Written by Anna Pasquali of Live58. Originally published on the Live58 blog.
Let’s start by making a list of all that we know microenterprise development can do:
When Tom Rakabopa and Central Baptist Church first reached out to families living in poverty in Harare, Zimbabwe, they distributed food and other items to fill the great needs they saw in their community. But as he saw some of the unintended consequences of this work, Tom began dreaming of ways they could transition to long-term development. That dream came true when a partnership with HOPE International helped Central Baptist Church begin savings and credit associations (SCAs) in their community, training groups of individuals to save their own money as a safety net in emergencies, to start or expand a business, and to pay routine expenses like school fees.
On my trip to the Philippines, I was privileged to visit microfinance client meetings with HOPE’s partner CCT. Microfinance is CCT’s largest ministry, and senior leaders refer to it as the “backbone” or “platform” on which their other outreach programs reside. We visited groups in a poor section of Manila near the national prison. Our first meeting was with “Fellowship Group 23,” a group of 19 women (joined by two kids, a cat, and a rooster), all dressed in red shirts to show solidarity with one another.
We spent the morning at the Cabrera branch in Manila, seeing CCT’s many ministries in action. CCT’s strategic emphasis is to build a broad set of programs and services on the foundation of their microfinance branch network. CCT has 145 branches across the Philippines, providing a great backbone for broadening their ministry. The Cabrera community center is a great example of this transformation:
In the Lancaster, PA, area? Join HOPE International and Community Fellowship Church this Wednesday, June 20, at 7 p.m. for “When Helping Hurts,” a free live webinar with Dr. Brian Fikkert, executive director of the Chalmers Center for Economic Development and co-author of When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor … and Yourself.
In When Helping Hurts, Fikkert and co-author Steve Corbett draw on years of experience in international development to discuss common pitfalls Christ’s followers face as we seek to overcome poverty. They also detail practical strategies for developing sustainable solutions that empower the poor rather than hurting them.
In Wednesday’s webinar, Fikkert will draw on themes from the book and engage attendees to move beyond good intentions to concrete actions that can make a difference for those living in poverty. Moderated by Peter Greer, president and CEO of HOPE International, the webinar will be broadcast live at Community Fellowship Church (200 Bethel Drive, Lancaster, PA) and is free and open to the public. Unfortunately, we are not able to stream the event for those unable to attend in person.
Learn more through Facebook or by contacting Lori Scannapieco, events manager, at [nohide]lori@hopeinternational.org[/nohide] or 717-464-3220 ext. 140.
Photo courtesy of Covenant College.
When Emalinda Ramos acquired “Kim Joy’s Buko Juice” from a relative 12 years ago, the business was struggling. With a background in marketing, Emalinda quickly uncovered a weakness in the company’s strategy: They were transporting the buko juice—or coconut water, a popular beverage in the Philippines—to distant markets, where significant competition drove down prices. Instead, Emalinda began to think creatively about opportunities that existed closer to home. Continue Reading…
