In the first half of 2011, Chenzhou has issued small loans up to 37.92 million yuan to women, supporting over 1,500 women in starting businesses and creating more than 8,600 new jobs.

 

In recent years, more and more women have started their own companies, but they are faced with many problems like lack of funding and narrow financing channels. Thus, Chenzhou government took the opportunity of declaring China’s first batch of national cities of business startups to focus on work concerning small loan discount for women and to help relieve their problems in start-up capital.

 

Tentative measures for guaranteed small loans for building one of the first national innovation cities have been launched, giving priority to small loans for women. The expected targets are enlarged from laid-off women to women graduates from junior or senior technical schools or colleges, women farmers without lands and women citizens who start their own businesses. Women’s Federation and Financial Department has established a joint mechanism and a harmonized process to set up service network at the primary level to facilitate the application. In addition, financial discounts undertaken by municipal finance were given to small-profit projects by women for two years, to stimulate their enthusiasm for self-employment.

 

Small loans provide a platform for women who intend to start their own companies, stimulate employment via startup businesses and expand employment opportunities for women.