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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The clients we visited had compelling stories: a local woman who made fried dumplings (mandazi) in her home and brought them to market to sell. The money she made from selling these delicious morsels helped her feed her children and pay for their school fees and uniforms. Another sold traditional medicines, hundreds of herbs and other medicines that earned him $100 per month after accounting for expenses, which earns him a bit more than $3 per day, putting him just above the poverty line ($2.70 per day).

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Oikocredit’s 2011 Summer meetings ahead of its Annual General Meeting begin today in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. To mark the occasion, Oikocredit is launching the newest addition to our blog, Tour Around the World with Oikocredit. Poverty looks different in every country, every community. With partners in 71 different countries worldwide, Oikocredit has an opportunity to share important information about poverty in the countries in which we work. This week ... Read More »

Oikocredit USA, a member of Netherlands-based cooperative financial institution Oikocredit, is launching its second Summer of Microfinance campaign on June 3, 2011. The national kick-off event will take place on Friday, June 3 at 6pm and feature Terry Provance of Oikocredit USA and Leigh Carter of Fonkoze USA. (You’re invited! RSVP for the event here.) Ms. Carter was in Haiti during the 2010 earthquake that devastated the country.  She will ... Read More »