Village Banking Campaign

Yesterday was one of the rare days that I was home in the early afternoon and watched The View. I am not a fan of the show but was fated to turn it on just in time to see an interview with Natalie Portman. Portman is promoting a humanitarian organization called FINCA or the Village Banking Campaign.

The organization provides small loans to the world's lowest income entrepreneurs so that they can create jobs, build assets, and improve their standard of living. Most of these loans go to women. These women live in third world or war torn countries and are beyond poor. The Village Banking Campaign establishes banks funded by private donations in hundreds of villages and towns throughout the world. They give women small loans to start a business that can support them and their families. From doing handiwork, to a small restaruants, these women use the money from the loan ($50 US dollars and up) to develop and open a small business that enables them to create financial stability, self-suffieciency, and most importantly, empowerment for themselves and their families. All the organization asks is that the women repay the loan without interest whenever they can. 98% pay back the loan in full and usually contribute more than what was originally given to them!

Portman told about a women who received a loan of $50.00 from the organization 10 years ago. The women was a single mom with no education, no home and no skills to earn money. Through the Village Banking Organization, she was able to open a small food stand in her village. That stand turned into a small sucessful restaurant and now, 10 years later, employees 7 other women. The owner is also sending her daughter to a university this year. She paid back the loan in less than a year! All of this from $50.00! How amazing!!!

Please check out their website and pass this amazing idea along!! help donate inspire

http://www.villagebanking.org