The Savings and Credit Opportunity for Women (SCROW), a loans scheme started in the Kaleo area in 1992, is soon to become the first women's rural bank in the Upper West Region.

SCROW represents a collaboration between the Kaleo Baptist Women Development Programme (KBWDP), a local Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and the Sonzelle Rural Bank at Jirapa.

According to Pastor John Bagonluri, programme co-ordinator of KBWDP, a British NGO (Christian Aid) gave financial support for the start up of SCROW, which is gradually maturing into a full-fledged rural bank.

He said since SCROW's inception, 177 deposits have been made by individuals (women and men), groups and salaried workers in the Nadowli district.

Pastor Bagonluri said to qualify for a loan, groups and individuals have to save with SCROW for a minimum of six months and must be regular customers.

"This provision is necessary for the groups to adopt a savings/banking habit or culture and to ascertain their commitment," said Bagonluri.

The programme coordinator disclosed that SCROW charges an interest rate of 34%, which is 2% lower than the rate charged for agricultural loans and 14% lower than that for commercial loans.

This, he said, makes the loan scheme relatively more attractive to the beneficiaries who engage in income-generating activities such as sheabutter extraction, petty trading, "pito" brewing (local drink made from sorghum) and soap making.

According to Pastor Bagonluri, SCROW is being patronized by public servants in the Nadowli district, including Ministry of Health (MOH) personnel, as well as staff of KBWDP who channel their salaries through SCROW.

He said the benefits of SCROW include the ability of members, especially women, to help pay for family bills like school fees, medical expenses and to purchase clothing for their children.

"Since women have been economically empowered and contribute towards the family upkeep, they are now given recognition and respect by their husbands.

In addition, women are accepted and involved in decision-making in the family and the community while their social status has improved," Bagonluri observed.

He added that SCROW was born out of a "Susu" (Thrift) system, which was started by 15 women groups in the Kaleo area in the early 1980s following a nation-wide drought in the area.

"The thrift system was meant to improve the food security situation and livelihood of members through micro credit. Today, SCROW has 56 groups with a total membership of 365," Bagonluri further revealed.