The Lumef Community Group was set up in June 2019. Several of the members had heard about the help they could obtain from Deki and IADES from women who had already benefitted from a loan. The Group hold their meetings in their community, in the north of Lome. 

The group comprises 17 women, aged between 32 and 52. Their businesses range from selling cereals, groceries, cosmetics and ‘pagnes’- lengths of patterned cloth – to running a small restaurant, hairdressing or selling jewellery.

Many of the women support other members of their family, either siblings or elderly parents. They share similar ambitions, to expand their respective businesses, to save for the future and to provide a better standard of living to themselves and for their families.