A local Non Governmental Organization, Association for Rural Development (ARD) tasked with the provision of micro finance loans to people in both rural and urban areas on Wednesday 10th April 2008 held a Micro Credit Conference with beneficiaries and other stakeholders at their Liverpool Street office in Freetown.

In his opening remarks, the Assistant Loan Officer Mr. Osman Bundu Bangura disclosed that the organization is basically providing micro credit to economically poor active people, especially those engaged in small scale businesses, and that the exercise has been ongoing for years now.

On the criteria for giving out loans, the Assistant Loan Officer said clients are required to first write an application letter of interest indicating the type of business engaged in to be addressed to the Branch Manager who in turn will forward it to the Loan Officer for evaluation. He said once the application is accepted, successful applicants will then be invited to attend a workshop to explain to them the processes involved. After which they are divided into groups of at least seven people per group. As a start, Mr. Bangura said Le.300, 000 is given out to each group member after paying a registration fee of Le. 30,000, including Le.10, 000 administrative charges. He took the opportunity to thank their donor, Christian Aid-U.K for supporting the institution help the needy for the past years.

Various beneficiaries gave statements in appreciation of what ARD has been doing for them. One of them, who gave her name as Mrs. Mabinty Koroma said she is particularly pleased with ARD’s assistance as presently she can solve her seven children’s problems without much head ache. "I am proud for operating a savings account at the bank with the help of ARD," she stated. She therefore admonished her colleague beneficiaries to utilize their loan moneys judiciously to continue benefiting other clients.