Comment from the Ambassador
Monique Erbeia
Since its launch, the Catarman branch has rapidly developed (active clients, loan volume, training sessions). In its first three years, SCPI should support nearly 3,000 women and men, i.e. 14,000 people including their families. Social microfinance is a powerful lever to enable vulnerable people to increase their autonomy and improve their living conditions. Thanks to microloans granted without any guarantee but with an in-depth social monitoring, they can develop simple income generating activities and change the way they conceive their own future and the future for their family within the space of a few months. A microloan’s reimbursement also enables a new microloan to be granted to another beneficiary… and so on!
Description
This project aims to provide microfinance loans and training to beneficiaries in isolated villages who mainly derive their living from farming and agriculture revenue. SCPI opened a branch in Catarman which should achieve financial viability within 6 years.
Created in 2014 and supported since 2016 by Entrepreneurs du Monde, SCPI is engaged in improving in a sustainable manner the resilience and living conditions of marginalized families in urban and rural communities of Northern Samar, by providing financial and socio-economic services tailored to their needs for the development of income generating activities. SCPI uses the individual responsibility group methodology promoted by Entrepreneurs du Monde, which has a strong social component, brings down all the barriers to access loans (no financial or physical guarantees, no joint liability collateral system) and promotes the strengthening of beneficiaries’ skills to develop their income-generating activities. In addition to microloans, SCPI provides socioeconomic training and social support.
Impact / Main indicators
Financial services affordable for the poorest
• Number of active borrowers: 951 as of 30/06/2018
• Granted loan portfolio: 132,543 € as of 30/06/2018
• Socio-economic training: financial education, social and health awareness
• Training modules: 16 as of 30/06/2018
• Training sessions: 161 as of 30/06/2018
• Training of local teams, including five credit agents, in social microfinance methodology developed by Entrepreneurs du Monde.
Project sponsors
Entrepreneurs du Monde
www.entrepreneursdumonde.org/fr
Local partner
Samar Crusade Against Poverty, Inc. (SCPI)
