..and our clients’ clients This week I’ve felt the overwhelming spirit of cooperatives, having visited three agricultural and credit institutions founded, owned, and managed by a collective of individuals working together.  I’ve met a range of people, too – cooperative chairpersons, managers, employees, members, borrowers, and overall beneficiaries in the community. Their words and their stories really speak for themselves. Not every story is one of success – but every ... Read More »

Oikocredit USA’s Leah Gage has headed to Eastern Bulgaria to spend the week with our Bulgaria Country Office staff and spend time at the agricultural and credit cooperatives Oikocredit funds there. Follow her as she posts her findings from the field! @OikocreditUSA #OikoinBulgaria Can you imagine receiving a hug and a kiss from your loan officer? It’s a regular occurrence among the staff and members of Doverie Credit Cooperative, an ... Read More »

Daring to Make the Tough Investment Oikocredit is known worldwide for taking bigger chances on smaller organizations that may be considered riskier investments. But as was shown in Bulgaria – and has been shown time and again throughout the world* – our willingness to take those chances often pays off, and helps those most in need. This installment of Tour Around the World with Oikocredit explores our investments in Bulgaria, and ... Read More »

Director’s Corner follows Oikocredit USA National Director Sharlene Brown as she reflects on her work and her travels to investors and supportive communities in the US. Last weekend I attended Rotary’s Symposium to Eliminate Poverty Sustainably (STEPS) and was blown away at the commitment to service of Rotarians around the world. This symposium gave me the opportunity to hear about the projects Rotarians have supported in Peru, Indonesia, Haiti, and ... Read More »

Oikocredit’s motto is “Investing in People.” But what does that mean – and how can investments funds from US investors reach entrepreneurs and workers in the poorest countries worldwide? Oikocredit USA staffer Leah Gage breaks it down.  Part 1: The Investor Being an investor in Oikocredit is more than just a passive contribution to global poverty alleviation. Sometimes, being an investor in Oikocredit requires work – I can attest to ... Read More »

Microfinance pricing is complicated and data shows there is not one single price for any type of microloan product, regardless of lending methodology (group loan, individual loan, etc.) or purpose (business, housing, etc.), around the world. In fact, seemingly similar microfinance loan products offered by several financial institutions in a given market, such as business loans borrowed by groups in Rwanda, could have very different prices. When you have multiple loan providers in one market with a variety of operational characteristics, serving different market segments (low –moderate income, rural vs urban, etc.) and no standards for pricing disclosure, this could mean confusion for borrowers. If the same product has different prices and these prices are communicated in different forms (e.g. interest rate only vs. fee plus interest), how can a client compare prices and choose the best option available?

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We’d like to offer a report on what Oikocredit’s Social Performance Manager, Ging Ledesma, has been doing on a recent trip to Vallanadu, in the Tamil Nadu state of India. Oikocredit’s Social Performance Manager, Ging Ledesma, traveled to Tamilnadu by way of Bengaluru, India last month. Where’s that? Bengaluru is another way to say Bangalore, a city you may have heard of, home to over 7 million people. Tamilnadu is ... Read More »

With Halloween right around the corner, Americans are about to indulge in their favorite candies, such as M&Ms, Snickers, and Kit-Kats.  In fact, we individually enjoy almost 11 pounds of chocolate a year![i] Americans demand $4.3 billion in cocoa imports—that’s 1,222,300 metric tons of cocoa! [ii] However, did you know that the companies that make your favorite treats may be guilty of supporting child labor and human trafficking in West ... Read More »

Oikocredit relies on investor support for more than financial investment in our project partners. Our investors are also our strongest resource in mobilizing support of Oikocredit’s model for alleviating poverty through microcredit. The Summer of Microfinance is traditionally a time when we ask investors to become ambassadors for Oikocredit, reaching out to their respective communities to share our mission and encourage a wider base of support. This summer, Oikocredit did ... Read More »

You’ve probably heard about the debate surrounding interest rates on microfinance loans, with the center of focus hitting Indian microfinance institutions in the past year. However, you may not know what the industry is doing to respond to these concerns, what Oikocredit is doing to ensure transparent pricing for end-borrowers, or even how interest rates are calculated in the field.

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