In each ISIS Bulletin from now on, we will reserve this space for bringing you news about sources of money, scholarships or job possibilities and ideas available to women.

A Guide to Community Revolving Loan Funds
The Voluntary Fund for the United Nations Decade for Women
Room DC-1002 One United Nations Plaza United Nations New York, NY 10017 USA.

"A revolving loan fund is a pool of money which really does revolve. That is, it goes from one person to another, and another. When a person borrows from the fund and pays back her loan, that money is used by the next borrower, who borrows, then repays." This booklet is a practical guide to women's groups (in developing countries) on setting up revolving loan funds, how to manage them and how to form one. It gives good insights into how organised women's groups can set up in small business and make money through the use of revolving loans. The booklet runs through all the practical steps necessary, including basic concepts of accounting. The only lack is that the booklet does not suggest to women where to get their fund in the first place — only indicating "an international development agency". Write to the Voluntary Fund for the UN Decade for Women for further details. Copies of the Guide are available free from them.

You should also know that the resources of the Voluntary Fund are used to support innovative or experimental activities especially in the least developed, land-locked and island countries among developing countries, and special consideration is given to programmes and projects which benefit rural women and poor women in urban areas. Areas of activities include development planning, project planning, revolving loan funds, village industries, community development programmes, training change agents, planting woodlots, and improving stove designs. Total number of projects being currently supported is 220 with an amount of USSI3 million in all.