and will typically be paid back over 6-12 months. Follow Winchester Rotary Club’s footsteps and visit www.lendwithcare.org to make a loan and change a life. -ENDS- NOTES FOR EDITORS: About Lendwithcare Lendwithcare is a revolutionary way to help some of the world’s poorest people work their way out of poverty with dignity. Lendwithcare allows you to lend as little as £15 to fund a small business and once your money is repaid you can choose to recycle your loan to support another poor entrepreneur, or withdraw your money. Lendwithcare is currently working in ten countries. See how Lendwithcare works here. Lendwithcare is an initiative of poverty fighting charity, CARE International UK. For Further Details Please Contact: Gill Russell, Press Officer, Winchester Rotary Tel: 07930 546807 Email: [email protected] Web: www.winchester-rotary.org Facebook: Winchester Rotary UK Twitter: @WinchRotary .