WDB TRUST
who we are
WDB TRUST
Why WDB Trust?
From its inception, WDB was rooted in the international women’s movement hence the first logo of WDB 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 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 in 1991 remain relevant today, 25 years later.
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 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 in 1991 remain relevant today, 25 years later.
WDB TRUST
The History Of WDB
WDB 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 in 1992 was:
- For the past 30 years, there had been a decrease in per-capita income. 44.8% of the population exists below the minimum subsistence level;
- Even if South Africa were to achieve an economic growth rate of 2.5%, at the rate of population growth, 12- 15-million people would remain unemployed in the year 2000;
- Women constituted the largest number among the poor. When employed, they were engaged in the most exploitable sectors of the economy, e.g. agriculture and domestic service;
- That, in the period of transition, women had to take an active part in planning for their full participation in the evolving structures and economy;
- Organisations for women’s development needed to be strengthened so they could increase their implementing capacity and absorption of capital;
- There was need to create new institutions to empower women in all areas of human activity; and
- Women had to impact upon new national development initiatives in order to ensure that their interests were not overlooked and that it was only through the efforts of women themselves that a truly democratic non-racial and non-sexist South Africa would be realised.
The emergence of WDB was based on the understanding that the utilisation of loans/savings and supportive services would result in the creation of new jobs, an increase in the average income, the expansion of existing micro-enterprises and improved quality of life for their families.