Microfinance loans - Success with small loans!

Many people in Nigeria have skills, ideas and the will to build a livelihood of their own – but often they lack the money for tools, goods or a simple market stall. With interest-free microfinance loans, HIFA gives exactly these people a real chance: not charity, but seed capital. Not dependence, but dignity.

Since 2009 the project has been running successfully

53+ people supported so far

1 % processing fee – no interest

“I decided to pick up the pieces of my life.”

Ifeoma from Nigeria completed training as a photographer with HIFA’s support and built her own studio. When the Corona pandemic brought everything to a standstill and her business was about to collapse, HIFA granted another loan. Today her studio is running again – and her story shows how sustainable microfinance carries people in the long term.

→ Read the full story

Support microfinance now

Choose an amount – or enter your own. Your donation has an impact – today and tomorrow.

Or your own amount: €

Or by bank transfer:
IBAN: AT73 3200 0000 0260 6226
BIC: RLNWATWW · Account holder: HIFA (Hilfe für alle)
Reference: Microfinance Loans

How the HIFA microfinance model works

HIFA grants interest-free microloans to women and men in Nigeria – since 2009 initially in Imo State and Cross River State, and now also in Abia State and Edo State. Borrowers pay only a processing fee of 1 % of the outstanding amount. No interest, no profit. After repayment, the same money helps the next family. This creates a sustainable cycle that has an impact over years and decades.

Projects supported

Setting up and running a market stall
Founding and equipping a photo studio
Practicing a craft (carpentry, electrical work …)
Opening a tailoring business
Purchasing goods and supplies
Building a catering business
Financing tools & equipment
Founding a small business

Why microfinance is so important in Nigeria

Many families in Nigeria have knowledge, experience and the will to work. What is often missing is simply a small amount of seed capital – for tools, fabrics, goods or a sewing machine. Even such simple purchases can mean the difference between poverty and self-sufficiency.

A microloan makes possible:

Own income and economic independence
Better nutrition for the whole family
School education for children
Access to medical care
A long-term perspective instead of short-term aid

What your donation makes possible

Amount	Impact
€35	First goods for a market stall
€60	Tools for a craft
€120	Starting a tailoring business
€250	Building a small business
€500	Long-term economic independence

Why supporters trust HIFA

HIFA supports people directly and personally – transparent, without detours, with long-term impact. Interest-free loans instead of charity, self-sufficiency instead of dependence: that is not a phrase, but lived practice for over 15 years.

✓ No interest, only 1 % fee ✓ Direct aid on the ground ✓ 53+ people supported ✓ Revolving fund – money helps again and again ✓ Tax deductible in Austria · ZVR: 416826572

Frequently asked questions

How is my donation used?

Your donation flows directly into HIFA’s microfinance fund. From it, interest-free loans are granted to women and men in Nigeria. After repayment – plus a minimal processing fee of 1 % – the same money is available for the next person. So your donation does not help just once, but again and again.

Who can apply for a loan?

HIFA microloans are aimed at people in Nigeria who have a concrete business idea but do not have the necessary seed capital. Women are particularly supported, as they often have less access to traditional banking products. Selection and support are carried out personally by HIFA project staff on the ground.

What happens after repayment?

The repaid capital is granted again as a loan – to the next person on the waiting list. Some successful borrowers have already received a second loan to expand their business further. The model is designed as a revolving fund: one euro helps multiple times.

Is HIFA a recognised aid organisation?

Yes. HIFA (Humanitäre Gemeinschaft Austria) is a non-profit Austrian organisation, registered in the Central Register of Associations (ZVR: 416826572), active since 1971. Transparency and responsibility are central principles of our work.