True Life: Microfinance

Jessica Markwood

What I’m Looking For in an MFI

Overtly Christian

Holistic (Microcredit +)

Reasonable Interest Rates

Responsible and Experienced

Transparent

What I’m Looking For in a Borrower

Responsible female working in agriculture or food security

Pursuing work suitable to her environment

In a non-Christian environment

Meet Marjana

• Albanian• 42• Married• Three children: 22, 15, 9

The Loan

To Marjana via VisionFund Albania via Kiva

Amount: $1,875

Purpose: Potato and Onion seeds

Repayment Term: 14 months

Repayment Schedule: Monthly

Interest Rate: 30%

Why Marjana?

Gender

Agricultural Focus

Location/Context

Loan Specifics

Family pursuing education

Preparation/Responsibility

Why VisionFund Albania?• Christian organization: training, partnerships, & Bibles

• Emphasis on educational & agricultural solutions for women & children in poverty

• Loans go to the economically active poor

• Working with health, sanitation, education, food security, disaster response, child protection, & economic development

• Self-sufficient organization

• MFI offers savings, insurance, credit, health services, women’s empowerment services, “integration loans”

• “Client Voice” Rating

• Location/Context

Why Kiva?

Experience with Kiva

Selective process not possible with specific MFI

How I Made My DecisionKiva.org

Visionfund.org

Visionfund.al

VisionFund Albania’s Mix Market Profile

Individual Benefits of the Loan

Subsistence Assistance

Marketplace Sales

Wholesales

Exports

Indirect Benefits of the Loan

Marjana’s children

Female empowerment in the community

Obstacles in Microfinance

Lack of experienced, reliable, or holistic Christian organizations

High Interest Rates

Lack of transparency