Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative

The Commonwealth Youth Credit Initiative (CYCI) was set up to offer loans, training, education and business support for young men and women across the Commonwealth. It was piloted in Zambia, India, Guyana and Solomon Islands, and has since been replicated in a further 12 countries. In India alone nearly 1,000 people gained functional literacy through the project and 9,000 have been exposed to health awareness camps and exhibitions. “The loan from the CYCI has helped me to be independent and not to be a sex worker...I can buy my own soap, food, clothes.” (CYCI participant Florida Harrison, from Malawi.)