Microfinance & Livelihood
Empowering Through Financial Inclusion
Since 2015, our Microfinance program has been the cornerstone of sustainable economic growth for thousands of households.
Poverty often persists simply due to a lack of access to capital and financial knowledge. SSD's Microfinance & Livelihood program aims to break this cycle by providing accessible financial services tailored to the rural poor, particularly women.
We combine credit and savings facilities with structured capacity-building training. This integrated approach ensures that beneficiaries not only receive funds but also the strategic guidance needed to build resilient, profitable businesses.
25K+
Women Empowered
৳40M+
Loans Disbursed
Our Core Interventions
Comprehensive financial solutions designed to drive sustainable livelihoods.
Microcredit Program
Our flagship Microcredit Program delivers collateral-free, low-interest loans directly to rural households excluded from traditional banking. Organized through village-based solidarity groups, members access working capital for agriculture, livestock, tailoring, and small trade, while weekly group meetings create peer accountability and mutual support. Loan sizes grow progressively as members build a strong repayment history, allowing entrepreneurs to scale their ventures from survival activities into stable, income-generating enterprises that lift entire families out of poverty.
Savings Programs
We help rural families transform irregular earnings into lasting financial security through flexible savings products designed for low-income households. Our General Savings accounts allow members to deposit small amounts weekly with no minimum balance, while our Deposit Pension Scheme (DPS) builds long-term wealth for major life goals such as children's education, housing, and old-age security. By cultivating a consistent savings habit, beneficiaries reduce vulnerability to sudden shocks like illness or crop failure, and gradually move from dependence on loans toward genuine financial self-sufficiency.
Small Business Support
Going beyond simple credit, we partner with established micro-enterprises to help them transition from subsistence trading into genuinely profitable businesses. Our field officers provide hands-on business planning, bookkeeping guidance, product diversification advice, and critical market linkages that connect rural producers to urban buyers and wholesale networks. Larger enterprise loans are paired with ongoing mentorship so shop owners, producers, and service providers can expand inventory, hire local workers, and strengthen their position within the local economy, creating a multiplier effect across the community.
Entrepreneurship Development
We identify promising individuals with strong business ideas but limited resources and equip them to become the next generation of community-based entrepreneurs. Through structured training modules covering feasibility analysis, costing, marketing, and customer service, combined with one-to-one mentorship from experienced practitioners, participants gain the confidence and competence to launch viable ventures. Special emphasis is placed on youth and first-time entrepreneurs in agri-business, livestock rearing, food processing, and rural services, giving them a real alternative to migration and informal labour.
Financial Literacy Training
Access to credit alone cannot break the cycle of poverty without the knowledge to manage money wisely, which is why financial education sits at the heart of our programming. Our practical, jargon-free workshops teach household budgeting, distinguishing productive from consumptive debt, interest calculation, insurance basics, and digital financial services such as mobile banking. Delivered in simple Bangla through group sessions and home visits, these trainings empower members, especially those with limited formal education, to plan for the future, avoid predatory lenders, and make confident decisions about their money.
Women Income Generation
At the core of our mission is the belief that when women earn, entire communities prosper, which is why more than 90 percent of our beneficiaries are women. We design dedicated income-generation pathways around skills that fit rural realities and existing household routines, including tailoring and dressmaking, poultry and livestock rearing, handicrafts, homestead gardening, and small-scale food production. Combined with start-up capital, equipment support, and market access, these programs help women move from unpaid household labour to recognized earners, strengthening their voice in family decisions and challenging long-standing gender barriers.
Related Stories
Read the latest impact stories from our Microfinance & Livelihood programs.
Fund a Future Entrepreneur
Your support helps us expand our microcredit fund, allowing more vulnerable families to start their own businesses and become self-reliant.