Suastick Micro Welfare Foundation

You can find us at Flat 207, 1 Crooked Lane. If you’ve ever been to this part of the city, you know how narrow and busy the streets are. The Suastick Micro Welfare Foundation is squeezed into this small flat. It’s a bit of a climb up the stairs, and the hallway is always full of boxes, but we make it work. We focus on small loans and helping people start tiny businesses, like a tea stall or a sewing shop. It’s called "micro" for a reason—we don't deal with big amounts of money. We mostly help women in the neighborhood who need a little bit of cash to get something started. We aren't a bank. We’re just people who live in the same block and want to see our neighbors doing better. Sometimes the paperwork gets messy because we aren't professionals, but we always figure it out in the end. It gets very hot in the office during the summer, but there’s usually a breeze if we keep the window open. People drop in all day long just to ask questions or pay back a few rupees. It’s a very busy, very small operation. We don't have a big sign outside, just the name on the door. It’s homey and a bit disorganized, but we like it that way. We just keep our heads down and keep track of the ledger as best as we can. It’s honest work for the people living nearby.