From the field
Emergency
In September and October this year, major natural disasters devastated areas of India, Indonesia and the Philippines, the three countries where Opportunity Australia works. Severe flooding rocked India and the Philippines, killing hundreds and leaving millions of families homeless.
On 30 September, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit Sumatra, Indonesia, killing close to a thousand people and destroying hundreds of villages. As those affected by the disasters try to come to terms with the destruction, the generosity of others is critical. By clicking here and donating, you can help families rebuild their lives through small businesses that can help re-establish incomes and provide food, clothing and shelter.
India
Since November 2007, Opportunity Australia’s India Program has expanded to 13 microfinance partners, disbursed more than A$19 million and given hundreds of thousands of poor entrepreneurs the opportunity to leave poverty behind – thanks to your donations.
Since March, we have added three new partners – EMFIL, Adhikar and C-DOT – who serve over 194,000 clients collectively. Between January and July 2009, our other Indian partners established 45 new branches and increased their outreach by over 91,000 clients.
Start-up organisations Margdarshak, Shikhar and Samhita recorded remarkable growth rates since the start of 2009, expanding their client outreach by 107%, 102% and 62% respectively. Cashpor, our largest partner, opened eight new branches, disbursing loans to 33,100 new clients. RGVN opened 10 new branches, but saw recurring flooding and terrorism-related issues impact clients’ businesses and repayment rates. RGVN is working with its clients to help them sustain their businesses.
June 2009 saw the amicable end of our partnership with Sahara, as the organisation’s senior management was deciding to change their focus from social impact to commercial outcomes, a mission that conflicts with our commitment to poverty alleviation. Sahara has since repaid its outstanding loan balance and this money has been reinvested in our other partners.
The Philippines
Our Philippines Renewal Program is helping our three Filipino partners – ASKI, TSKI and TSPI – move from product-driven to client responsive services. One outcome is ASKI’s current pilot loan product, the Ok Ka loan. Designed for clients who have completed at least four group loan cycles, the Ok Ka program provides larger, more flexible loans tailored to clients’ income streams, offering a significant capital boost. From January to June 2009, ASKI’s client numbers increased by more than 1,800. ASKI also conducted training in financial literacy, farm management, rice production and livelihood skills, such as soap making and meat processing.
Indonesia
TLM, our partner in West Timor, has now implemented its new group loans across all branches. Offering more flexible loan terms, the program has been well received by clients who appreciate the absence of a mutual guarantee and prescribed loan size. From January to June 2009, 4,881 loans were disbursed through the program, with TLM’s client numbers increasing from 10,783 to 12,270.