AMPATH is also sensitive to the economic reality of its catchment population, recognizing that the average daily income for a substantial proportion of its clients is less than one US dollar per day. AMPATH has created a Safety Net Program to improve the economic security of clients without encouraging dependency, by promoting income-generating activities. The program has conducted preliminary work organizing microfinance groups, initially starting with HIV patients and pregnant women, and recently expanding to patients with diabetes and hypertension. Based on the model of Village-Level Savings and Loan Associations, AMPATH's microfinance program is a client-driven model that involves the creation of community savings groups. Thus, microfinance group members mobilize and manage their own savings, provide interest-bearing loans to group members, offer a limited form of financial insurance, and contribute to a social fund that is used in cases of emergency or welfare issues of group members. AMPATH also provides group members specific training on agribusiness, entrepreneurship, financial literacy, accounting, marketing, and group dynamics, to support engagement in sustainable income-generating activities. Since the program was launched in November 2010, there have been a total of 9,969 clients (83.8% female, 16.2% male), 508 groups, cumulative deposits of over $250,000 and social fund of nearly $23,000. The microfinance program has increased group membership by 14% with a retention rate of over 98%. An impact evaluation of the microfinance program revealed that group members have increased their monthly income by 10% and increased their weekly expenditure on food per household by 18%.