Nazimunisa

Microfinance Client Since: 1999
Age: 48 years, married
Children: One daughter, 18
Hometown: Avalahalli, India
Loan History: Fifth loan, $274
Business: Tailor; clothing and vegetable shop owner

Nazimunisa used to earn about 22 cents for every 1,000 incense sticks she rolled. With her first loan of $91, she bought a sewing machine and started a successful dress-making business. Since then, Nazimunisa has started three additional businesses, and her family's income is comfortable and sustainable. In the future, she and her husband hope to open an even larger store, build a new house, and plan to send their daughter to college. With the help of microfinance, it took less than one generation for Nazimunisa and her family to lift themselves out of poverty.

We at Shabby Apple Dresses love to help women dress but are also commited to helping women live as well.  Thus we are supporting the fight against global poverty by partnering with Unitus-a non-profit organization that accelerates access to life-changing financial services for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. Shabby Apple donates 5% of its net dress sales to support work in India (where Shabby Apple Dresses sources many of its dresses the textiles used to manufacture its dresses).  In addition, each Shabby Apple Dresses customer has the opportunity to donote an extra five dollars to Unitus every time she buys a dress. Shabby Apple Dresses and Unitus are involved with 10 of India's most promising microfinance organizations that provide financial services to more than 1.6 million hard-working women and their families.

By buying Shabby Apple dresses, you're helping change the lives of women around the world like Beebijaan. Shabby Apple Dresses is sharing 5% of its profits with Unitus, an organization working to bring life-changing micro-loans to thousands more of the world's working poor. Purchase a dress to help or learn more at www.shabbyapple.com/helpwomenworldwide