Who we are
The History Of WDB Trust
WDB Trust was first registered in 1991 as Women In Development Consortium (WID) Pty Ltd and later in 1992 as WDB Microfinance. It was a direct response to South African women’s poverty.
The rationale for founding WDB Trust in 1992 was:
Over the past 30 years, per-capita income had declined, with 44.8% of the population living below the subsistence level. Even with a 2.5% economic growth rate, 12-15 million people were projected to remain unemployed by 2000. Women formed the largest proportion of the poor, mostly working in the most exploitable sectors like agriculture and domestic service. In this transitional period, women needed to actively plan for their full participation in the evolving economy. Women’s development organisations required strengthening to boost their capacity and capital absorption. New institutions were necessary to empower women in all areas, and women had to shape national development initiatives to ensure their interests were represented. Only through women’s efforts could a truly democratic, non-racial, and non-sexist South Africa be achieved.
WDB Trust emerged with the understanding that utilising loans, savings, and support services would create jobs, raise incomes, expand micro-enterprises, and improve family quality of life.
Why WDB Trust?
From its inception, WDB Trust was rooted in the international women’s movement hence the first logo of WDB Trust was very similar to that of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW). We believe that that a truly democratic, non-racial and non-sexist South Africa will be realized through the efforts of women.
We seek to empower women to contribute towards national development initiatives to ensure that their interests are not overlooked. WDB Trust therefore fosters unity and development among women.
At the time of establishing WDB Trust in 1991, research showed that while a big part of the population existed below the minimum subsistence level, poverty has a feminine character: women constituted the majority of the poor and experience poverty more acutely than men. It was important to strengthen organizations dedicated to women’s development and to create new institutions to empower women in all areas of human activity. The factors that led to the establishment of WDB Trust in 1991 remain relevant today, 25 years later.