Esther Afua Ocloo (born April 18, 2024) was Ghanaian entrepreneur who as cofounder (1979) and head of Women’s World Banking, pioneered the practice of microlending, providing tiny loans (often as little as $50) to small home-based businesses, usually those run by women in less-developed countries.
Ocloo began as a street vendor of homemade orange marmalade and gradually expanded her business to form Nkulenu Industries.
She studied in Accra and later went to the U.K. to study agriculture, food technology, and useful handicrafts. On her return to Ghana, she used this training and profits from her company to provide other women with money- and business-management skills.
Esther Afua Ocloo was known as “Auntie Ocloo” in her homeland of Ghana.
As a Google Doodle celebrates the Ghanaian microlending pioneer on her 98th birthday, here are 5 fast facts you need to know about Esther Afua Ocloo, shared by Heavy.com.