In the world of international development, change tends to take time. Many individual microfinance borrowers have stories about how their lives have changed, but achieving tangible and visible changes in living standards in a community can be slow going, and microfinance is just one of many contributors to that process. Basic infrastructure (such as roads, water and...

As part of our training needs assessment, we profile both villages and individuals to understand who they are and what their needs may be. Colette was just in Cambodia and gave us this profile of a small village. It’ll give you an idea of what life is like for Good Return borrowers. This village has 249 residents with 62 households, on average families...

Today, October 15 is the United Nations International Rural Women’s Day, and we are celebrating it as part of Anti-Poverty Week! International Rural Women’s Day gives us the opportunity to appreciate what rural women do in their communities. In developing nations, rural women produce more than 55% of all food grown. It’s also estimated that closing the gender...

Mr. Ringo is an oil palm and rubber farmer who lives in and is Head of Merunjau Sub-Village in Engkersik Village and lives with his wife. Their three grown-up children (2 sons aged 28 and 26 and a daughter aged 22) have all completed university educations and live away from home. Mr. Ringo has been a member of CUKK (Credit Uniong Keling Kumang) since 1994 and is a...

Some of you may wonder why Good Return is creating awareness and offering its clients renewable energy loans. Here are some reasons to show why access to renewable energy products is vital not only to the environment but also to the betterment of the lives of our borrowers and the future of the communities they live in. The current situation in Nepal – A...

When I was visiting Credit Union Keling Kumang in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Budi (GR Program Coordinator), Angel (GR Loans Officer), Edy (World Education Indonesia, financial literacy specialist) and myself met with 12 rubber farmers in Mansik Village to discuss the financial literacy training needs of the group to ensure we incorporate their requirements into the...