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Chester Investment backs women who come together with a shared purpose. No individual collateral — just collective trust and the will to grow.
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Built around how women in Uganda actually work — together.
A loan designed for women who know and trust each other. Form a group of 8 to 25 members in your locality, go through our free structured training, and unlock capital to grow your businesses — together.
"Zimba Mpola" — Luganda for "build step by step." This loan is designed for women who dream of owning a home but can't do it all at once. Borrow in stages — foundation today, walls next, roof when you're ready — at a pace that matches your income and your life.
Step by Step
From first meeting to loan in hand — here's exactly what to expect, with no surprises.
Women in the same neighbourhood or trading area come together to form a group. Being nearby builds accountability and genuine mutual support.
Every member must be between 18 and 69 years old and own a small business. Members must know each other well — including both home and work addresses.
Your group needs a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 25 women. This size ensures strong solidarity while staying manageable for collective decisions.
Before any loan is issued, your group receives free education covering the loan process, group formation & sustainability, loan management, and business growth.
The group submits the necessary documentation for admission. Our loan officer guides you through everything needed — step by step, no guesswork.
Our Branch Manager and Loan Officer personally visit each member's home and workplace before disbursement — a friendly visit, not an interrogation.
The first-loan journey takes 2 weeks from group formation to disbursement. Once you're a client, repeat loans take just 2–3 days — because by then, we already know and trust you.
Included Free of Charge
Every group receives free training before their first loan. A loan without knowledge is a risk; a loan with knowledge is a launchpad.
We walk your group through exactly how the loan works — repayments, responsibilities, and what to expect from day one.
How to build a group that stays strong — leadership, conflict resolution, and keeping the collective spirit alive long-term.
Smart borrowing habits, repayment planning, and how to deploy your loan capital most effectively for your specific business.
Practical tips on growing your business, managing stock, keeping simple records, and preparing for your next loan cycle.
Before You Apply
When our Loan Officer visits each member, here is the information we collect — nothing hidden, nothing unexpected. Being prepared means a faster, smoother process for your whole group.
This information is shared individually — each member fills in her own details. Nothing is shared outside Chester Investment without your consent.
What business does the member run? Whether it's a food stall, salon, tailoring, or trading — we want to understand what you do.
We collect the member's exact home address and where she operates her business. This is verified during the assessment visit.
How long has she lived at that address? How long has she been running her business? This helps us understand her stability and roots in the community.
We ask for the member's daily turnover in sales, her profit, and her business expenses. This helps us determine the right loan amount for her — not too little, not too much.
Each member tells us the weekly instalment amount she can comfortably afford to repay — without straining her household or business. We never push for more than you can manage.
Don't worry — our Loan Officer will walk your group through every question during the assessment visit. You don't need to have everything perfect on day one.
Ready to Begin?
Get in touch with our team today and we'll guide you through forming your group and starting your application — completely free of charge.
Register Your Group